Red Flags In Traditional Publishing

For most new writers, finishing their book, finding a publisher, and seeing their masterpiece upon a book store shelf (literal or digital) is the dream come true. But in the publishing world, things don't always happen the way an author dreams, or even the way things are contracted.

This blog post serves to inform authors of red flags in traditional publishing. When properly prepared, you'll know what to look out for, and hopefully not suffer a negative experience.

The Publisher: Not all publishing houses are created equal; therefore, always do your research. If there's a record of unhappy publishing history, stay away.

• Has the publisher been in business long? 
• Do they have a solid list of authors producing work and a decent list of distributors? 
• Is their website up to date and professional?  
• Are they active on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc.)? 
• Do they have a good track record? It's always good to check out sites like Piers Anthony (with a list of publishers A-Z and their pub history), Predators & Editors, and Absolute Write for any related negative information.

The People: The most basic way to understand what it's like to publish with any publishing house is by talking to the people already involved. This means finding out who the editors and authors are, how long they've worked for the company, and how they feel about the publisher overall. In my experience, most authors are happy to share their experiences. You should absolutely be wary of any publisher who refuses to provide answers to your questions about their staff.

The Contract: Upon acceptance of your submission, a publisher will send you a contract. Most contracts are full of legalese, but should be understandable. If you have trouble understanding, ask a close friend (or better, another contracted author) to be your 2nd set of eyes. 

Key elements to look and watch out for:

• Avoid singing with a "vanity house", as in, you should never have to pay for proofreading, editing, cover design, formatting, ISBN, or distribution. You should only ever be responsible for personal advertising costs and the $35 fee for copyright registration with the Library of Congress. 
• Be careful with "Rights of First Refusal".  Will publishing one work with your chosen publisher obligate you to send them other work in the future? Will they own any part of your future work, characters, concepts, etc? Think hard on this should you find it part of a contract, as you may find yourself limited to working with only one publisher.
• Make sure your contract specifies how and when you will be paid, and how sales will be reported to you
• Make sure there is a clear written explanation of what happens if your publisher fails to publish in a set time period, pay royalties or provide statement in a timely manner, or files for bankruptcy/insolvency. 
• If at any time your publisher fails to pay or provide statement, you should take action. Are you able to request the return of your rights without penalty?
• Be certain to understand how long your work is contracted with the publisher. Will they own the right to publish your book for 1 year? 5 years? What happens after the contractual period ends?
• What does your publisher intend to do with print, digital, and audio rights. These rights vary from publisher to publisher, and often pay different royalties, and may be under contract for different amounts of time.
• Some publishers require their authors by contract to maintain their author platform on social media as part of their personal marketing strategy. Make sure you're able to comply and interact with your readers or take part in online events.
• Any changes to a contract must be signed by both author and publisher. If this is not stated in a contract with a publisher you would like to publish with, ask to have a clause added. You don't want conditions of your contract to change without your knowledge. 

The Experience: Sometimes the only way to learn is by doing. The most important part of any type of publishing is being actively aware of the people you work with and your personal rights. Even with the best preparation, mistakes can be made, feelings can be hurt, and publishing houses can go under. But hopefully, with honest preparation, you'll avoid publishing heartache. 

A Note to Readers

Due to events out of my control, I have asked for the return of rights today from my current publisher. While I determine what to do with my current author portfolio, my titles may be temporarily unavailable. Whether I self publish or find a new publishing house, I will continue to write the stories that inspire imagination in myself and others. Here's hoping to a new adventure.

Piracy: An Author's Guide

I love pirates, so long as you have incredible wit  charm, solid heart, and good looks like this guy:

But the truth of the matter, on the internet, it's this immoral asshole manhandling your precious:

As an author and victim of cyber pirates, I've put together a list of things authors can do to protect themselves and their work.

1) Register your Copyright: You've written your book, you've self-published or published with your publisher, which gives you the author the copyright of your manuscript. However, registering with the Library of Congress gives you that special piece of paper and assurance that yes, you've proven that your words are your own, and no one can take them from you. This certification can be used to not only help you remove your illegally placed words, but also seek litigation. 

2) Search Regularly: You won't ever know if your work has been pirated unless you check or come across it by accident. Using multiple web browsers, search for your name, your book name, and key words like "free" and "free download". This should be done on a regular basis as pirates are asshats; they'll put up multiple pages and/or new pages with your work again as soon as they're reported.

3) Who's Your Pirate?: Before you can get your illegally infringed upon work off the internet, you have to know who to contact. Sometimes a pirate will use Google Sites or to put your books up for download. If this is the case, you click the "report this page" feature at the bottom of the page and fill out their form. They're very good about resolving the issue quickly. But sometimes you can't tell who to contact just by looking at a webpage. A simple WHOIS search will give you basic information on where to start.

To perform a whois search, plug the domain name into a whois search engine like https://who.is or whois.net. You'll get a score of information related to the domain in question. Many pirates hide behind privacy companies like Privacy Guardian, designed to protect user information. This is not helpful. You may have to contact a web hosting provider for the infringing URL in order to have action taken. You can discover who the hosting provider of a website is by doing a web hoster search at a website such as https://www.webhostinghero.com. Go to the hoster's page, report abuse, and wait for a response. 

4) Send a DMCA takedown notice: A DMCA stands for the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. You can read about it here on Wikipedia. Basically, this is the official letter you send to pirates/the web hoster/the domain provider/the individual/when you hit the "report this page" button. Make sure it has all the important pieces, which looks something like this:

Attn: Abuse/Legal Department;

This communication serves as a statement that:

1. I am the exclusive rights holder for titles [listed below] of copyrighted material being infringed upon;

    A) (your book title, name/pen name, copyright date, publisher)

2. These exclusive rights are being violated by material available upon your site at the following URL(s): [URLs of infringing material];

  A) (list URLs of books)

  

3. I have a good faith belief that the use of this material in such a fashion is not authorized by the copyright holder, the copyright holder's agent, or the law;

4. Under penalty of perjury in a United States court of law, I state that the information contained in this notification is accurate, and that I am the exclusive rights holder for the material in question;

5. I may be contacted by the following methods:

(Your email--I would not give pirates or anyone your personal phone # or address)

(Your publisher's email, phone #, address if you're traditionally published)

I hereby request that you remove or disable access to this material as it appears on your service in as expedient a fashion as possible. Thank you.

Electronic Signature: (Your name)

Copyright Agent

5) Seek Legal Help: This is a last resort, but as an author, you have every right to sue. Of course, actually finding the physical pirate's name/address/etc. behind a site might take some upfront cash and time. Google, Amazon, domain providers, and web hosting companies are not going to hand out infringing user data without a court order. But in the long run, if you have a serious problem, and the other methods listed above do not help, you have this to look forward to:

According to Purdue University: 

Copyright infringement is the act of violating any of a copyright owner’s exclusive rights granted by the federal Copyright Act. There are three elements that must be in place in order for the infringement to occur.

1) The copyright holder must have a valid copyright.
2) The person who is allegedly infringing must have access to the copyrighted work.
3) The duplication of the copyrighted work must be outside the exceptions.

The legal penalties for copyright infringement are:

1) Infringer pays the actual dollar amount of damages and profits.
2) The law provides a range from $200 to $150,000 for each work infringed.
3) Infringer pays for all attorneys fees and court costs.
4) The Court can issue an injunction to stop the infringing acts.
5) The Court can impound the illegal works.
6) The infringer can go to jail.

Keep in mind that not only the pirate, but also each individual who downloaded your work illegally, is subject to being sued! Contact a Copyright/Trademark law firm, or search online for intellectual property lawyers in your area. This may take some research as most firms represent large businesses rather than individuals. 

6) Be Careful with Freebies: I've noticed a direct correlation between the books I find most commonly pirated online and those I've given out for free as part of a contest or promotion. It's easier for a pirate to abuse your work if they already have a nice pretty file they can upload that they've won for free. Once it's on the internet, others are going to download and exploit you as well. But don't lose hope; be diligent and stay strong.  

New Lesbian Romance from Author Blue Spectrum

Looking for something cozy and sexy for your fall reading time? Check out a new erotic story from author Blue Spectrum!

Kate has a simple plan for the holidays—it involves her “body massager” and a whole lot of unbridled fantasizing about her boss, Dr. Alia. Before that, she has to clean up the lab and set things up so that the biotech lab she’s working at is ready for use after the holidays.

Just when she’s all done, she gets called up to Dr. Alia’s office to assist the senior scientist in sorting out the messy layout of the newer version of the word processor in order to get a printout of the project so far. Kate finds herself in a fitting situation to confess her feelings for the older woman. But the senior scientist makes a declaration that might favor Kate.

Story Excerpt: 

Dr. Alia reached over her neat desk and took the silk scarf from her chair.

“Turn around,” she said.

I shuffled on the spot and faced away from her, toward the glass partition that gave Dr. Alia a bird’s-eye view of the research floor below. The painful glow of the ultraviolet light illuminated the clean, sharp angles of the workstations. My own space at the far right corner, near the incubator, was quite unobstructed by the hanging ducts from up here.

The soft fabric covered my eyes. I was glad for the darkness—it piqued my curiosity and heightened my other senses. Besides, it would stop me from overanalyzing what I was about to do.

As the knot tightened around the back of my head just above my ponytail, my heart stepped up its pace. In the quiet of the late evening, I wondered if the doctor could hear it too.

About the Author:

Blue Spectrum is on a mission to understand sex and sexuality through writing, and what better way to do so than with romance and erotica.

Find Blue Spectrum Online:

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+BlueSpectrum (Warning! Adult Content)

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/bluespectrum

Author Blog: http://eroticsnippets.blogspot.com/ (My journey as an author!)(Warning! Adult Content)

Tumblr: http://infi-blu.tumblr.com/ (Warning! Adult Content)

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15365454.Blue_Spectrum

Because everyone likes drunk poetry

When you Google "Coffee Vs. Beer" you get search results explaining how the brain reacts to both substances.

Apparently:

And...

 

So pretty much, you can't win.

Still, it doesn't stop my muse from fucking with me... My creativity level does noticeable increase when I drink booze, and of course, any worthwhile and notable dose of caffeine motivates me to finish whatever the heck I'm attempting to get done. But I still do some of my favorite writing or come up with the best ideas while tipsy or full-blown intoxicated.

Here's a poem I wrote while intoxicated. Don't ask me where my head was at. I honestly don't recall

"The Dark" by Angora Shade

You left me in the dark
Alone to unravel--
fall apart
On my knees and blind to sight
banished from your protective light

But there's a secret you don't know...
I'd like to say I told you so...

My heart was yours to hold
Worthy to cherish--
warm or cold
But you proved the butcher of a lamb
Perhaps I'll never understand
What gave you cause to leave me
to pretend that you don't see me?

But here I expand.
Here I command.

You think I'll scream until my ears bleed
or until I fall upon my knees
that I'll miss your perfect kisses--
lovely lies upon a fatal breeze

It's this secret you don't know
I'd like to say I told you so...

I'm safe in here.
Free from hurt--
from you
No fear.

You cannot touch what you can't see
therefore you cannot injury me
I'll seek out a better end
and I'll begin anew again

And my secret's still the same...
I'll never lose at this old game...

I'll say it loud and true
I do not envy you
The world will go on round
until you think it's love you found
You'll believe you have it all
up to the point love lets you fall

You'll unravel in the dark

You'll be alone to fall apart

You might then remember me
It's in here that you left me

But to you it won't be kind...

The dark was always mine.

New Title from T. Strange!

My Zombie Fiancé - T. Strange

M/M paranormal romance

Edward Grey is no stranger to the undead; since raising his cat as a zombie when he was a child, he and his mentor Mariel have explored and developed his power as a necromancer. Despite everything he's learned, as a necromancer and a medical student, he's never encountered a ghost.

While Mariel is unreachable in Haiti on mysterious business, a ghost wakes Edward in the middle of the night, claiming to be his grandfather. When the ghost offers to teach him about this different form of undeath, Edward has little choice but to trust the spirit.

After receiving a phone call from a young girl claiming her father is possessed, Edward and his Undead Canadian fiancé, Kit, must travel to an acreage in Kingston…Ontario.

The haunting proves far more complicated than Edward could ever have guessed, and he finds himself pitted against an ancient evil determined to engulf everyone on the farm.

Edward's love and connection to Kit will be tested, and his necromancy stretched to his limits as he has to find—and destroy—a twisted spirit more powerful than anything he's ever encountered.

***

All of My Zombie Boyfriend took place in one city, but in My Zombie Fiancé Edward has to leave his comfort zone and head to Kingston—Ontario.

I don’t remember exactly how it happened. It might have just been for the joke:

““I have to go to Kingston.”

“Oh my God, no way! I’d love to go to Jamaica!”

“Kingston, Ontario.”

“Oh.”

I certainly didn’t set out to write a novel set in Ontario, especially a city I’ve never (shhh!) been to, but I think it’s fitting. I have a lot of roots in Ontario; the ancestor I can trace back the furthest in my family tree, a band major who served in the British Army in India, moved to Ontario and started a farm. My ancestors farmed in Ontario for several generations, until they headed West. I’m sure I still have many relatives there.

There’s a new character in My Zombie Fiancé, Claude Jenkins, who is a little tip of my hat to those early Ontario farmers. Even his name has meaning for me—my grandfather’s middle name is Claude, and it was his father’s name, too.

I also apparently have a thing for string players from Ontario??? My last ex was a double bass player from Toronto, and my wife is a cellist from Hamilton (she insists that she isn’t from Hamilton, because she was very young when her family left and she doesn’t remember it. But she was at least born there).

Ontario is a beautiful province, and one I’d like to explore more in the future! I hope My Zombie Fiancé will encourage and inspire you to visit.

***

About the author

T. Strange didn't want to learn how to read, but literacy prevailed and she hasn't stopped reading—or writing—since. She's been published with Torquere Press since 2013, and she writes M/M romance in multiple genres, including paranormal and BDSM. T.'s other interests include cross stitching, gardening, watching terrible horror movies, playing video games, and finding injured pigeons to rescue. Originally from White Rock, BC, she lives on the Canadian prairies, where she shares her home with her wife, cats, guinea pigs and other creatures of all shapes and sizes. She's very easy to bribe with free food and drinks—especially wine.

She can be found on Facebook and Twitter by searching T. Strange, or you can email her: author.t.strange at gmail.com

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Confessions of Erotic Writers Part 2: The Questions You're Afraid to Ask

We are exposed to sex through the media, fine art, and literature, making sex a source of  pleasure, pain, liberation, and form of expression as far back as documented history. But what about the people creating the materials we're exposed to? Where do they fit in? How does creating sex effect them?

I've recently interviewed multiple authors (whose info you can find at the bottom) who place themselves within the categories of those who write erotica, smut, or porn. Definition of these categories is irrelevant; the idea is that explicit sex scenes are an element of their work. I've asked them a series of questions that are typically not inquired about due to societal restraint and the inability to broach the topics the world tells us we should be ashamed of. But there's no shame here, only the god's honest truth.

Be sure to check out the answers from multiple other authors in part one of this post HERE

Where do your ideas for sex scenes come from?

"Everywhere.

Okay, so that’s quite a broad answer but it’s true. I pick up my ideas all over the place. Some ideas come from my own sex life, others pop into my head at the strangest times like when the idea for Restoration popped into my head whilst watching a very dry documentary on art restoring. Public transport is good for ideas too and I spend a lot of time on buses and trains as I don’t drive. My character in Uncovering Heather from the Inked Anthology was inspired by a very smart looking business lady on a train in a brown suit, but when she stretched I saw the lining was pink, the inside of her briefcase was pink, the cover of her phone was pink...I was struck by that contrast. It stuck in my brain for a couple of years before her story came apparent though. 

Having a dirty mind is a wonderful thing. I can make anything into a sex scene!"--Victoria Blisse

"It really depends upon the story. Most of the time the ideas for the scene comes from the story itself and is molded by the setting that the characters find themselves in. From there the characters more or less let me know what they’re in the mood for.

Only rarely do I ever revolve a story around a sex scene. For example, Trail Magic was written with the idea of having a blowjob scene on the side of a mountain. That scene came from a hike I took where I reached the summit, noticed the summit marker embedded in a large rock, and thought of how awesome it would be to sit at the top, looking over the miles of mountain tops and get blown."--JC Winchester

"I try to think of the most unusual things that can be done sexually, and start from there. I’m not a trope writer, who likes run-of-the-mill, so my scenes are highly unusual. Even the most eyebrow-raising scenes are tastefully written, though. As a result, I lean more toward medical play or higher level kink."--Scarlet Darkwood

"Most are from experience, however, I do a ton of research for accuracy in different kinks, then create my own scenes from what I learn."--Vikki Alan

"It may sound like a cliché, but ”while walking down the street” is really my best answer. I do my best thinking while walking around my hometown of Berlin - and the ideas for sex scenes come about in one of two ways: Either I come across an everyday situation and think ”how could this lead into a sex scene?” (What if that man on the corner was an insatiable sex fiend - unable to keep his hands off that gorgeous woman crossing the street?) Or my mind just wanders - and eventually comes across dirty thoughts."--Frank Noir

"Porn, erotica, and hentai. I read a lot of erotica in my developmental years, and I've always had a mind for stories. Then I start wondering what happens if you do this or that, basing what I write on personal experience, what I've read or watched, or just letting my imagination speculate."--Reed James

"Most come from personalexperience. I've had some incredible encounters with amazing people over the years. Some are mashups of different experiences with different people."--AJ Charms

What state of mind do you need to be in order to write your standard of a "good sex scene" ?

"Horny. 

Hey, I’m getting good at these one word answers aren’t I? To really get into a sex scene I’ve got to be at least a little turned on. Now, that doesn’t mean everything I write about turns me on per se, but it certainly gives the scene a little extra steam if I’m in an aroused state of mind. I can’t write a sex scene if I’ve just indulged in some good loving though. The number of times I’ve been pounced upon by my sexy hubby whilst I’ve been writing and then had to leave the scene alone are numerous. I always tell him off for it but I don’t really mean it. After all, it counts as research in my line of business, right?"--Victoria Blisse

"Loose and relaxed. I struggle writing them during periods of high stress, such as finals time during my classes. There are plenty of times I'll crack a beer or have a pour of bourbon to help loosen me up."--JC Winchester

"Though I say I’m more awake in the evenings, I’m usually better in the later morning when I’ve had some decent sleep. I need to be clear-headed and have a solid picture of what I want to accomplish, what I want the people involved to do, and get out of being together." --Scarlet Darkwood

"Usually kind of Dark. I find certain music gets me there."--Vikki Alan

"I’d say aroused – but not too aroused. I should be so excited by the thought of sex that I can precisely imagine what it would feel like and describe it graphically. But of course, at the same time I should be just detached enough that my writing doesn’t turn into sex-crazed ramblings."--Frank Noir

"I find any sort of writing relaxing. I just sit down with my laptop and start writing. As long as there aren't any major distractions around me, I can usually get lost into my writing pretty fast. Even when I get popped out, it only takes me a minute or so to get back into writing."--Reed James

"I need to be aroused. Sometimes I have a glass ofwine and scroll through Tumblr or put on porn. I love real couples who post their own pictures."--AJ Charms


Sex writing usually involves research. How far have you taken your research in pursuit of your craft?

"Now that lead on from my last comment nicely didn’t it? Of course that kind of thorough, personal research is on going and when my sex life is smoking hot so is my writing. Google is most certainly the friend of any author but you can’t beat actually experiencing something to add a depth to your writing. I’ve discovered many things by going to Club Lash (A BDSM club in Manchester) Twisted Sin (I got a lovely lap dance. Boobs are pretty!) and events at MARS and Miss T’s. I’ve also seen a lot of burlesque acts at Dr Sketchy that have powered the imagination and had lots of fun and found new implements and fun toys at the Alternative and Burlesque fairs I run a stall at. 

I’m constantly looking for new events, experiences and people to inspire me, this is my constant research for my art. I very rarely seek out a specific thing then write about it. I usually see/feel something and make a story up around that."--Victoria Blisse

"My research has taken me to sites and forums I’d never read. I’ve found myself perusing adult toy sites in search of the next inspiration for a scene, and I’ve ended up on sites where females tell how they’ve dominated men. I’ve also researched medical supply sites."--Scarlet Darkwood

"I've taken classes, interviewed people in the sex industry, and of course; experimented."--Vikkie Alan

"When describing the physical sensations of sex, I draw on personal experience from my own sex life. And some of the dirty talk is inspired by certain sexual encounters as well. But as for the situations themselves, they are mostly more extreme than anything I’ve ever tried – or wanted to try. My stories are meant to be outrageous fantasies – but realistically described."--Frank Noir

"Not far, really. I just read and watch a lot of porn and erotica. I never set out to research one specific thing. I just write kinks that I have already consumed porn or read erotica on."--Reed James

"Besides my personal experiences, I like having one on one conversations with authentic people to hear about their experiences and fantasies. Hearing about the mechanics of their threesome is always interesting but I am more interested in the circumstances that brought them to that point and how it made them feel. I am not shy and I love to ask questions"--AJ Charms

Are you turned on by your own sex scenes?

"Yes. 

Oooh, back to the one word answers! Now this isn’t to say that everything I write about is my own personal kink, it isn’t. However, I will find something within every scene I write arousing. I mean, if it doesn’t work on me then how the hell can I expect it to work for my readers? Some of my books are very much about my own kinks. Something Brave is particularly personal to me and maps a journey I have only just started to make myself. I’m hoping to go further, just like Felicity, soon."--Victoria Blisse

"Quite often I am. If it doesn’t turn me on why should I expect it to turn on someone else?"--JC Winchester

"Honestly, it depends on how tired I am or how in the mood I am. Again, I may be more aroused in the morning than at night."--Scarlet Darkwood

"Sometimes I have to stop I get so flustered. Especially first drafts. After a few reads though, it doesn't hit me the same way."--Vikki Alan

"Absolutely! After all, they are based on my own sexual fantasies. And whenever I get it right, I find them highly arousing. In fact, when I began writing erotica as a teenager, it was mainly meant as a masturbatory aid for myself. I found that both the process of writing down and afterwards reading my sexual fantasies made the experience more detailed and vivid."--Frank Noir 

"Yes. Earlier when I first started, I would often have to stop to take care of things. I usually don't have to now, but I still get turned on. (Which can be a problem during editing more than writing)"--Reed James

"Since many of them are drawn from real life, the memories of those encounters are highly arousing."--AJ Charms

Do you act out any/ Have you acted out any of your scenes in order to write a sex scene more effectively?

"Oh, how my husband laughs at me at times. When I’m writing a particularly complex action I very often try to emulate it sitting in my seat as I write. I can get into some pretty interesting positions I can tell you! It really can be useful to try the positions out to make sure they work and that you don’t have to be a sex Olympian to achieve it. As I said in my research question I tend to write about experiences I’ve had not try something out because I want to write about it. So more often I am recapturing a moment that has physically happened in my fiction rather than acting out something I have penned."--Victoria Blisse

"A few times I have. Sometimes it helps to understand if a position will work or if it would be pleasurable. That said, there are times I do take artistic license for the sake of making the scene hot, much how not all positions in porn are comfortable in real life.

The most daring one I'd say I've acted out was learning how it felt to be a nudist. I was at a convention of about 75 people where there were a couple of nudists and so the environment was welcoming to exploration. I spent the bulk of the weekend wearing nothing and learning about how to interact with people when nude, polite things to do (like always covering a seat before sitting on it), and how people react to someone being in the buff. It's an interesting experience for sure."--JC Winchester

"Definitely not! As a healthcare worker, I’d be saying, 'Um, I really wouldn’t put that there …!'”--Scarlett Darkwood

"Definitely."--Vikki Alan

"Never. Among other things because some of the situations I describe (more or less non-consensual scenarios) would get me convicted! But on the other hand, whatever I find to be a turn-on in real life may well end up in a story one day ..."--Frank Noir

"I have not. But I've always had good spacial awareness. I went to school to be a mechanical drafter (drawing blueprints of parts). You see three dimensional objects represented in two, often in exploded isometrics and you have to able to visualize how the object would look like from different angles. It's very useful when picturing people and how their naughty bits can fit together in various ways to keep a sex scene realistic. And, well, I also write in genres that you can't act out (monsters, futas, magical fun, tentacles)."--Reed James

"I acted out some scenes from my books. The anal scene from Delicious Little Passions was fun to revisit."--AJ Charms

How would you describe your sex life before and after you started writing erotica/smut/porn ?

"My sex life has always been varied, fun and experimental. The smut writing hasn’t necessarily changed that at all. What it has changed is how I experience sex. It always used to be a private thing for myself and my husband. Now I’m involved in public foreplay a lot more. From reading at one of our Smut Events to being spanked at a real life dungeon, I find my kinks are far more out there in public than they were before I started to write erotica. It’s fantastic. I’ve discovered a whole new world of kinky, sex embracing and empowering people, and that is a real joy."--Victoria Blisse

"Hmmm that actually is a tough one as I started writing smut over 10 years ago. I think the best answer to that is before was fairly vanilla and after became very experimental. I became more interested in trying different fetishes and positions that I read in other people's work and researched for my own. Even beyond sex, I have had to research a number of other topics that has allowed me to broaden my horizons and gain a level of respect for various career fields, locations, and personalities."--JC Winchester

"Unfortunately, no change!"--Scarlet Darkwood

"This may seem shocking, but I think it was wilder before I started writing [sex scenes]. It certainly didn't make me vanilla, but I feel like sometimes my mind wanders to technicalities. (From research) I'm having to learn to separate the two worlds."--Vikki Alan

"Actually, I started writing porn before I'd ever had sex! So there really is no before and after. But of course my real life sexual experiences somehow influenced my writing - and vice versa: I like to think that I explore my sexuality both by having sex and by fantasizing and then writing about it."--Frank Noir


"The same. Just me and my hand. I'm not really a social person. People wonder why I can write so much, well, I don't have a lot of friends and I'm not dating anyone. So it leaves me plenty of time to do what I love--writing my filthy fantasies."--Reed James

"I have a very high libido and a wicked imagination. The frequency is about the same as before I started writing but it certainly spiced things up. My wife recommends my books to her close friends, which sometimes leads to interesting conversations. I find it very exciting that so many people download my books to masturbate or use as inspiration to spice up their sex life (why else would you read erotica?)"--AJ Charms

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Victoria Blisse

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