Switches: Yes, we really exist. (And no, we're not confused.)

I did a guest post today for Tara Rose's BDSM Blitz that she's doing over on her blog. I talk about being a switch, what it is that we do, and why we're not "confused" about what we do (like some won twue way fucktards would love to claim).

Please stop by and check it out:

http://www.tararoseromanceauthor.com/

The voices are rarely wrong.

I'd had this one WIP (work in progress) that I'd been sitting on for several years. Mostly written, I just hadn't gotten back around to working on it. Because it was a MF, with thriller/mystery elements, I thought I'd probably end up self-publishing it eventually.

Then it called to me, but not as it was. It had changed.

It now insisted it was actually a BDSM book (which it had not been before) and suddenly, I saw a depth to the story I'd missed before.

Being a writer, especially a pantster like me, means stuff like this can happen.

So now I'm finishing the poor little orphan to submit to my publisher. And yes, as a BDSM story, one of the Suncoast Society world, it works FAR better than it did simply as a story with romantic elements to it.

And because it sat for several years, I'm seeing the story with a completely fresh eye. The skeleton of the story remains, but with this new element, the conflict is amped up immensely.

Long story short, a woman is attacked and at the beginning of the story she awakes from being in a coma several days, and has complete amnesia. Her fiance is immediately cleared because he was at work.

So there is a two-prong conflict now. He doesn't dare tell her up front they were a BDSM Master/slave couple. And most of their friends are in the lifestyle. (And yes, all your old favorites from the Suncoast Society books will be making walk-throughs, if not major appearances.) He has to try to help her regain her memories while winning her heart all over again, in addition to the psycho that's still on the loose and wants to kill her.

Yeppers, it's got me by the throat now as I'm going through the edit/writing process. I can't wait for y'all to get your hands on this one! :)

(Tymber's website is http://tymberdalton.com and her Suncoast Society books are available through Siren-BookStrand at http://www.bookstrand.com/tymber-dalton as well as at Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Apple, and other major third-party book retailers.)

I believe I've been insulted...

I went to a branch of our local library system the other day with my daughter, and decided to ask what the process was for getting my paperbacks into their catalog. I'd gladly donate a copy of each of my paperbacks (that's $75 total - eek! - when did I get so many paperbacks?) to the library system. They have something like 65 libraries, but hey, at least they'd be there if someone searched for them. I do have readers in this area. I know I do - they've contacted me. :-P

This one would be okay, since it's non-erotic.
But wait, he's shirtless & you can see his undies.
Abort! Abort!

But I digress.

Things were going swimmingly and I was encouraged that maybe my books could be part of my local library system. Then I asked about the raciness aspect. The library director put her hand down on the counter and said, "At one end of the spectrum we have those Harlequins your grandmother would read, and at the other end of the spectrum we have Fifty Shades of Grey," and moved her hand to the other side of the counter.

My head exploded. Here was my thought process as I tried to recover. "Oh my God, she thinks FSOG is at the END of the spectrum? And she's a library director?!?"

The blow job scene w/in the first 10
pages would've caused a swoon, I'm sure.

I managed to tell her I had books from about the middle of the road (I do publish some non-erotic titles) to the Fifty Shades side. I chose not to mention just how far past the FSOG line some of my work was. Here's how she responded. She pursed her lips - I don't think I've ever seen someone actually do that, and wrinkled her nose like she'd smelled something bad. Then she said, "Oh, I don't allow books with THAT KIND OF CONTENT."

Seriously? Who made you judge and jury about what types of work readers should have access to? I thought this was 2013. We can't handle a little sex with our love stories?

Apparently not. Censorship is alive and well.

But I know when to fight the battle and when to retreat, so I retreated. I'm going to contact the central library acquisition department to see if their policy reflects the archaic attitude of that library director. I hope not. I can't say I have much confidence, though.

-- Cassandra

To see more about me and my books with THAT KIND OF CONTENT, check out my website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com.

Real-life poly menages: not all about the sexy.

"Oh, you're so lucky to have a Hubby and a Sir!"

*snort*

I hear that one a lot. No, I'm not kvetching, believe me, but I think people form an unrealistic view of a real-life poly relationship based on what they read. It's not a fraction as sexy as in the books. LOL

For starters, Sir and I are, first and foremost, devoted to our spouses and our marriages. Those always come first, including all the real-world ups and downs. And we're both very busy people. He has an incredibly demanding, high-stress job, and works a lot of hours. I'm a self-employed workaholic writer who works a lot of hours.

Starting to form a picture yet? LOL

I'd say it's safe to estimate that 90% of our relationship has nothing to do with sex. And that's a LOW estimate. It might be closer to 95%. We're friends first and foremost. And yes, we do love each other. If we didn't, we probably would have killed each other by now. LOL Over 75% of our relationship happens via text messages or email, because of our schedules. And the time we spend together, a lot of it is usually in a vanilla context (we shoot skeet once a week with friends, and He might stop by for dinner one night a week and we sit in front of the TV and just talk).

Still jealous? LOL

We have to juggle schedules, and how we feel (He is prone to migraines, I have fibro) and then, once or twice a month, we might be able to fit in some sexy/kinky time.

If we're lucky. LOL

Am I complaining? No, of course not. But if you write about that in a romance book, you won't sell many copies, will you? LOL

In the more than three years since Sir and I have been playing together, I can count on one hand with fingers left over how many times it's been a "menage" situation with Him and Hubby. And even then, that was more a scene with both of them topping me than it was "sexy time."

Again, I'm not complaining.

Here's the thing, we both have spouses who love us and trust us (key point) and know we have our priorities straight. They also understand we have interests that they don't have (kinky and vanilla). Instead of trying to force themselves to do what they don't like to do, they give us permission to go do them without them (again, kinky and vanilla both) and understand that when we come home, we come home happier, meaning our marriages are stronger in the long run for it. Meaning THEY (our spouses) are happier in the long run, because they are also free to pursue what they want without guilt of them holding us back, or resentment at forcing themselves to go along with us.

Make sense?

So yes, it's fun to write about all this wild and crazy smexy time with characters, but don't think everything I write is a reflection of what my sex life is like. LOL Because, believe me, in that regard, I'm pretty boring. :)

--


Tymber Dalton has a new release out today: Triple Trouble 5 - Out of Smoke and Ashes

http://www.bookstrand.com/out-of-smoke-and-ashes

Blurb:

Get books 1 and 2 in the Placida Pod series for $2.75 each when you purchase Out of Smoke and Ashes! All items must be in the cart at the same time when completing the transaction to apply this special offer.

[Siren Ménage Everlasting: Erotic Paranormal Ménage a Quatre Romance, M/F/M/M, shape-shifters, sex in shifted form, consensual BDSM between secondary M/F characters, HEA]

Elain Pardie’s wedding is interrupted when her matron of honor, Lina, goes into labor. Unfortunately, events spiral downhill from there for the Lyalls and their kin when an old foe refuses to roll over and play dead. As everyone suspected, Rodolfo Abernathy won’t give up.

What Abernathy doesn’t know is he’s become more prey than predator. Shifters with grudges of their own enter the fight with their sights set on Abernathy’s downfall.

When the fur hits the fan, it won’t be pretty.

While Elain and Lina struggle to cope with their new roles, various shifter Clans band together to fight their common enemies. Devastating heartaches are finally laid to rest as new love blossoms.

And Baba Yaga isn’t even done with them yet. Elain, Ain, Brodey, and Cail, along with their ever-growing band of friends and adopted family, must still confront those who’d gladly destroy all they love as evil and vengeance once again return from Out of Smoke and Ashes.

Note: There is no sexual relationship or touching for titillation between or among siblings.

A Siren Erotic Romance

Tymber Dalton is a Siren-exclusive author.

--

The correct order to read all of the Triple Trouble books and prequels is:

"Boiling Point" (Tasty Treats, Vol. 3)
Steam
Fire and Ice
Trouble Comes in Threes (Triple Trouble 1)
Storm Warning (Triple Trouble 2)
Three Dog Night (Triple Trouble 3)
Triple Dog Dare (Triple Trouble 4)
Out of Smoke and Ashes (Triple Trouble 5)


You can find all her Siren releases as Tymber Dalton, Lesli Richardson, Macy Largo, and Tessa Monroe on her Siren page at:

http://www.bookstrand.com/tymber-dalton

And you can find her on the web at:

http://tymberdalton.com
http://twitter.com/TymberDalton
http://facebook.com/tymberdalton
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TymberDalton_updates/
https://plus.google.com/118382222849341409443/