How Important Is The Title Of A Book? . . .

Below is a list of 13 classic, beloved books. Have you ever wondered how much influence a title has with readers? I know I have. I’ve read most of the books on this list, and I’ll be the first to admit the writing in almost every case is compelling, the plot strong, and the characters deep.

But take a good look at the titles. Do they draw you in, make you wonder what the book is about? If you forget about the blurb for a second and look just at the title, doesn’t it sort of tell a story of its own, or at least make you want to find out what the story is about?

We should never underestimate the power of a book title. It’s a huge factor in determining whether or not people will opt to read it rather than the millions also beckoning them. Let’s pretend again for a moment you know nothing about the books you’re holding in your hands. One is The Red Badge of Courage, the other, Nasal Maintenance (there really is such a book). Which one would you buy? 

The Call of the Wild

1903, by Jack London

When his beloved master is killed, the dog Buck flees to the wild, where he becomes the leader of a wolf pack. Rousing adventure set in Alaska’s Klondike country.

Crime and Punishment

1886, by Fyodor Dostoevsky

First published in Russian in 1866, this masterful psychological novel shows the horror and remorse of Raskolnikoff, a student, after he has killed an old woman for her money.

The Red Badge of Courage

1895, by Stephen Crane

Through the eyes of Henry Fleming, a young Civil War soldier, we see the fears of battle and the inexplicable courage that comes when soldiers unite in a wartime machine.

A Tale of Two Cities

1859, by Charles Dickens

This dramatic story of Paris and London during the Reign of Terror contains some of Dickens’ most memorable characters—Madame Defarge with her knitting and the self-sacrificing Sidney Carton.

Heart of Darkness

1902, by Joseph Conrad

Marlow relates the tale of Mr. Kurtz, successful in his greedy quest for ivory in the African Congo but leaving in its place hunger, death and slavery, for the natives.

Of Mice and Men

1937, by John Steinbeck

George and Lenny, itinerant Depression-era farm laborers, have their dream of attaining the good life shattered on a troubled ranch in the the Salinas Valley in Steinbeck's monumental novella of social realism.

The Scarlet Letter

1850, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hawthorne’s novel is a study of sin, guilt, and revenge. Adultress Hester Prynne must bear public humiliation but Roger Chillingsworth and Arthur Dimmesdale suffer equally.

Wuthering Heights

1847, by Emily Bronte

Catherine and Heathcliff are the tempestuous lovers in this tale of passion and revenge on the Yorkshire moors.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

1937, by Zora Neale Hurston

An African-American woman in 1930s rural Florida finds freedom and self-knowledge through a personal journey encompassing three very different marriages.

Lord of the Flies

1954, by William Golding

A group of English schoolboys, marooned on a tropical island during a time of atomic warfare, bring both civilization and savagery to their community.

The Sound and the Fury

1929, by William Faulkner

The moral decay of the Old South is presented through the eyes of four members of the once prominent Compson family of Jefferson, Mississippi.

Invisible Man

1952, by Ralph Ellison

A young African American man moves to New York City and discovers he is “invisible,” seen only as a racial stereotype and never as himself.

Of Human Bondage

1915, by W. Somerset Maugham

Afflicted with a club foot, Philip Carey suffers through his life, struggling to free himself from a destructive love affair and finally finding contentment as a country doctor.

Happy choosing titles!

Keta Diablo writes erotic romance and gay fiction for numerous publishers. You can find her on the web at the links below.

Check back in three days, September 26th and Keta will tell you how she selects the titles of her books, including her latest release Where the Rain Is Made.

Keta’s Haunt Author Home: http://www.ketadiablo.com

Keta’s Erotic Romance Blog, Keta’s Keep, http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com

Keta’s Gay Fiction Blog, The Stuff of Myth and Men, http://thestuffofmythandmen.blogspot.com

The Language of Love

I have a question. Am I the only erotic author who frequently finds herself/himself at a loss for words when writing intimate scenes. How can this be? I know, I know, go buy a book. :) There are countless manuals and guides provided to find the exact sensual words, and yet... choose the wrong combination and a scene can fizzle like--well--like a limp dick.


Not unlike great sex, writing a passionate encounter is challenging, exciting, and satisfying. When all the parts work together and the final climax comes--either with a great crescendo or a sigh of sweet release--I'm ready for a cigarette and some mellow afterglow. 


I had a lot of mellow moments while writing the first book in my Bounty Hunters series. Meet Charlie Wolf  McCallister and Miss Naomi Parker in a snippet from Wolf's Tender  Available now in both digital and print @ Amazon.

Groin to mound, joined as they were, Naomi's sweet breath feathered across his chin, and he watched her bite her bottom lip. He shifted, settling her tighter, reaching like a spoiled child for a spot deeper inside.Tentatively flexing her inner muscles around his cock, she squeezed. Beads of perspiration dotted her forehead, and moisture flooded her eyes. He leaned forward and kissed the end of a lash, capturing a tear with his tongue. Their heavy breathing joined into one melodic score.

Charlie Wolf brushed his lips down Naomi's cheek and across her mouth, tasting her lightly with his senses. He jerked in surprise when she reciprocated, sipping delicately at his bottom lip. He opened, drawing her tongue into his mouth and then following her shy retreat, back to the warmth of hers.

They groaned in unison. His hand came up, cupping the back of her head, steadying their kiss. It was a first for him too—part of him held onto her as if she was a sacred moment—he was almost scared to proceed. He’d never bedded a virgin. Part of him wanted to fuck her so hard she’d never forget him; he wanted to be more than her first. He hadn’t even pulled from her body and already he wanted to be the only man who ever gave her this pleasure.

Visit my website @  Gem's Place

Subscribe to my monthly newsletter to get each new installment of my Eclipse Romance
 Sweeter than Honey.

Visual Words

In any story the author wants to get the reader invested in what they are reading. When words are complied together they should resonate. What is used is in my opinion visual words.

I have and have heard many readers mention how they got into such and such book. They could see the characters or feel they were in their shoes. This is all invoked by the visual words used by the author. When written well a story will bring to life what you are reading. You can picture it like a movie in your mind. The scenes roll out to you. You are living it and wondering what is happening next.

From each variety of emotion – the pulse pounding excitement of meeting someone to when you think all is lost. Then to getting back together and all in between. It is all driven by the visual words created by the tale you are reading.

If you think about it even before we put started to put pen to paper or type on a computer there were storytellers. And just as author now who use the tools to write pen/paper or type on a computer those storytellers used their words to create visuals. To create epic tales that drew the hearer in. Their words made the listener live, feel and be a part of it. Story telling is all about all the visual. Making the words come to life. They become - Visual Words.

****

Taige Crenshaw is a multi-published author with books available at Ellora's Cave Publishing, Liquid Silver Books, Loose Id, and Total-E-Bound. Taige has been enthralled with the written word from time she picked up her first book. It wasn’t long before she started to make up her own tales of romance. With novels set in today, in alternate dimensions, or in the future she writes with adventure, fun sassy heroine’s, and sexy hero’s. Always hard at work creating new and exciting places Taige can be found curled up with a hot novel with exciting characters when she is not creating her own. Join her in the fun, frolic, interesting people and far reaches of the world in her novels. You can find out more about Taige at her website: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/ or blog: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/blog.

Wilde Seduction - What happens when a woman who doesn’t know how to relax meets a man whose lust for life will change her and make all her deepest desires come to life?

Buy here at Total-E-Bound.

OMG... One paragraph of this woman's work made me need an ice bath- Must Read Interview.

A: Taige Crenshaw is an multi-published author with books available at Ellora's Cave Publishing, Liquid Silver Books and Total-E-Bound. Her newest anthology Naughty Nuptials; Oh Yum at Ellora's Cave.

She writes anything from paranormal, fantasy, contemporary, and romantic suspense. A girl after my own heart.


Good to meet you Taige. I've been waiting to do this interview for some time now and I'm excited to introduce you to everyone. :>

Sooooo let's start it off with the most intimate question I have on my naughty list of questions: What’s the kinkiest, sexiest thing you’ve ever done:

Taige: I plead the fifth so I won’t incriminate myself. LOL.

A: Oh... now that just gets me more curious by the second.  But I'll let you off easy ;> Maybe I'll come back to that later. (BWwahhhhawwwawawaaaa - Wow I sound like I have a hacking cough in there. ) Back to the questions. How bad do you get with your writing, are we talking just suggestion or down right bondage?

Taige: I’ve written light bondage and sometimes it can get intense between my characters. The women tend to like to take control. And the men like to let them before flipping the script on them and making them there’s. (wicked grin)

A: Very hot!!! I like it when the woman gets the man all... Oh.. sorry, where were we... Oh yeah, my questions not my own personal tastes.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever written—the best line?

Taige: That’s a tough one. So far I have so many line that come to mind. Hmmm… I’ll give a passage from my book Veils Rising, Book 3 of my Rarities Incorporated series.

“So what, you want to fuck me? Am I supposed to drop to my knees and say any way you want to?” Dilana waited for his response.

He watched her, a weird look on his face. She made an “answer me” gesture with her hand.

“If you want to,” Magni replied in a reasonable tone. Dilana narrowed her eyes, before she could say anything he continued. “I don’t want to fuck you, Dilana.” Magni’s look was steady and appraising. “Fucking is about singular, solitary pleasure. It is too tame a word for what I want to do with you.” He leaned, in putting his face next to her cheek, then inhaled deeply, then continued, his voice softer. “I want my name to be the only thing you know in your dreams or fantasies,” He licked, one slow wet lick along the side of her face. Her eyes closed in self-defense and her slit started to ache. “In your thoughts.” He bit gently on her ear. She shuddered, fine goose bumps raising all over her body.

A: Oh... wow.. um.. whew. Where's there a cold shower when you need it? (April scurries off for a few minutes looking for something ice cold.)

Whew, did it get hot in  here or what? Okay, I have a nice cold ice tea now. (April squirms and clears her voice a couple of times before continuing)

Back on track... If you could have any movie star take on a role as one of your heroes, who would it be?

Taige: Keith Hamilton Cobb as Magni Taggart my hero in Veils Rising, Book 3 of my Rarities Incorporated series.

A: How is it I don't know any of these hunky guys everyone knows about??? And these guys are smokin'. I swear I need to get out more!

Size counts… on average how loooooonnnnnggg do you like your (um, how do we put it delicately) manuscripts to be ;> ( in words silly, not inches) and how steamy?

Taige: They vary in size. I want to make it burn. I want to go for ice water and a cold shower and still not get cooled down.

April: Well, you definitely have the talent. But even talented writers have their weak spots. What are the hardest scenes to write for you?

Taige: Can’t really think of any.

A: How close in real life have you gotten to one of your fantasies?

Taige: Again I plead the fifth so I won’t incriminate myself. LOL.

A: Man, can't pull one over on you, can I? Had to try again though :>  ...

I'll stick to writing related questions then. What would you want other writers and your readers to know about you?

Taige: I love to draw. I’m an avid seamstress. I can whip up an outfit quick if I have to go someplace special and have nothing to wear. I love to cook. I’m a voracious reader. My library in my house and on my computer is massive. That’s one of the first things you notice when you come to my house.

A: I love to sew - give me a quilt or embroidery to do and I'm happy for hours BUT I cannot make outfits from patterns (or do a very good job with my own designs). I have no patience and can't figure the things out. Although I do have this awesome idea for a quilt for my bed... Umph... Hey, quit it... oh, okay... I'll get back to the questions at hand. Sorry...

Finally… anything you would like to share with us, an excerpt, a tidbit, or anything else about yourself?

Taige: I’m part of a site that was created as a thank you to readers. Satin Notes is a site with free reads set in two towns Trescott Cove (contemporary) and Savoy Valley (paranormal). I write with two other author - Aliyah Burke and McKenna Jeffries. We created Satin Notes due to Aliyah, McKenna, and my desire to join together to bring a site for our loyal readers. We have such fun working on the towns and characters.

We’re currently due to unforeseen circumstances on a hiatus. We do plan on posting more stories to the site but no date yet when we will.

For more info check it out here http://satinnotes.com

Bio:

Taige Crenshaw is a multi-published author with books available at Ellora's Cave Publishing, Liquid Silver Books, Loose Id, and Total-E-Bound. Taige has been enthralled with the written word from time she picked up her first book. It wasn’t long before she started to make up her own tales of romance. With novels set in today, in alternate dimensions, or in the future she writes with adventure, fun sassy heroine’s, and sexy hero’s. Always hard at work creating new and exciting places Taige can be found curled up with a hot novel with exciting characters when she is not creating her own. Join her in the fun, frolic, interesting people and far reaches of the world in her novels. You can find out more about Taige at her website: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com or blog: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/blog.

Thank you Taige!!! Wonderful to meet you.

Everyone check out next week - I'll interview a new author and finish of our Interview Series!!!

Sultry Sunday- Looks can be deceiving

We all know her. She's the innocent looking woman who may sit next to us at church. She may have passed us in the grocery store. She may even be a member of the PTA. Or...she may be one of you.

Either way, we all know her. We are her.

We are the sexy temptress in our man's life that drives him to sexual orgasm. We make him crave us. We tantalize him. We are a tease.

We may wear the perfect Stepford Wife skirt and pearls. When in reality we wear the shortest of short skirts and want a pearl necklace.


In public we have a facade. We are sweet, gracious and polite. But get us behind closed doors and we become aggressive, amorous and always have something up our sleeve (or in our 'special drawer') that we're ready to experiment or play with.


So to all the seductive women out there...keep up the good work.

SINful Saturday ~ The Tiger's Masquerade

Note: Not the cover art. I just think this is a sexy exotic picture.

Oops, I got my wires crossed and almost forgot I'd signed up for today. So, without further adieu, here's a sneak peek at my next release, The Tiger's Masquerade, a short story in the Just Another Paranormal Halloween Anthology, coming from Mojo Castle Press.

Blurb ~

Stacy wasn’t looking for a tiger-man to erotically and exotically fill her tank , then steal her heart. That is, until the Halloween ‘Call of the Wild Masquerade’ ball. But, what kind of tiger does she have by the tail?

Zyrru wasn’t looking for a human woman to un-tame his fiercest passions, and alter his royal life forever. After all, he’s only vacationing on Earth, and is almost engaged to The Princess. But, her rosefire scent is irresistible.

Excerpt ~

Stacy slipped her hands over her gown’s full skirts reveling in the feel of the shimmering pink satin. Picking them up as elegantly as she knew how, she moved toward the mansion’s ballroom.

Excitement pounded her heart. Expectation had shadowed her all day and now it heightened. For what, she wasn’t certain, except that her boss had teased her with promo pictures of the tiger men she’d hired for her Call of the Wild Masquerade ball.

Stacy paused at the arched entrance, sweeping her gaze over the huge room’s starry ethereal decorations, the ones she’d helped to arrange the day before. Not quite prepared for more than images of the Tame a Party Tiger men, Stacy came to a sliding halt on her dancer’s shoes.

Aware she looked ridiculously awkward with her arms akimbo and her body leaning forward, still, Stacy stared, and practically panted. Thankfully, her mask didn’t impede her breathing any, and she wasn’t wearing a corset, or she might have keeled over in an un-ladylike faint.

Exotic. Sexy. Gorgeously handsome.

Mygawd! Their bods were fighting lean, yet with beefcake muscles galore. At least, from what she could observe, since they wore updated versions of sixties’ sharkskin suits. Damn, who knew her heart could beat this fast over looking at a man? Okay, sharp-dressed tiger men.
~~~~~~

Happy Sinning Saturday,

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Flirty Friday Alphabet Soup

Nothing like a nice bowl of soup to warm you up from the inside out! And with the cooler weather fast approaching? Gee, you can't beat these ingredients:







Is For....






Freddie Prinze, Jr.











Mr. Romance himself ~FABIO

Is For...







Jared Leto













Leonardo DiCaprio










Is For...







Isaiah Mustafa
(when did Old Spice get so Sexy?)











Ian Somerhalder











Is For...











Robert
Pattinson












Richard
Gere










Is For...




Taylor
Lautner

(let me have my cougar moment)







Thanks for stopping by and enjoying some of this delicious alphabet soup! If you have any more ingredients...er...names to add to the pot, leave a comment! I may have to whip up another batch!

THURSDAY THIRTEEN

Bubble wrap and massage oil

The nightstand of an erotic romance author must have thrilling assortment of goodies, right? Maybe not. Here are thirteen things I have in my nightstand right now.

1. Fat calipers

2. Measuring tape (goes along with the fat calipers. Get your mind out of the gutter. I don’t measure THAT)

3. A photo from our trip to Puerto Vallarta seven years ago that I thought made me look fat, so I hid it. Looking at it again, I was right.

4. Massage oil

5. A few pens

6. Bubble wrap

7. Swiss army knife

8. A remote control for a TV we no longer have

9. A stack of old baseball cards

10. Cassette tape on anti-procrastination

11. Business cards from when I worked at the YMCA six years ago

12. Flashlight

13. Lightbulb

What’s in your night-stand? I hope the contents are more exciting than mine.

Becca Simone writes erotic romance for The Wild Rose Press, where her characters lead far sexier lives than she does. Her Halloween story, Midnight Treat, is available now. You can find out more about her at her website.

Caution: Adults at Play

You know that sign we see in neighborhoods, the one that says "Slow Children at Play"? I've always wondered why the kids are so slow. There are signs like this all over town, so there must be a pandemic of slow children. Either that, or these little dickens are faster than any of us thought! It's one of those phrases that makes you go, "Huh?"

Misplaced or dangling modifiers are words that are not close enough to the words they are expected to modify. Often, they cause unintended humor. Here are some good examples*:

• 
  
  My parents bought a house from a man with no inside plumbing.
• 
  
  My dog was hit by a truck running across the road.
• 
  
  Leaking in several places, the scouts abandoned their tents.
• 
  
  Dressed in a silk nightgown, he thought his wife looked sexy.

* From the English Department at Louisiana Tech

If I see a sign saying Caution: Adults at Play, I want to actually see some adults playing! I came across this caution sign while searching for a different type of roadside warning, and immediately thought it would be perfect for this blog. =^_^=
Care to share one or two of your own favorites?

Fall Blog Tour Winners

Once again another successful blog tour- thank you to all the bloggers, participants and 'naughty' readers out there.

Grand Prize Winner is "Cathy M" and receives 3 ebooks and an autogrpahed copy of Mary Quast's Painted Soul.

First Place Winner is "estella" and receives 3 ebooks and a $5 Amazon gift certificate.

Second Place Winner is "sadangel" and receives 2 ebooks.

Third Place Winner is "yadkny" and receives 1 ebook.

Once again, it pays to be naughty- happy reading.

Introducing Madelyn Ford

A: Today I'm talking with Madelyn Ford, paranormal romance author extraordinaire with Samhain Publishing. She's a bit shy so give her some love...

What’s the kinkiest, sexiest thing you’ve ever done:

M: Sadly I can’t think of a thing. What is the saying ‘I only play one on TV’, lol.


A: How bad do you get with your writing, are we talking just suggestion or down right bondage?

M: No bondage. Some threats, maybe, but no actual bondage.

A: That's okay... sometimes we need teased :>

What’s the best thing you’ve ever written—the best line?

M: "And leaving her heart there bleeding at his feet, Charity walked away." (from Charity Received, the next book in my Watchers series)

A: Wow, brutal woman. Brutal.

If you could have any movie star take on a role as one of your heroes, who would it be?

M: Oded Fahr as Bale from Faith Revisited. The man is just down right yummy, but when he was in The Mummy, with his hair longer, definitely Bale. I think I need to go rent that movie.

A: Now, I don't know him either - all of these authors have wild tastes!!!

Size counts… on average how loooooonnnnnggg do you like your (um, how do we put it delicately) manuscripts to be ;> ( in words silly, not inches) and how steamy?

M: I like mine loooooonnnnnggg, lol, and steamy. I just recently attempted to write my first novella, My Avenging Angel, which will be out May 25th at Samhain. Before that, everything I’ve ever written has been in the 85-100k range.

A: I like 'em long too. What are the hardest scenes to write for you?

M: Truthfully, the love scenes. It always amuses me when I get comments about how sexy they are because they give me such fits when writing them.

A: What would you want other writers and your readers to know about you?

M: It’s kind of funny. The other day, my sister was telling me how she finally started reading Faith Revisited and was up all night reading it because she couldn’t put it down. But…and here’s the part that made me cringe…she couldn’t believe her baby sister wrote about *whispers* sex. I didn’t start out intending to write erotic romance, it just kind of happened. And I’m okay with that…as long as my mom doesn’t read my books :)

A: Yeah, I'm concerned my mom will get a copy of one of these... wowser, I'm not looking forward to that conversation.

And finally… anything you would like to share with us, an excerpt, a tidbit, or anything else about yourself?

M: A little something from My Avenging Angel .

Looking at the items around her, Victoria Bloom knew something was missing. She had the pentagram, outlined in chalk on the old attic floor. At each point rested a large white candle, all of which was surrounded by a circle of protection. Gingseng burned on the make-shift altar, the scent overpowering; it almost gagged her. The Grimoire of Armadel was opened to the correct page. Ari, one of her spirit guides, insisted she was ready, but still she hesitated. The one thing Tory considered to be essential for the ritual to work was the very thing she lacked. Belief.

Funny really, considering Tory was a medium, meaning she saw ghosts, and she was preparing to perform an ancient ritual all on the advice of a woman who had been dead for almost four centuries. But she couldn’t deny something had to be done. On her twenty-fifth birthday, her powers had begun to emerge, powers her guides would soon no longer be able to camouflage. Calling forth an angel, though, seemed a little extreme, even for her.

“Hurry up,” Ari whispered in her mind. “You don’t have all day.”

“Yes, the spell must be performed before the sun sets. You don’t want to accidentally call forth a demon, do you?” Sam prodded and Tory sighed. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like to be the only voice in her head.

“Boring,” Thomas added, his nasal tone a reprimand. “Now get the sigil drawn so we can get this over with.”

Tory snorted but didn’t bother arguing. It wouldn’t do her any good, anyway. One of the three guides always seemed to have the last word.

A: Thanks Madelyn. I'm always thrilled to discover new authors and read the excerpts. Do you want to see more??? Or have questions of your own that I need to ask - Let me know below.

Fall Blog Tour- Hot Nights To Keep the Chill Off

Summer is gone, the hot temperatures replaced with cooler evenings. Take a few leisure moments and follow the RWBB romance writers as they take you through some of the naughtiest and sultriest blogs for your chances to win free ebooks.

The RWBB (Romance Writers Behaving Badly) Fall Blog Tour, Hot Nights To Keep The Chill Off, officially begins here with Christa Page.


Christa Paige
Bound By Rebellion

Keta Diablo
Holding On To Heaven

Gem Sivad
Breed True

Mary Quast
Signed copy of Painted Soul

Dawne Prochilo
Crape Myrtle

Jeanne St James
Double Dare

Savannah Kougar
Winners Choice of back list

Sara Brookes
Blood Fever: Rebirth Book 2

Valerie Mann
Mile High Club
and a $5 Amazon gift card

Chloe Waits
Flesh For Fantasy


You MUST post a comment on each blog to be eligible for the prizes. Winners will be notified by Tuesday Sept. 14 2010 via email so please make sure you leave you email on the final blog entry (Chloe Waits) to receive your prize if you're chosen in a random drawing of all participants.

Thursday 13- The Shopping List

This isn't a normal shopping list you're about to view. It's a shopping list for a romantic (erotic and passion filled) evening with your lover.


Box O' Wine- gotta love the lowered inhibitions and relaxation this shopping item adds to the night.


Whipped Topping- plain, with berries or with another delectable topping- this is a must have.


Chocolate Sauce- see above reason.


Berries- you can never go wrong with this erotic food item- add it to your basket...NOW.


Rechargeable Batteries- for that...well...for those special moments only a battery charged item can bring to the bedroom.


Peanut Butter- a tasty little treat for extra lick-age (is that even a word? I doubt it but let's roll with it.)


Silk Scarf- for delicate wrists.



Massage Oil- for those long relaxing back (all over body) rubs.






Thigh High Nylons- nothing more erotic than having someone remove this lingerie from you body. Oh yeah...



Red Nail Polish- for a perfectly manicured index finger- (very good photo op- see below).



Camera- you never know when a photo op may pop up.



Shaving Cream- ever shave your man? Or have him shave you? Very, very relaxing moment here- trust me on this one. Very sexually engaging.





Blindfold- for the element of surprise.

Writerly Wednesday- Intro to BDSM

In the last six months or so, I have indulged my reading appetite with a new genre of stories. It kicked off with Roscoe James’ Orion, which is excellent, and kept on going from there. The story that really provoked my muse to join up in this category of romance was Tymber Dalton’s The Reluctant Dom.

So, there I was with an open word doc, a plot idea, and a delicious hero named Trent. When the story begins, he’s in a playroom at a fetish club, packing up his “gadgets.” After a few pages, I realized I had no idea what I was getting myself into. So, thus began my research.

Today, I wanted to share what I found out about BDSM. I’m going to call it BDSM 101, and it's all about the basic things within the “scene.” (I'm not sure if RWBB has posted a more in depth entry about BDSM before this, but in that event, consider this is your refresher course!) If you are familiar with this lifestyle and find anything I list erroneous, please feel free to correct me. I want to be as accurate as possible and share the wonderful little aspects of this community with everyone here at RWBB.

First up: Terminology.

· Master, Top, Dominant- I was surprised to learn that these titles are not
synonymous. Someone can be all three, or choose to just be a Top.

o Master- This is the dominant partner in a total power exchange relationship

o Top- This is the person who is in charge of administering some form of stimulation, pain, or pleasure. However, this control is not of the psychological kind.

o Dominant- Psychological control is an important trait for a Dom. It includes power over another person, and issuing orders which are to be obeyed.

· Slave, Bottom, Submissive- Again, these are not all one in the same.

o Slave- This person sees giving up their total power to someone as part of who they are. It is almost a complete way of life.

o Bottom- This is someone who may control exactly how much and the circumstances he or she will receive some form of stimulation.

o Submissive- A person who seeks a position or is in a role of intentional, consensual powerlessness, allowing another person to take control over him or her.

· BDSM- This means more than I thought it did.

o B/D- Bondage and discipline

o D/s- Dominance and submission

o SM- Sadomasochism

· Aftercare- A period of time after intense BDSM activity in which the dominant partner cares for the submissive partner.*

· APE/TPE- This is a transfer of control and power to someone for some duration of time or
even indefinitely.

o APE- Absolute power exchange

o TPE- Total power exchange (This is often referred to as the lifestyle or 24/7)

· Spanking/striking instruments:

o Bat- Thin flexible instrument of leather

o Crop- Used for striking, it is rigid but flexible with a handle at one end and a small leather loop at the other.

o Floggers- Types of device with lashes on it

§ Cat o’ nine tails

§ Dread coosh

§ Fire whip

§ Singletail

Safeword- A code word used to stop ongoing activity. They are often used in scenes of non-consent, for safety’s sake.

· Scene- 1. A specific period of BDSM activity; as in, We had a scene lasting about two hours last night. 2. Colloquial The BDSM community as a whole. 3. In the scene- participating in the organized BDSM community.*

· Sensation play- An activity in which unusual sensations are used as stimuli. For instance, being blind-folded while applying ice cubes.

· Shibari- Extremely elaborate and intricate patterns of rope tying, often used both to restrain and to stimulate the subject by binding or compressing the breasts and/or genitals. Shibari is an art form; the aesthetics of the bound person and the bondage itself are considered very important.*

· Safety: Being prepared for an emergency is one of those FAQs about BDSM I had no clue about. Some sites even go to lengths listing what should be brought in a medical bag, in order to make sure that no one gets hurt, or if something crazy happens, there are first aid supplies handy. Talk about “safe-sex.”

I know this is just the tip of the BDSM iceberg. There is so much more to be found within the society. I wanted to share with you a few things I was surprised by during my research.

First, while I was reading about dominant/submissive relationships, I found out that BDSM is varied within its own sub-culture. Furthermore, it isn’t about the Dom getting what he/she wants, it is about what the Sub wants. The Dom is in charge of giving that to the submissive. A
BDSM dominant is concerned above all else with the needs and desires of the submissive.*

Second, in order for the relationship to work, the dominant must be attuned to the submissive. He/she can’t be self-centered or seeking only his or her own gratification. It requires empathy to be in that control position.

Third, the aspects of this relationship are often driven by the submissive, not by the dominant. The submissive is in charge of instituting limits; deciding what can and can not be experienced, and has the capability to end the scene. The dominant, for the most part, is simply
a facilitator. It's the dominant's responsibility to create a setting where the people involved can explore the submissive's fantasies.

That third revelation above is where my muse went into high-gear. As a romance author, the potential for building such a relationship is quite attractive. Some of the suggestions for scenes that I read were highly erotic while some were gentle, seductive, and all about pleasure.

I hope to incorporate what I have found in my research within my new novel. If you would like to learn more, check out the following links but be warned…These are not work safe.

Bondage Fun Safe, Sane, Consentual Bondage Gear

* I would like to give credit for the quotes and information here which is offered by a Dominant named Franklin. He asked that all quotes be used verbatim. His site, Xeromag.com, has an amazing amount of information regarding the scene, presented in a concise manner. Check it out for the huge glossary of terms and FAQs regarding BDSM.

Also, the picture is from kindlevixen's tumblr #smutclub.

Christa

Last days of Summer

It has been a nice summer. Had a great time spending it with my family and hanging out. Been just chilling and relaxing. Ahh… I love summer. Summer goes so fast it was a blink. One moment we are complaining of the heat then the next we are layered in padding. It is a weird cycle.

I for one will be enjoying these last days of summer 2010. Having as much fun as I can. Still have plans to go to various movies, take some long walks and spend as much time as I can in the sun. Feel the shine on my face and the breeze on my skin. I think my love of summer comes from me being born during the summer.

Summer is the time when family and friends get together to fun and frolic. This time towards the last days of summer people are getting together for the last days of summer vacations. Plans are fun and the execution of them enjoyable before the fall is upon us. Then with fall we start thinking of what we want to do next summer. But for now we are in those last glorious days of summer.

Ahhh… those last days of summer… What are your plans?

****

Taige Crenshaw is a multi-published author with books available at Ellora's Cave Publishing, Liquid Silver Books, Loose Id, and Total-E-Bound. Taige has been enthralled with the written word from time she picked up her first book. It wasn’t long before she started to make up her own tales of romance. With novels set in today, in alternate dimensions, or in the future she writes with adventure, fun sassy heroine’s, and sexy hero’s. Always hard at work creating new and exciting places Taige can be found curled up with a hot novel with exciting characters when she is not creating her own. Join her in the fun, frolic, interesting people and far reaches of the world in her novels. You can find out more about Taige at her website: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/ or blog: http://www.taigecrenshaw.com/blog.

Wilde Seduction - What happens when a woman who doesn’t know how to relax meets a man whose lust for life will change her and make all her deepest desires come to life?

Buy here at Total-E-Bound.

Welcome Blood-Vine Series Author Christa Paige!!!

April: Today's interview is with Christa Paige, a paranormal and contemporary author, who lives her life probably even larger than her hero and heroines. Whether dirt biking, hanging out at the lake, or taking care of her family, she's making a splash at Liquid Silver with her Blood-Vine Series.


Welcome Christa!!  (My own sister's name is Christa :>)
I'll start out with the hardest question first: What’s the kinkiest, sexiest thing you’ve ever done?

Christa: I might have done some of the naughty things I wrote about in both Irish Kiss and Star Spangled Kiss. I’ll leave the guessing up to the readers.

A: Hmmm... research. I love that kind of research. LOL. In your writing, do you lean more toward suggestion or down right bondage?

C: I am going with middle of the road, right about Naughty Avenue with a left at handcuffs and spankings.

A: That reminds me of a horrible, in very bad taste joke that I heard this weekend --- When canoeing, the wife says over there, no to the left, harder... harder. Let's just say that someone said that the husband was probably used to it since she must be like that in the sack.

I know... awful!

Okay... back to the tough love questions :> What’s the best thing you’ve ever written—the best line?

C: This is from my first full length novel coming out summer 2010.

Ty didn’t bother to look at Gavin, his partner in the Narcotics Bureau. The fucking traitor had found his woman and thought Ty should find one as well. Gavin thought it would give them even more in common than they already had. Sometimes, Tyler thought Gavin was delusional, probably from all the lovey-dovey vibes Cassidy sent him. But Ty kept his mouth shut, not wanting to revisit the disagreement over his sexually nomadic lifestyle. Instead, he sucked down a swig of his warm soda and then set it on the little plastic side-table.

When Gavin shot him an I-know-you-too-well look, he decided to go on the attack, hoping to avoid the lecture he knew his friend was itching to give. “Leave it alone, man. Ever since you hooked up with Cassidy and the Domestic-Fairy sprinkled you with settle-down dust, you have been on a mission to drag all the rest of us happily content singles down with you. You are so whipped, man. You didn’t even put up all that much of a resistance.”

Gavin flipped a steak over on the barbeque, the meat sizzled, a spicy smell wafted on the smoky air. “Why resist?”

Ty dragged a hand through his hair. His partner could be so hardheaded some days. Now Tyler would have to address the issue for like the umpteenth time. Tyler should never have told Gavin about his growing desire for Sophie. Gavin had taken his continued interest as something more than just lust to have the hot social worker in his bed.

“Why?” Ty returned. “The whole ball-and-chain, collared-and-leashed, cramping-my-independence thing for starters.”

“Man, when you face three badass gang-bangers in a dark alley you’re tough as hell, but when it comes to a girl like Sophie you are a little pussy.” Gavin smirked as he reached over and grabbed the industrial-sized seasoning salt, which he used to vigorously douse the corn on the cob.

Ty itched to slap the smug grin off his friend’s face. “Bastard.”

“Yes, but I’m a happy and well-satisfied bastard. Ty, face it, the more you resist, the harder you’re going to fall.”

*

Detectives Tyler Mason and Gavin Marshall, from my Fourth of July novel Star Spangled Kiss.

A: There was a whole lot of lines ... good ones in fact ! 

So if you could pick a movie star for you Ty or Gavin or another hero of yours....who would it be?

C: Kivanc Tatalug is a Turkish movie star who fits the role of Traian Komar, one of my vampires. For my cop series I would love to have Chris Hemsworth to be cast as Tyler Mason from Star Spangled Kiss.

A: Oh... two new guys I've never heard of... I love learning about new, sexy men! So... um... since we're on the subject... LOL... Size counts… on average how loooooonnnnnggg do you like your (um, how do we put it delicately) manuscripts to be ;> ( in words silly, not inches) and how steamy?

C: Stories at about 45 to 50k so far. Steamy, like a hot whirlpool on a cold winter’s night.

A: What are the hardest scenes to write for you? :

C: Usually the opening scene stumps me for a while. After that, it’s the first sensual scene where I want to pull my hair out and curse at the manuscript.

A: First lines give me hernias... the first scene... I'll spend weeks on it.

Now a more personal question: How close in real life have you gotten to one of your fantasies?

C: Half-way there.

A: Ohhhh, deliciously brief. You're leaving a lot to the imagination there.

What would you want other writers and your readers to know about you?

C: I am a people person and approachable. I love reading and talking about what I have read. My life is busy with many different things like homeschooling, hanging out with my kid on-set in Hollywood, watching my other child do Optional Level gymnastics and camping. We love to go on quick three day get-aways. I like to be funny and find it wonderful when someone gets my humor.

A: Your life sounds really full. I've got to find out how you have time to write ... and did you say HOLLYWOOD. Hmm... is Christa Paige an alias - are you perhaps someone the Paparazzi go after during her lunch breaks? I"m intensely curious. It's too bad we're out almost out of time. Darn. Hmph.

Okay, I'll stick to the last writing question then :>. Anything you would like to share with us, an excerpt, a tidbit, or anything else about yourself?

C: My second Vampire story is due to release the week of my birthday, 2/22/10. Bound By Rebellion is a story about reunited lovers and the hero Lucas is one of those Alpha males I truly enjoyed writing about. Right on the heels of that release is another novella release, my holiday story, Irish Kiss. It is a Saint Patrick’s Day romance that is one scorching hot ride. Cassidy and Gavin have such intense passion, the pages practically light up. I had the opportunity to write some hot scenes for that story and enjoyed being a bit wicked too.

For excerpts check out the books section of my website: http://www.christapaige.com/blog/?page_id=8

If you’d like to read the first vampire story in the Blood-Vine series, Bound By Deception, it is available here: www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/boundbydeception.htm

Sultry Sunday- My Favorite Threesome

Yes I'm sure by the title of this blog, your minds have wandered down the path of sex, erotic scenes and lots of flesh.

Imagining multiple limbs entwined. Hell, just imagine multiples.

Body fluids being swapped. Sex. Sex. And more sex.

Two men and woman. Two women and a man. The possibilities are endless.

But alas, the truth comes out...no sex on this Sunday (at least in my blog post).

My three favorite pastimes, of course after making love to the one I love with passion filled eyes, sweet whispers and...oops, getting off track again. It's hard (no pun intended) to keep my mind off of sex, making love, romance, passion, erotic thoughts, whipped topping...damn, there I go again.

Back to the topic of this blog.

My favorite threesome on a typical Friday night is sitting with my laptop writing, sipping a glass or two of wine to loosen the thoughts and listening to my playlist. The wine gets the 'creative' juices flowing while the rhythm of Nickelback, Godsmack or Theory of a Deadman keeping my fingers tapping the keyboard.

So ladies, hwo do you get your creative juices flowing? Share your little writing secrets...we won't tell.

SINful Indulgence on a Saturday Afternoon

I remember in Highschool skipping a class to run home with a large pack of peanut M n M's in one hand and a copy of a new Bertrice Small (writer of erotic historical romances) in the other.

This image still seems to embody utter indulgence to me. 1. Playing hooky 2. Chocolate 3. Doing nothing except what I enjoyed that afternoon 4. Chocolate!


I have been trying to go back to that mindset, before I had so many commitments, and a little voice inside me saying "should". Should you really take a day off? Should I eat this chocolate? (followed by a close second of calculating my calories for the day, and listing mentally what I need to do)

It's not always a fun way to live. This week I did an experiment of doing what I wanted to do because I had some time off.

Instead of doing the piles of laundry, I picked up the phone to friends and family and made plans through the day.

Eating Indian Buffet for lunch
Getting made up at the Mac Counter 
Spraying myself with expensive perfume I couldn't afford to buy
Going to an amusement park, where I not only went on all the rides, but tried Deep fried butter and  a Deep fried Mars bar for the first time
Going to a nearby Island to swim and lay about for the day
Ate dessert at each meal I wanted, without the inner critic scolding me


So what is your SINful indulgence for the day? Carve out even an hour or two and ask yourself what you really want to do, and do it with no regrets.


Have a SINFul Saturday just for you....!

Flirty Friday- Could you be in a threesome? Foursome?

For this WIP I let my mind drift to places that I never would have years ago. We all know a man's fantasy is a threesome (two women and him)...but what is a woman's fantasy in the bedroom.

If anyone had told Emily Parsons that you could or should only love one man at a time, she would've called them a liar. She wouldn't have meant it in a malicious way but because she knew she could prove them wrong. Because she did love more than one man.

She loved three of them. She shared each of their beds twice a week. She catered to their needs and they in return met her desires...all three of them while living under the same roof.

Derek. The brain who challenged her.

Rob. The fun loving hard worker who kept her laughing.

And Kent. Mister Thoughtful always full of intense passion that piqued her sexual curiosity.

All of them equally meeting her needs and fantasies.

So, give it up ladies...what is your fantasy?


A hot man waiting for you in bed?









A sensual bubble bath?









Sex in the office?


Share your "dirty" little fantasy...

Thursday Thirteen

This is my first time at doing a Thursday Thirteen, so be gentle, ya'll! I thought I'd write about 13 things that make me happy. They're not in a particular order, because what makes me the most happy now, probably won't be in six months... although some of these are keepers.

Okay, here goes!

1. The smell of the earth after the rain. That wonderful woodsy smell that makes it feel like the earth is completely clean.
2. A hug from a child. They love so sweetly and completely, and there is nothing like a hug from a little one who tries to squeeze all their love into you -- with tiny little arms that won't quite go all the way around.
3. Petting a docile cat. Granted, these are far and few between, but how wonderful when you find one!
4. Winning a game of cards when you're playing with a friend you know would never "let" you win, and the feeling you get when you know you played really well.
5. Getting home just in time to catch a favorite TV show and getting to watch it without interruption by phone calls. This is not the same enjoyment as watching a prerecorded show at all.
6. Shopping for a specific item that you really need or want -- and finding it on sale.
7. When you know the people at your favorite store aren't just good at customer service. They really are glad to see you because you've become their friend.
8. Getting a gift that is exactly what you wanted in the right size and color -- and even better -- realizing the person who gave it to you knew what you wanted.
9. A soothing cup of relaxing tea and a good read before bed.
10. Lunch with a friend you haven't seen for awhile.
11. Reading a sexy book and having those nice hot feelings satisfied completely.
12. A great massage.
13. Still my favorite after many years of marriage: Knowing you really and truly are loved.

Okay, gang. That's my contribution to the Thursday Thirteen. Like it? Have any favorites to add? I'd love to hear some of your favorite things.

Five Things to Love about Male Friends

I was pressed for a list recently by a guy friend who wanted to know what his best attributes were. He was filling out a "get to know you" form for a group, and couldn't think of anything to write, so he called me. Under some conditions, that might have put a person on the spot -- fortunately, this friend was one I knew well and loved dearly. I had no trouble naming several.

That made me stop and think. Were the things I thought were wonderful about him true of other friends? What about guys in general? Were these different from things I liked about my female friends? For me, it fit most of my friends. Did I tell you I was lucky? Yeah, I am! *grins*

Here's my list, with enough changed to protect the guilty. ;)

1. He's dependable. If he commits to do something, you can count on him to follow through and not change his mind at the last minute.
2. He's a man of his word. When he says he'll stop by and bring you something on his way to work, you can count on having it.
3. He's kind. He will tell you what he thinks and be honest, but he is not cruel in speaking his mind.
4. He is fun to be around. He laughs easily, offers to share what he has, and can be counted on to make a gathering enjoyable.
5. He looks out for others. When there's a storm, he calls people he knows in that area and checks on them. He'll go out of his way to help a friend in need.

Once I made the list, he looked like a paragon of virtue. ^_^ I thought, gee, who wouldn't want to be friends with this guy? Btw -- that's not his picture. I just happened to like the pic. And being a friendly sort myself, I decided to share with you. (courtesy of photoexpress.com) I'd hang out with this guy just for the view. But for me to like him, he'd have to be a whole lot like my friend.

So, what about you? Are these attributes you look for in a friend? *waves* Um...hello? FYI -- I'm referring to the list this time, not the pic. Just sayin'.