"Power dynamics are hot."

Gratitude

I'm one of those people that always does a run-through. Draw the tat you want and live with it for a while, see how you like it. I inked this one with a Sharpie just last week, way shorter than I've left the others, but I'm getting more sure of them as they get done. It gets easier to accept that all that skin is mine and just waiting to be filled.

This one, my monogram going down the left ankle, seemed so right -- I thought the Achilles' Heel would be a good place for it. Right calf, right and left shoulder blades, now the heel, and I'll have the design for his sleeve done soon. When Del's finished, he taps Bobby's calf and says he's going to clean up and he'll be a few minutes, which is B.S., but Del's good like that. He may not know exactly what this is, but he knows we could use a little peace.

I ruffle Bobby's hair, ask if he's okay. He's still breathing a little heavy. He just pulls my hand down and turns it over to kiss the palm then smiles, bless him. "This one hurt worse than the other ones," he says, and he's holding my hand between his, staring at it. "Thank you." He thanks me every time, and not because I'm paying. "Beth, I--"

"I know you do, honey," I tell him, and push my hand over his mouth for him to kiss again.

*****

Sometimes, stories linger for me. Gratitude was one of those. I loved this entry to my tattoo contest because I could see the characters. Truly, I felt as if I were sitting up on the counter at the tattoo parlor, watching this little tiny sliver of their life. I'd love to read a whole book about them. Follow them home. Peer into their medicine cabinets and refrigerator. Check their closet to see if they have Docs or Fluevogs.

The writer, K. Dex Gabriel—and is that not a hot fucking name, or what?—graciously agreed to stop by for tea. I mean tequila. (It starts with a "t.")

Alison Tyler: Do you need a certain mindset or tools or other to enable you to get into your writing, and if so, what?

Dex: You mean other than a swift kick in the pants? That's the biggest thing. I procrastinate like a pro, so the thing I always need most is something that keeps me writing. I tend to write better longhand than at a computer as a result – less distraction (I love the internet, but sometimes it is nothing but trouble). Write Or Die has actually proved pretty useful for this.

Alison Tyler: Do you have a writing ritual or routine? Do you need quiet or noise? Can you work at a café, or do you have an office? Are there ways you like to warm up?

Dex: You know, I've tried to do the routine thing. It's helped a little, but not as much as it seems like it should. Music without words is good, music with words is bad (I sing along and stop writing), noise is fine as long as it's indistinct. A cafe where I hear things but don't really pay attention to them is fine, but someone sitting next to me having a conversation or something is no good. I don't really do warm ups at all, as I would think of them. I tend, I guess, to babble a bit in the beginning just to get words coming out – they're unformed, but they're ideas, and they frequently can be reshaped into something productive.

Alison Tyler: What's your favorite season?

Dex: They all have their merits, and their differences are what really makes them (would Spring be so nice if you hadn't just had to slush through the end of Winter?) but Autumn is the clear winner here. I love the weather and the leaves and the *smell*. I love the holidays, the food, the coziness that comes with it.

Alison Tyler: Do you hang out with other writers for inspiration and critical feedback or do you self appraise?

Dex: I don't hang out with other writers particularly. It's not something I've known how to start doing, I suppose. I'm not the most sociable of people at the best of times (I have a few friends who give me introvert hugs, standing back a few feet and patting the air), and introducing myself to strangers (whether they're flesh and blood or pixels and bytes) is not the best of times. Letting alone trying to elicit help from them. I would love to be able to, it's just not something that's happened.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal lover.

Dex: My aesthetic, gender and power preferences are wide and varied and I'm a notoriously indecisive person, so this is a really difficult question if I think about it too hard.

Generosity, patience and creativity I would say are the biggest keys. As long as they have those three things, they can be taught just about everything else. Oh, and they have to be kinky. They don't have to know they are, but the spark has got to be there in some form or fashion.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal meal.

Dex: Mmm, food. The first love of my life. Indecision strikes again! I don't like playing favorites. I'm the person the server has to come back to three times because I still don't know what I want. Good mussels steamed in white wine and herbs, with a loaf of French bread is definitely up there. A granny smith apple sliced thin, then you take two slices, dip one in honey, and spread it over both of them (the right honey to apple ratio is key, and it's the only way I've found to manage it). Prime rib with horseradish, medium rare. I'll stop now.

My ideal meal at the moment is because I'm about to go make it: crepes with amaretto cream cheese and strawberries. Ask me again tomorrow and you'll get a different answer.

Alison Tyler: What was your inspiration for “Gratitude”?

Dex: Power dynamics are hot. I like them subtle, and I like them subverting the way people normally see or imagine them. I'd poked around at a couple different ideas and didn't like them, but I got stuck on this concept of a big, badass looking guy covered in tattoos, who mostly only has them because his girl tells him to. There is an enormous depth of control there that is fascinating and incredibly hot to me, because it went beyond controlling his body to changing the perceptions other people would have about him, to his professional life, his family, the entirety of his life. There was a lot of thought behind it that didn't make it the 250 words.

Alison Tyler: What color are your sheets? And are you going to send me a picture of your bed?

Dex: Given the choice, they're either white-on-white houndstooth with blue trim, or blue (I also own brown. Exciting color palette, I know). the important thing is that they're high quality cotton. And I will indeed send you a picture or two. As soon as I have my crepes.

Alison Tyler: Thanks so much for stopping by!

Dex: Thank you for the opportunity. And if I may ask a question of my own, you said you ask questions of writers when the story particularly interested you even if they weren't a contest winner -- what was it about Gratitude that caught you?

Alison Tyler: Ha! You're probing me back! I'll steal your own words right from your mouth— power dynamics are hot. But also, you drew me in. I felt as if I knew your characters intimately. In 250 words that's not a small feat.

*****

Pictures of Dex's bed will show up on the Boudoir Blog shortly.... If you want a chance to be interviewed by me, be sure to enter my contests.

XXX,
Alison

God bless the iPod and XM Lithium

When I put together Frenzy, I had hundreds of stories to choose from. The way I piece together collections is something of a puzzle (both for me and everyone else who has to listen to me while I work). Basically, once I've selected the stories, I do this gangster's shuffle until the pieces fall into the order I want. But Heidi Champa's piece chose its own position immediately. "Lights Out" demanded to anchor my collection (it's the second to the last story in Frenzy).

Here, let me give you a bite:

I flick on the lights and drop my keys. Your head snaps to the left, looking right at me. I’ve caught you. The moans from the television tell me everything I need to know. Your hand, wrapped so nicely around your hard cock, your pants open. You’re frozen, your face flushed red. I smile at you, arms crossed. Clearly, you are trying to think of the right thing to say.

“You weren’t supposed to be home until 10.”

“I was done early.”

You reach for the remote to turn off the video, but I interrupt you.

“Leave it on. Don’t let me stop you.”

I flick off the lights, and settle into the arm chair opposite the couch. I can’t see the television, but I can see you. You look from me, to the screen and back. Unsure, you start moving your hand down your cock, slowly. The blue glow shows me your eyes, looking at me, seeing me stare. I’ve never watched you before. I like it.

Since my first nibble of Heidi, I've learned the feel of her words. She contributes to my contests, and her pieces always resonate with me. HC was sweet enough not only to answer my questions, but also to send me a picture of her bed!

*****


Alison Tyler: Do you need a certain mindset or tools or other to enable you to get into your writing, and if so, what?

Heidi Champa: I used to think I could only write under certain circumstances, i.e. when everything was just right. But, I've learned that often, there is no such thing. If I only wrote when everything was perfect, I wouldn't get anything done. I just try to write, even if I think it's terrible later. Although, I will admit, there are times when my brain just feels too full to write. If my mind is too preoccupied, I am usually not very creative. Sometimes, I just need a break. I also procrastinate, which can become a problem. The last minute was invented for people like me.

As far as tools, I just need my laptop, my iced tea and some tunes. That's it.

Alison Tyler: Do you have a writing ritual or routine? Do you need quiet or noise? Can you work at a café, or do you have an office? Are there ways you like to warm up?

Heidi Champa: I don't have a ritual or routine. I'm trying to write everyday, or at the very least edit something that already exists. I love music when I write. God bless the iPod and XM Lithium. I need something to fill the silence. Music seems to soothe me and helps blast out the distractions. When things are going really well, I don't even really hear the music. I just know it's there.

I don't often write other places, but I have managed to get work done in coffee shops, hotels and at my mother's house. I'm pretty flexible about when I write, but I am something of a night owl. I'm typing this answer at 2 am. For me, the nighttime is the right time, 9 times out of 10.

Alison Tyler: What's your favorite season?

Heidi Champa: Autumn. I'm a sucker for falling leaves, crisp air and flannel.

Alison Tyler: Do you hang out with other writers for inspiration and critical feedback or do you self appraise?

Heidi Champa: I don't often get to hang out with other writers. I just finished up some classes and it was nice to have other people read my writing and give me some feedback. It was all non-erotica, though, lest I corrupt the impressionable college students. Some of them found my blog, however, and gave me some notes on what I've already done.

I self-appraise for the most part. I have had the pleasure of meeting some of my fellow smut writers, and they were all fabulous. I would love to have someone to bounce ideas off of. Maybe I should take out an ad. Any takers?

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal lover.

Heidi Champa: He’s about 6 feet tall, dark hair and eyes, and sleeping upstairs as I type this. 13 years and I can’t imagine my life without him. I’m a very lucky woman.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal meal.

Heidi Champa: God, I don't even know where to start. I love food. So much of it depends on the place, the mood, the event. But, I'm a pretty simple girl. Give me a great steak, some killer Mexican food or a fresh piece of fish. I don't need it to be fancy, although I do love a gourmet meal from time to time. Food for me is about simple pleasures, and sharing moments with people I love. To me, there is nothing better than being with friends, eating and drinking and laughing. No matter what the food, those are the ideal meals.

Right now, I'd kill for a Margarita pie from Darling Pizza and a Schwepps Lemonade on a bench by Sydney Harbour. One of my favorite meals of all time.

Alison Tyler: What was your inspiration for “Bullshit”?

Heidi Champa: I couldn't think of anything totally matador related, but the word "bullshit" kept coming into my mind. I figured it still fit the theme, technically, so I went for it. I didn't really think about it too much, it just seemed to flow. I'm not sure if it will go anywhere in the future, but I really like it.

Alison Tyler: What color are your sheets? And are you going to send me a picture of your bed?

Heidi Champa: Right now my sheets are burgundy red. I should warn you, my bed is always a mess. I have a confession to make . . . my husband and I sleep with separate blankets. A lot of people seem to think it’s strange, but it works for us. We both thrash around a lot, so it makes things easier. But, if you insist, I’ll send you a picture.

****

Thanks so much to HC for letting us into her world. If you want the chance to be felt up by me, be sure to enter my weekly contests!

XXX,
Alison

No topic is off limits...

How much do I like the concept? A whole fucking lot, let me tell you. Shall we say the phrase together? "No topic is off limits." Has a killer rhythm, yes? According to her ETSY profile: "Metal Taboo displays and celebrates certain aspects of human nature--our ongoing arrogance, sexuality, vulgarity, frustrations, and angst. Express yourself!"

I personally have expressed myself by ordering my very own Trollop pendant. Which I worship. I also have Pervert and Porn Star (thanks to Sommer Marsden). I plan to continue my collection until all the words that circle endlessly in my head are available to be worn around my neck. So, um, for awhile.

I am so excited to have Tiffanie here today to explain a little bit about what goes on behind MetalTaboo!

*****.

Alison Tyler: How long have you been creating jewelry?

Tiffanie: I have been making jewelry for 5 years now. I took a metalsmithing class when I lived down in NC for fun. Right away, it was apparent that I was pretty good at it because everyone else in the class thought I had been doing it for a while. Soon after, I purchased my own tools so I could work whenever I wanted. I’ve been making jewelry ever since.


Alison Tyler: Where do you get your inspirations?

Tiffanie: Since most of my stuff is based on the taboos of the world, I guess I am inspired by anything unaccepted, crazy, and edgy. No topic is off limits, as long as I can do it in a clever way and I’m not making it just for the sake of being vulgar. I’m not doing this only for shock value even though many of my pieces achieve it. I also use a lot of musical elements in my pieces--lots of rock star inspired stuff.

Alison Tyler: Do you have a favorite piece or pieces? Have you ever had difficulty letting an item go?

Tiffanie: There are definitely pieces that I like more than others. Some of my favorites at the moment are my “Self Defense is Not Murder,” “Fuck Cancer,” and “Saint Sinner” necklaces. I guess I like statement pieces most, even though I love everything with the word Fuck and get my thrills from my sex based items.

And no, I never have a problem letting a piece go. Each piece is meant to be worn by someone who loves it and if they are dishing out the money I ask for it, they love it more than I do and deserve it!

Alison Tyler: If you could choose one celebrity (and I use that term loosely) to wear one of your pieces, who would you select and why?

Tiffanie: I’ve always thought my pieces would fit Rihanna well since she is on this rocker kick now. Maybe she can wear the Self Defense necklace I talked about earlier. Lately, I have thought Lady Gaga could rock my stuff. She definitely has the swagger to pull it off. Otherwise, any celebrity is welcome to rock my line. But mostly, my line is definitely geared toward celebrities trapped in a normal person’s body.

Alison Tyler: I know you personalize your jewelry--you’ve made a special one for me--do you have a favorite word or phrase you’ve done upon request?

Tiffanie: It’s amazing just how expressive people can be.. I don’t have a favorite, but my most vulgar to date was a lady who got a Fuck My Pussy anklet. She was wearing it for her husband on a special occasion. I mean, I’m pretty open and can take it, but I will admit I was a little shocked by that one, especially before she felt the need to explain to me why she wanted it. I’m sure she has a happy marriage though lol. It’s really funny, but most people feel the need to explain their purchase because they feel a little conscious about buying something that is so expressive.

Alison Tyler: Who are your three favorite artists?

Tiffanie: I have a lot of favorite artists in different mediums so I’ll answer it two ways--visual vs. music.

As for designers/visual artists, I would have to say one of my favorite jewelry designers is Versani. I always find myself in awe and intrigued by their pieces. I also think their store looks great. Then I’d say Betsey Johnson for clothing--just because she’s a little out there. And this probably wasn’t what the question implied, but I’m a big fan of tattoo artists in general. I don’t have a favorite per se, but I’m borderline in love with Ami James from Miami Ink!

As for music, I really like a lot of female artists. Maybe it’s just because there is a natural empathy and understanding for what they are singing about. I would say right now, my favorite album is Lady Gaga’s “The Fame,” but only time will tell if she remains a favorite. As for my two constants, I love Beyonce’s music even though I wish she had as much swagger off stage as she does on stage. And Alicia Keys because even though she doesn’t have an overabundant amount of swagger either way, at least she is consistent and makes great music. Ok, I have to add a fourth that I may not live down, but I’m a big Danity Kane fan. You know, the Making the Band girl group? Yes, they have broken up and yes, the way they were formed is a little crazy, but they had really good albums and did have talent.

Alison Tyler: Do you listen to music while you work? If so, who do you favor?

Tiffanie: I listen to music EVERYTIME I work. My iTunes is pretty varied, but I’m mostly into Hip Hop and R&B. I do like a lot of current hits though and as I said before, I’m really loving Lady Gaga’s album. It is my surprise music love right now. I pretty much have to be listening to music while I work. And all day actually. My iPod helps me drown out the sounds of NYC.

Alison Tyler: Where did your name, Metal Taboo, come from?

Tiffanie: Metal Taboo is a blend of what I am doing. I am making metal pieces with socially taboo subject matter so it just makes sense. I didn’t come up with it right away, though. First, I was going to call it Potty Mouth Industries, but that was too cute and now that I say it, I’m very happy I passed on it. Then I thought Taboo Metal, but I didn’t like the way it sounded. Then Metal Taboo. And it was perfect because it sounds good and has a very musical, rock n’ roll ring to it. It’s just perfect for the brand.

Alison Tyler: What’s next for Metal Taboo?

Tiffanie: Being that the brand is relatively new (I just started it this year), I am mostly trying to test it in different markets to see who loves it most. I am participating in Pridefest this year, which I am excited about because I have had a great reception from the LGBT community. Then next month, I am going to Miami and doing TattooLaPalooza, a tattoo and motorcycle convention. I’ve been trying to get back to Miami for years so that should be great. And pretty soon, I plan on getting into wholesaling the line to shops. Overall, I want to do a lot of shows throughout the year, get some press, and keep pushing the envelope with the designs. I’m excited about progressing the line and really happy about the reception it has received so far.

*****

Thank you so much, Tiffanie, for stopping by! Please comment on today's interview for a chance to receive your own Metal Taboo pendant. In your comment, name the word (or short phrase) you'd like to wear! I'll choose a winner at the end of the month. F.Y.I. Tiffanie says: "I can also make whatever you want. Custom is always encouraged as what goes on in your crazy little mind does not necessarily go on in mine!"

How true is that?

XXX,
Alison

Elephants, Microsurgery and Guilt

Writers strive to have a recognizable voice. When you crack a book's spine, the words need to broadcast the author's identity. A handful of erotic writers do that for me. I know nearly from sentence one that I'm reading a Nikki Magennis or Jeremy Edwards or Sommer Marsden or Kristina Lloyd or Shanna Germain. I hear the cadence of the words in my head—as if the writers were whispering just to me. (Sure there are others—these are the ones in my mind this morning.)

But EllaRegina's voice is louder than most. I can recognize her almost instantly. Her wit and her style are hers alone. So I have to say, I cheated a little this time around. I *did* know I was choosing ER when I read The Dark Room. But that was the story I would have selected to feature even if I'd had no idea who the author was.

My intro to ER's work was in the form of a personal ad called "Faceless Filly Seeks Rider"—the piece appears in Frenzy and is under 400 words from start to finish. When writers can craft whole stories in less than two pages, I am mesmerized. ER binds me in her spell every time. Now let her wrap her strands around you...

****

Alison Tyler: Do you need a certain mindset or tools or other to enable you to get into your writing, and if so, what?

EllaRegina: Essential need: peace of mind. I cannot feel emotionally encumbered. If real life fires require extinguishing, I find it impossible to write. The singular exceptions being, funnily enough, your 250-word flasher contests; I somehow break through the flames and attend to the task at hand. I think it's *precisely because* the parameters of these competitions are so narrow that I can do this: I have a theme and a limited number of words with which I must express myself; that challenge takes my mind off the blazes.

Tools: something capable of mark-making and paper (if I'm in the field), or my computer.

Alison Tyler: Do you have a writing ritual or routine? Do you need quiet or noise? Can you work at a café, or do you have an office? Are there ways you like to warm up?

EllaRegina: No ritual. If in avoidance mode I procrastinate and feel guilty until guilt wins and I force myself to sit and work. This mostly occurs when I edit or am proofing galleys (tedious microsurgery—however ER, in this case, does *not* stand for Emergency Room). If I'm writing a story I just plug and play. No need to light a candle or incant.

Routine: erratic. If working on something and not distracting myself I'm in my chair 24/7—often not eating; forget "sleep hygiene." At crucial stages I turn ringers off my phones. When an idea sparks I go with it and the story creates its own momentum. Sometimes I get into trouble when restlessly between projects, although I'm always thinking about stories or jotting notes. However, downtime can also be fruitful—never underestimate the unconscious.

I need QUIET! (Sorry, I didn't mean to shout.) I can handle ambient sounds unless my neighbors torment me with explosives or crazy-making industrial drones loom beyond my windows. During critical junctures or if local sonic color becomes too vivid, I pop in earplugs. Then I'm insulated within my little word box and all's well.

That said, when inspiration strikes "on the outside," no matter where or whether elephants run amok in the streets, I open my small Etsy notebook—with me at all times—and effectively block out the noise.

My "office" runs along a wall in the living room: a desk with computer/screen; electronic paraphernalia; selected inspirational objects—including funny buttons and gifts from a certain generous writer/editor/publisher/contest-runner I know; a cup holding pens, a rainbow of Mini-Sharpies and highlighters for corrections (different colors per draft); index cards listing ideas and titles for future stories; and a bottle of hand sanitizer (words can get incredibly dirty!).

I warm up, literally and figuratively, with a cup of tea.

Alison Tyler: What's your favorite season?

EllaRegina: There are no seasons in here.

Alison Tyler: Do you hang out with other writers for inspiration and critical feedback or do you self appraise?

EllaRegina: I have real life writer friends but our hanging is purely social. I am inspired by several wonderful erotica writers—now friends—all met online. We share our work—usually when pieces have already been written and submitted so it's a horse/stable situation in terms of critical feedback. While still writing, if I hit any snags, I will bother—I mean question—a couple of the aforementioned friends. I predominantly self appraise—editing ad infinitum until a story is where I think it should be. I have "beta-testers"—none of them writers but all of them readers—to whom I read completed (or nearly-so) works. Vicky, my Mac's robotic voice, also helps me but provides no feedback.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal lover.

EllaRegina: He seems to exist only in my imagination so I'd rather not detail his winning attributes. It will only make me wax maudlin.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal meal.

EllaRegina: In theory: salmon, Champagne and something green. In practice: lately I've been consuming a 14-year-old's junk food dream. It's amazing I'm even alive. I'm subsisting on diet soda, potato chips, pretzels, cookies and popcorn. It's a miracle I don't wake up with severe acne, a math test after homeroom and an orthodontist appointment at 4 o'clock.

Alison Tyler: What was your inspiration for “The Dark Room”?

EllaRegina: Recently, you asked if we'd ever used these contest flashers as the start of something new.

"The Dark Room" presents the converse situation. I'd been blocking out a long piece for a while—taking notes, mentally composing the thing. The story is pitch black; its physical setting—the dark room—parallels the narrator's psychological state. It's one of those projects I've been afraid to fully confront—inhabiting an area I haven't tackled in my writing though I'm very much there in my head. The longer story has more sex, of course—with 250 words sex was, by necessity, fleeting—and probes the protagonist's mind. No happy ending—quite the contrary, even worse in the full-length tale. My goal: putting down the truth of what it's like to be human, warts and all. Life is complicated.

With "The Dark Room" I wanted to create not a synopsis, but a self-contained 250-word version. The premise is established, the same beginning—more or less—and final revelation.

Truthfully, I was surprised it received any votes—the sex was minimal and the set-up such a downer; I didn't think it would fly. Also, I got sidetracked by the Braille "Fuck" button and concentrated on sight or lack thereof—though sound/hearing were involved—so felt I'd flunked thematically.

My gallows humor found it ironic that "The Dark Room" won—a blind man led.

On a tangential note, a recent New York Times article begins with reportage of a real life Craigslist "casual encounter" that mirrors my idea somewhat.

Alison Tyler: What are you working on now?

An anthology of my short stories; various long form projects, two inspired by your 250-word exercises; and ideas for two erotica anthologies—I'd be the editor.

Alison Tyler: What is the favorite story you’ve written to date (and why)?

EllaRegina: A story called "The Hand & I."—(I. for Ida)—as yet unpublished. I'm quite fond of this piece because it represents a turning point for me, marking the direction I see myself heading in. The story is insane and surreal yet based to some extent on reality—or at least my retrospectively-envisioned take—1930s black and white Manhattan, like photographs from that era (with intermittent color flashes); another place and time. I enjoyed the research—gazing at pictures of buildings no longer standing. This city has been *many* cities throughout its history yet a continuum as well.

"The Hand & I." was inspired by a car from that period—for sale near my parents' house—kept in the lot outside a small showroom selling new and used vehicles. We'd drive by and I'd drift into the Time Machine. One day, when the place appeared closed, I approached the mint-condition sedan for a look-see. I tried the door handle and—voilà!—the automobile, she was unlocked! I didn't do more than stick my head inside and feel the upholstery but I inhaled air unbreathed for over 70 years. Soon after this encounter the car was gone. I should have bought it—I imagine that with every spin we'd go back in time, that Chrysler and I.

*****

For more EllaRegina exotic information, slip over to her blog. And be sure to enter my next contest for your own chance at being dissected by me!

XXX,
Alison

Spanking, Quickies, and a Four-Poster Bed

In my mind, I interviewed Dan in a shadowy corner of a train station. We spoke in hushed voices about the microfiche, and at the end of the conversation, he slipped an envelope into my pocket. On the train home, I opened the envelope to find the answers to my questions.

See, we don't know much about Dan. But we *do* know that he penned Found a ♥ for my last contest.

Found a ♥

We weren’t complete until we met,
You’d said you ♥ me; I ♥ you for saying it.
I always ♥ kisses, ♥ words, ♥ fucking, but
If you ♥ to be spanked hard, I ♥ that too.
Would ♥ whipping you, would ♥ to tie you up;
Learn to ♥ it, and then we’d ♥ to practice.
I know you ♥ giving me a ♥-on, and when
I touch you, I ♥ giving, ♥ taking in return;
Everything’s about ♥; why else would
My cock and your cunt fit so well together?

You can see why the work caught my eye. I don't know that I'd have the patience to be so arty and sexy. Here's what he has to say about spanking, quickies, and a four-poster bed:


Alison Tyler: Do you need a certain mindset or tools or other to enable you to get into your writing, and if so, what?

Dan: Writing is a struggle for me; if I had to make a living at it, I'd starve! I usually agonize over every word and phrase, spending way too much time trying to come up with the "perfect" thing to say. I think I would produce better results if I would allow myself to write without filtering, and I'm hoping that "flashing" on your blog will help develop that. I'll have to be careful about becoming *too* unfiltered in my other writing though -- a business proposal that states "...depreciable assets are begging to be spanked..." might raise some eyebrows.

Alison Tyler: Do you have a writing ritual or routine? Do you need quiet or noise? Can you work at a café, or do you have an office? Are there ways you like to warm up?

Dan: I'm easily distracted and increasingly attention deficit, so quiet works better for me. I don't have a writing routine; I just try to grab a quickie moment whenever I can.

Alison Tyler: What's your favorite season?

Dan: They're all good! Summer's nice because people wear fewer clothes. I like Autumn because temperatures cool down to a reasonable level. Winter -- call me crazy, but I like snow, especially deep, wet snows early in the season. Spring is nice because I'm tired of the fucking snow by then.

Alison Tyler: Do you hang out with other writers for inspiration and critical feedback or do you self appraise?

Dan: Unfortunately, I don't know any writers personally. I would like to say though -- and the words may fail me here -- that I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful for the opportunity to associate online with you and the other contributors, professional and non-professional alike. I feel like I'm crashing a party I wasn't invited to.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal lover.

Dan: Genuine. Honest. Uninhibited. Good sense of humor. In other words, everything I'm not. Bonus points if she wears patchouli. I don't know what it is about that scent, but if I'm in a store and I get a whiff of it, I start whipping my head around like a bloodhound trying to find the one wearing it.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal meal.

Dan: Baked salmon with lime and cilantro, boiled new potatoes, fresh-cut salad greens with raspberry vinaigrette, washed down with a schooner of Yuengling. For dessert, cherry cheesecake with coffee. I swear to God, my wife fixes this about once a week -- I'm very spoiled.

Alison Tyler: What was your inspiration for “Found a ♥”?

Dan: When you posted the announcement for the contest, I saw all of these heart symbols scattered on the page and my mind wanted to organize them into some pattern. Given the theme of the contest, a heart-shaped pattern seemed reasonable. I didn't want to just use random words to create the pattern; I wanted to give some meaning to the words, even if it is bad poetry! The sentiment is real, though.

Alison Tyler: What color are your sheets? And are you going to send me a picture of your bed?

Dan: If I sent in a picture of our bed my wife would be wicked pissed! I can describe it for you -- white pine four poster, full size, with dark blue sheets and down comforter. We've never owned a bed larger than full size, even though it requires a little more cooperation in the middle of the night. And yes, we do make use of the four posts.

*****

Dan's first exposure to Eros in fiction was reading Jaws in the seventh grade, and he's been searching for the dirty parts in books ever since. A bleeding heart liberal, Dan often wonders why we can't just all get along. To read more from him, well, you'll have to stop by my blog and hope he enters more contests! And to be probed on the salon yourself? You'll have to enter some, too!

XXX,
Alison

P.S. Comment here for a chance to win a killer Jaws button—and why not share *your* first exposure to Eros?

Champagne & Chocolate with Erobintica

Erobintica has a killer job description. She’s a “writer and other stuff.” I love that. In her profile, Erobintica states: Been writing for awhile but just started taking my writing of erotica seriously - in other words, sharing it for the first time.

We’re really glad she started sharing (and by “we,” I don’t just mean the royal “we.” I mean Erobintica is a popular girl! She visited Donna George Storey & Company earlier this month, and entertained at Sommer Marsden's Abode, where she showcased her love of Chuck.

Erobintica’s short-shorts have caught my eye—not just because her ass looks so great in them, but because of the poetry in the words. Her most recent entry, "Rewind," blew me away:

Rewind

She types the name of an old lover, hits search on a networking site. None of the results are him. She does a general search, adds the last profession she was aware of. There, near the bottom of the results. She's sure it's him. Calls up the page. Finds his email address.

Rewind. She talks to a old friend, one who also knew him, but wasn't aware of the illicit relationship. Her friend laughs as she recounts stolen moments, reveals details never before admitted out loud. She wonders, what if they were to meet again? Now?

Rewind. She writes in a journal. Describes in lascivious detail all their encounters. Rubs against the chair as she remembers. Their bare skin together. Their mutual fantasy. His whispered suggestions in her ear.

Rewind. She buys a card and remembers one she got him. A large shiny red ❤ and lame You're the best lover ever inside. She'd slipped it under his door in a moment of wantoness. He'd smiled. Rewarded her later.

Rewind. She finds an old college notebook while cleaning the basement. From the class she took with him. She turns the pages, looking for evidence of his then overwhelming presence in her thoughts. Feels his lustful stare again. Hears his voice again.

Rewind. She finds a picture of her old car. The one they stood next to for half an hour talking, then kissing. The one they then steamed up the windows of.

Rewind. She meets him.

Erobintica oh so graciously allowed me to slide into bed with her and ask some of my favorite questions. We're scooting over so you all can join us:

Alison Tyler: Do you need a certain mindset or tools or other to enable you to get into your writing, and if so, what?

Erobintica: It depends on what I'm writing. I'm usually in a different mindset when I write erotica vs. say, poetry or essays. But there's a lot of overlap. For example, with my erotic poems or some of my blog posts. Hmmmmm, does the mindset or the writing come first? I can't write smut when I'm feeling depressed - well, I guess I could, but it would be depressing! I'm still fairly new at the erotica thing, so I tend to write from a happy place with it. I'm sure my writing will get more interesting as I get more comfortable with writing from the darker places. They're certainly there.

Alison Tyler: Do you have a writing ritual or routine? Do you need quiet or noise? Can you work at a café, or do you have an office? Are there ways you like to warm up?

Erobintica: As for ritual or routine - not really. I wish I did. Wish I could just sit down and start the words flowing. I'm impressed with the folks that can get up in the wee hours and write - my brain doesn't function much before 8am even if I get up at 6am. I'm not disciplined at all. I write on my laptop, I write in multiple notebooks. I have a small one with me all the time. Sometimes it's quiet when I write, but I do like to put music on. Though since our kitten ate through my creature speaker wires I listen less when I'm on my computer. I can work at other places, and have, but most of my writing is done at home. I don't have an office, just a corner of my bedroom or in the living room. As for warming up, I like to take long walks and I carry a little moleskine notebook in my back pocket with a golf pencil stuffed inside - that way I can jot down ideas or words or phrases. I get lots of ideas then. Sometimes I use my blog to warm up to do other writing.

Alison Tyler: What's your favorite season?

Erobintica: Well, living in New England I'd have to say Autumn. It's so refreshing after the humidity of the summer and the colors are so different every year. I also like it once the leaves are off the trees and you can see the lay of the land. There's stuff I like about each season, and I do like having distinctive seasons - I grew up in California - we had the rainy season and the fire season. But I miss the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. And the desert. And the redwoods.

Alison Tyler: Do you hang out with other writers for inspiration and critical feedback or do you self appraise?

Erobintica: I do hang out with other writers - mostly poets though. Some folks do dabble in other types of writing. I would love to have an erotica group like the poetry crit groups I belong to. I haven't brought any erotica to those (just erotic poetry). But I pretty much self-appraise my erotica at this point in time. I might have my husband read something for punctuation and grammar (he's an editor by trade) and sometimes I share stuff with a friend or two for content. I'm still nervous about folks reading some of my stuff - nice, mild-mannered, middle-aged, mom-type me.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal lover.

Erobintica: The guy in bed right now snoring. (He's got to get up at 3am tomorrow and drive a couple states away.) We've been together a long time and through a lot, so there's a great deal of trust built up. That's important to me. Trust. A willingness to venture out of the comfort zone. It's funny, thinking about this question I realized that I like a little bit of nervousness with experimentation. It gives an edge. I like openness. A deep appreciation of the importance of sex. A sense of playfulness. Passion.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal meal.

Erobintica: Whether it's in an elegant restaurant like Blue Hill at Stone Barns (had my 50th birthday dinner there last year - wish we were rich and could eat there more often) or by a campfire - my ideal dinner would be as local as possible. Grass-fed beef or venison (self-procured), fresh picked salad and veggies, everything handmade, including the bread and butter. I would give allowances for chocolate though. Because my ideal meal must include chocolate. And champagne. We love to take champagne camping. Oh, and whipped heavy jersey cream for on the chocolate whatever. Now I'm hungry!

Alison Tyler: What was your inspiration for “Rewind”?

Erobintica: I had no idea what I was going to do with the heart thing. I was afraid it would be another contest I'd pass on. It's funny, the word "rewind" just popped into my head while I was in the kitchen (fixing dinner or doing dishes - can't remember which) and as I stood there I just thought of starting at a point in time and working backwards. I do have a long story I've started about someone searching for and finding an old lover. Everyone's done this, right? Googled old lovers? So, I started there. For the most part this is autobiographical. I knew I could use it when I remembered the stupid card - though I honestly don't remember if it really had a red heart on it or not - but I made it have one. I love writing!

*****

Wow, maybe I'd like camping more if I took champagne with me! Remember to comment for a chance to win a mixed tape—and slip over to Erobintica's place to read more about her!

XXX,
Alison

An interview with Confidant

I get asked for advice all the time. An email pops into my in basket with the query, “If I really want to simultaneously submit a manuscript, can I do so without telling the two publishing houses?” Or, “How long should I wait before harassing an editor about the acceptance/rejection of a story?” The Bearded Confidant gets asked a lot of questions, too. But his topics run more along these lines:

• How do you make cum taste more appealing?

• I want to stick my tongue up my lover's asshole. Is it safe if he has just showered?

• I have licked my penis when I was masturbating a couple of times. I only licked the head & the tip. My question is, is it safe to do this or can you get a std or some other illness?

As far as I can tell, The Bearded Confidant knows all. Truly, I’ve spent hours reading the questions and answers on the Masculinfinity site. So I was beside myself when TBC, or Confidant for short, began to submit stories for my little contests. The one for this week (Newton’s Balls) was just so visually stellar, well, here… See for yourself:

Newton's Balls

Like Spartan soldiers united for a purpose, the men perform a massively long chain fuck, each cock shoved up the ass in front. Synchronized bestial grunts and deep moans compose a choir beyond compare. The kinetic energy of the Newton’s Balls phenomenon comes into play: when the man at the end of the line makes a powerful thrust of his hips, the man at the head will gush forth a geyser of cum like Old Faithful, his prostate impacted by the sexual energy traveling through every man along the chain. It’s the experience of being fucked by every man simultaneously, of being pounded by a ramrod as long as the chain of the men, and it’s beyond any head man to keep from releasing that energy through his own cock. The youngest of the group kneels at the head of the line, tongue ready to catch the hot outpouring. A succulent cocktail of jizz and saliva is deepkissed down the line. It’s true that the cocktail becomes watered down as it’s shared from mouth to mouth to mouth, but according to the homeopathic principle of serial dilution, the therapeutic properties of the semen take on spirit-like medicinal powers.

Sweetly, kindly, with a little husky growl in his voice, Confidant has agreed to let me probe him.

Alison Tyler: Do you need a certain mindset or tools or other to enable you to get into your writing, and if so, what?

Confidant: A decade ago, before I perfected a technique for "lucid wet dreaming," I did need a mindset to jump-start my writing, and my springboard was any one of a dozen favorite anthologies of erotic literature from my personal library. I'd dip into a story at random to fire my erotic imagination like a spark plug. Sometimes a single word or sentence was enough to inspire my own ink to flow. Today, I find that my mind is ever-enabled to get into writing, perhaps even to a fault. Ideas come to me when I'm driving, or eating lunch, or watching movies, and I've acquired the habit of pocketing a pen and index cards for jotting down notes anytime. But it's during my sleeping hours that I most fully pursue what I might call "active erotic imagination." As I lucidly approach orgasm in my dreams, wild scenarios unfold, and I can't help but liken the experience to Alice's adventures in Wonderland—she was conscious and autonomous even as she was swept away by phantasmagoria. Needless to say, some of my best ideas are swimming in my head as I wake up each morning, which means I typically jump stickily out of bed and race to the computer before the dream-filmy thoughts fade.

Alison Tyler: Do you have a writing ritual or routine? Do you need quiet or noise? Can you work at a café, or do you have an office? Are there ways you like to warm up?

Confidant: Definitely noise, in the form of a custom erotic soundtrack—sexual grunts, moans, and cries overlaid upon my favorite dance music. I work best from my home office, and I listen to my filthy remixes constantly while I write. Post-orgasm, either after a lucid wet dream or any number of daytime frolics, is a good state of mind—the physical yearnings are temporarily sated, yet the imagination is energized and ready to be channeled to the page.

Alison Tyler: What's your favorite season?

Confidant: My favorite season is spring, in spite of the allergies it triggers. When else but in spring could one witness what I did yesterday: a plant in drag—a prickly holly bush sporting some soft pink petals that had fallen from a rhododendron.

Alison Tyler: Do you hang out with other writers for inspiration and critical feedback or do you self appraise?

Confidant: Critical feedback is crucial, and I seek it from a small cadre of writers I admire. My fantasy inspirational writer's group would be a circle-jerk in which stories blossomed a word or two at a time, around the circle. Everyone would hover on the edge of orgasm until the word "cum" was finally yet appropriately spoken. Group energy can be quite profound, and I first tangibly understood that during a community education class on Sufi dancing and singing. During one chanting circle, everyone vocalized the same syllable, but at their own pace and on whatever note they chose. A freeform chorus, in other words. We intoned for several minutes, and then, without any physical signal, we all stopped in unison. Naturally, I imagined all of us cumming simultaneously on that last pitch.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal lover.

Confidant: There's a saying in the game of Chess that the beautiful move is likely the better move. My ideal lover chooses the beautiful moves. A roundabout approach, seemingly careless and perhaps even haphazard, is the best strategy for capturing me unawares. There's nothing like being totally surprised by the triggering of an orgasm. In terms of looks, masculine men in makeup drive me wild. Makeup can skirt a fine line between the feminine and the warrior, the glamorous and the savage, and it's best seen in pop artists of the 1980s such as Adam Ant, David Sylvian of Japan, Steve Strange of Visage, Pete Burns of Dead or Alive, and the like.

Alison Tyler: Describe your ideal meal.

Confidant: Vegetarian dumplings are an orgy in my mouth. But may I quote an hilarious restaurant critic in the British comedy series Absolutely Fabulous? "Competent in the grand manner, stuffed with plutocratic goodies and a decent duck. A boudoiresque dining room, fin-de-siecle eclectic and still fashionably uncomfortable. A melange, possibly a post-Orwellian version of an Edwardian eaterie. The food, ecumenical in flavor, a cosmopolitan adventure of exuberant eclecticism full of amuse gueule and gastro-credibility. No flash in the bain-marie this. It has a comforting ambiance, although generally the tomatoes were rather pulpeuses."

Alison Tyler: What was your inspiration for “Newton’s Balls”?

Confidant: That story was inspired by my scholarship of the ways men throughout history have explored the power inherent in synchronizing their orgasmic energy (usually in order to increase their combined strength as warriors or to enhance their creative abilities). The sexual science of Tantra is well-known today, but similar research has been carried out around the world. It's said that Spartan soldiers and Native American tribesmen were advanced in the technique of synchronized orgasms, as were certain groups in ancient Persian, Greece, Babylon, Macedonia, and Egypt. In the early 1900s, Charles W. Leadbeater of the Theosophical Society conducted some scandalous experiments in gathering and transmuting the sexual energies of groups of men. Leadbeater was an early sex liberationist, and he encouraged his fellow young male researchers to shed their prudery as well as their undergarments. These men gathered in circle-jerks to practice synchronized masturbation exercises. They sought to time their ejaculations to the exact same moment, thereby to experience the combined ecstasy and electrical energy released through orgasm. I find it incredibly arousing and inspiring to think of groups of men, united for a purpose, sharing their sexuality in order to intensify the success of a shared goal.

Alison Tyler: Do you really have a beard?

Confidant: My inner beard is rather bushier than the modest goatee my facial follicles can conjure up (my cheeks are naturally smooth as a baby).

Alison Tyler: Have you ever received a question that you could not answer?

Confidant: Sometimes when I receive a question, I initially feel stumped. But then the answer pops into my head, and I laugh. My lifelong background in research facilitates my finding an answer when it's not on the tip of my tongue.

Alison Tyler: What color are your sheets? And are you going to send me a picture of your bed?

Confidant: My three favorite sets of sheets are purple, navy blue, and slate gray. I have a set of jet black sheets, but (whether coincidentally or due to some sort of chromatic field effect) they tend to ensure a restless sleep. I'll share a picture of my bed when I return home.

Read More from Confidant at Masculinfinity , and be sure to stop back here soon for another interview with one of my contest winners. Who knows? It may just be you!

XXX,
Alison

Bio: The Bearded Confidant, formerly a prolific reviewer of adult films for a major distributor, now dedicates his time to quirky, scandalous projects blending research and imagination. His lifelong opus, an obsessive reference book on a particular fetish, is currently in the hands of a prospective publisher, and he's approaching the point of no return on his how-to guide for "lucid wet dreamers."