Cara Bristol is hosting today's Spanking Round Table Discussion
and the question is how have your spanking stories evolved since you began
writing?
When I first started writing BDSM/spanking erotica/erotic romance, I
wrote consensual scenes and more erotic spanking scenes than punishment ones. I wasn't
out about this in my own life so all I had were my fantasies and some reading
material - but as I was hiding it, I couldn't read everything I wanted to read
in case my Kindle fell into the wrong hands. Back then, I didn't know there was
such a thing as domestic discipline and in my naïve mind, no one spanked or got
spanked for punishment or discipline, not as an adult. It just wasn't done.
The first pieces I published were with non-spanking specific publishers because I didn't know there was such a place as Blushing Books out
there or that there was something specific for spanking and spankos and not
BDSM and all that it contains. I didn’t even know spanko was a term! But throughout this time, I was honing my own interests,
finding out what I personally liked as I wrote. Have I mentioned I'm fairly
shy (unless I know you and feel good around you, then you wish I were more shy!)? Anyhow, I get embarrassed very easily and my writing reflected it at first. I
censored myself a lot and it wasn't until I started to work with a spanking
specific publisher that I truly got my hands dirty.
At some point during this, I found Cara Bristol's spanking
fiction group on Facebook. I met some authors there and read spanking specific
books rather than BDSM books and found that was what I liked, what I'd been
looking for in all the books I'd been buying that were more BDSM.
It was then and from working with my editor that the
spankings and the stories began to change. I wrote some plot ideas that were my
publisher's ideas and those were different sort of stories than what I'd
written up to that point. I remember two things specifically that made an
impact on my writing. First was when my editor told me that the number of spanks
I'd used wouldn’t be 'memorable' and that I needed to increase the punishment.
I did that and in a way, that was the first almost permission I had to get a
little harder, to peek behind that wall of self-censoring. The other thing was
when I was writing Taken by the Beast. Kayla and Elijah were going to have sex
for the first time but it ended up being in a bathtub so I didn't use a condom.
I worried about that for a while and finally e-mailed my editor to say "He
didn't use a condom. Is that ok?" I can't remember the exact response
anymore but that was when I realized that I could let myself go a little bit.
That I was writing fiction and fiction is an escape from reality.
Since then, my writing has evolved to more disciplinary and
definitely harsher spankings and punishments than when I first started, and I
feel like with every book, my imagination takes it one step further or adds
another element to the spanking scenes that make it a little more naughty. My
spanking scenes grow longer and longer and I still, after what has it been, a
little over two years? I still love writing them. When I know I have a spanking
scene to write the next morning, I'm happy. It's fun to do and I like to find what
I think are my own limits and then push them a little. For example, medical
BDSM. I never thought I'd do it. I was adamant in fact that it was 'not my
thing', but then I wrote Given to the Savage and it's kind of become my thing! A
plain old OTK spanking will never get old. You can tell that tale a hundred
times and every time, I'll listen wide eyed and likely drooling, but it's
interesting to watch what happens when I take my own censors off and just write
what feels hot to me at the moment.
Thanks Cara and Spanking Romance Reviews for hosting this discussion and thanks to
everyone for reading it. There are several other authors participating today so
make sure to drop by and read them all.
**Rollin Hand's links are not working so follow this to his site**
**Rollin Hand's links are not working so follow this to his site**
12 comments:
I do see your working growing and opening up and becoming more daring. I always know I'm going to enjoy your books. I think there is an honesty (of emotion) that comes through your work that makes it feel very real and genuine.
I'm so glad you connected with the Spanking Fiction group on FB. It is amazing though how many people were writing spanking fiction in isolation. I do think having a community has helped us all grow.
Thanks for putting the idea in my head about the topic!
Mmmm, I do see those similarities between us :) I began with BDSM, felt quite at home writing about a range of things, not just spanking. I didn't feel comfortable about writing punishment spankings until I started blogging and found others like me, both authors and readers.
Where I go is more determined by what characters inspire me. Not all of those that pop up in my head are suited to spanking scenarios. I'm happy to stick with variety, as long as the inspiration is there.
I think it's funny that you didn't write punishment scenes at first because I think you write some of the hottest punishments around! I really do!
I am with you on realizing you can just let go, it's a fantasy and we shouldn't be censoring ourselves. I like that :)
I also still have no idea what you are talking about when you say you're shy. I think you must be comfortable with me!
Yes, we are the opposite trajectories! The condom thing I still take as a public health responsibililty, which is pretty silly since consensual spankings aren't exactly the icon of public safety--LOL. But then, since I mostly write historical, it's often a non-issue. although I have heard of buckskin condoms from way back in the day.... giggle.
Sounds like we came at this from opposite ends of the spectrum because when I started all I was writing were punishment spanking scenes. This was the equivalent of spewing out personal fantasies on paper. Later, I decided that everyone was doing that but nobody was writing an actual story. So I began to write stories where the spanking did not even show up until later. So you probably come at it from a better place, but don't be afraid to ratchet up the heat. I still have fans who prefer my earlier spankfest works to my later "literary" creations.
Thanks for taking the idea and thinking of doing a round table topic! I agree, it is funny how many of us were writing in isolation and to have the community is just really great. I love meeting new people and so love and appreciate the support.
Also, thanks for your kind words about my writing. It means a lot to me.
Interesting how it goes, huh? And I agree on sticking with variety and inspiration. The latter make the most interesting stories.
Oh, thank you! I think I write them like that because I just fantasize every little tiny detail...dirty mind :/ OK, and you're one of the ones I'm really (like REALLY) comfortable with. Like maybe overly comfortable! I love that though and appreciate your friendship very much. It means a lot to me.
Interesting on the buckskin condom... I do always wonder!
I think you're right - don't be afraid to ratchet up the heat! Interesting to see how we come from different places. It's good to be here now, I have to say.
Natasha, thanks for sharing. It's interesting to see how everyone has evolved. I like your point about givng yourself permission. I also think that if we didn't expand and change, we'd get bored and if we're bored, then the reader probably is too.
Hi Natasha, I found this interesting to read ... how your writing has evolved. As a non author, I can imagine the tendency to censor in the beginning.
Hugs
Roz
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