FLOGGING: A First-Timer's Experience

As part of my BDSM research I’ve been interviewing submissives. One of these was a woman new to the Scene. When the questions turned to flogging, her description of her first flogging was expressed so well that I decided to give it a separate platform. Thank you, M, for sharing such a delicious experience with us. 
 
        So, starting at the beginning. Being asked to hand over my panties before heading to the dungeon threw me off-balance (no doubt His intent). Never having seen a private dungeon before, that was amazing and a little intimidating. Being in a large crowd of strangers seems easier than in close proximity to a smaller group - less anonymity. This was to be just an introduction to flogging.

First flogger

        I was not expecting to be asked to strip down to my thigh highs and heels either - I probably should have expected it, but just hadn't. Again, it contributed to a feeling of exposure and self-consciousness. I did expect to be bound to the St. Andrew's Cross and was surprised that He simply placed a towel at the cross-point for my comfort, leaving my hands and legs unrestrained. I was not sure what to do with my hands which were initially balled in tight fists of nervousness. 

       First, He spoke very closely to my ear reminding me to relax and remember the "safe" words in case I needed to pause or stop the flogging. He also said that he would check on my condition regularly.

       I was grateful that no one besides you were there with us, and that the beautiful music and lighting set such a sensual mood. When He started the flogging, it was soft, rhythmic and sensual, and always in time with the music. Strikes to my upper back, shoulders, and ass continued with variations in strength of impact and location. The feeling was pleasant, very relaxing and soothing. I focused on the recollection of His voice commands, the sensual music and the luxurious sensations of the flogging. My hands slowly uncurled and began to slide down the wooden frame I leaned upon.

       When He changed floggers, He checked to see how I felt. The sensations of the flogging changed with the texture and makeup of each flogger - some soft and others harder. Occasionally, I would hear Him take a deep breath and knew that what He was doing took strength. Concentration and a focused effort that was exhausting. I don't remember all of it as I seemed to slip into a fugue, leaning my head on the cross and locking my legs to keep my knees from buckling. The flogging impact level increased, but I did not find it painful. It felt like a wonderfully relaxing massage.

       When He finished, I was wrapped in a blanket and pulled into His lap, curled into a little ball with my head on his shoulder, sated and foggy. Water was offered and I just enjoyed the warm cuddle while I came back to awareness of my surroundings. I continued to feel relaxed and foggy for sometime afterward.

       What a lovely experience. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

       Photos of his personal equipment courtesy of Wise Protector. He obviously used these floggers with great effect on today's writer. Wise is in demand as a presenter of workshops and demonstrations in the greater Delaware Valley area. He has given his "Flogging 101" class several times at Philadelphia's Sexploratorium as well as many other venues. For more information on scheduling a workshop, contact him at wise@bdsmandlove.com or via his website, www.bdsmandlove.com

~~ Cris Anson

WET AND NAKED

The other day the heavy rain beating on my bedroom window woke me early. One of my first thoughts was, Rats. My newspaper will get soaked.

Because I sleep in the nude, I grabbed a discarded t-shirt and a pair of silky running shorts from the laundry basket and, slipping them on, ventured out into the deluge. The rain was warm on my bare arms and legs and I took a moment to splash around barefoot in the rivulets running down my sloping driveway. Then I scooped up my newspaper and brought it back to the house, divested it of its sopping-wet plastic wrap and spread the pages out to dry.

But something in my brain niggled. My peripheral vision had picked out some activity on the porch across the street as I’d traipsed around, and I opened the front door to check it out.

Sure enough, my 85-year-old neighbor, who suffered from Parkinson’s, was standing there in a raincoat, looking timid and small. Her son had just positioned the folding wheelchair at the bottom of the five porch steps and was going back up, a dripping umbrella over his head, to bring her to his SUV which was parked at the curb. A doctor’s appointment, I surmised, for why else would he bring her out in such inclement weather.

Without further thought I splashed across the street, still barefoot, t-shirt and shorts already plastered to my body, and offered to hold the umbrella over Flora’s head while Bob helped her down the steps and into the wheelchair. He steered her to the passenger door then helped her inside, she protesting all the while that I was getting wet, and me assuring her that it was okay, the rain was warm.

Amid his thanks I handed Bob the soggy umbrella and stepped off the curb and into the gutter, where the running water splattered up to my ankles. It felt good. I splashed through the puddles in the street and literally danced up my driveway, arms outstretched (think Julie Andrews atop the mountain in The Sound of Music), face uplifted to the sky, mouth open to catch the raindrops.

It occurred to me then and there that I would probably have a wonderful time at a nudist camp, prancing around naked in the sun or surf or sand or rain. I imagined the raindrops slowly drizzling their way like sensual fingers down my exposed skin, touching every naked mound and crevice, caressing, stroking. I imagined the warmth of its embrace in, say, a pond or a pool or even the ocean.

And it occurred to me that I like being wet and naked.

How about you? Have you ever danced naked in the rain?

~~ Cris Anson

You Will Want To Have NO PATIENCE

The book, that is. My novella, NO PATIENCE, is scheduled for release on September 13 and I’m thrilled with the cover I just received. What do you think? (I love the ruby ring; I’ll have to figure out in which scene the heroine will be wearing it. But that’s not a problem, I’ll slip it in when I get my edits from my awesome editor, Jillian Bell.)

NO PATIENCE is part of the Curve Appeal series Ellora’s Cave is releasing during September. Here’s how EC calls it:

Cuddle up to some Big Beautiful Women in this series featuring hot ’n’ heavy heroines who have a little (or a lot!) extra cushion for the pushin’. ;)

This, BTW, is the story I wrote about here. That blog is entitled “Lemons Into Lemonade: Blind Date Sparks A Story”.

Here’s a short blurb about NO PATIENCE:

Nervous but eager to explore BDSM, widowed Roseanne gets up close and personal with an erotic Dom. When he sets up some play scenes, she discovers she’s more than a bounteous handful—she’s an exhibitionist.

Mark your calendar for September 13 so you too can have NO PATIENCE.

~~ Cris Anson

BEA—BOOK EXPO AMERICA 2013

One of the biggest book shows in the world is happening this weekend in New York City. BookExpo America (BEA) will run from Thursday through Saturday at the Jacob Javits Center on 11th Avenue between 34th and 40th Streets.

And I’ll be there!

My publisher, Ellora’s Cave, will hold forth at booth #2126. According to Lisa Gray, the Company’s Event Coordinator and Marketing Specialist, their prestigious location in the Best Sellers Section is due “to the size of our booth, the content we publish and the traffic we bring.”

2012 BEA - my DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS cover on video screen (with Tara Nina and Caveman John)

In addition to the availability of movers and shakers from the Corporate offices such as She-E-O Patty Marks and Publisher Raelene Gorlinsky, highlights of the weekend include erotic romance authors available for autographs and gorgeous Cavemen Justin, Taylor, Georgio and 2013’s Alpha Caveman Nick.

2012 BEA - Cris Anson with Cavemen Nick, John, and co-author of TAKE IT OFF Taylor Cole

Daily contest drawings will be held for copies of TAKE IT OFF, a tell-it-all book written by Cavemen Taylor Cole and Justin Whitfield, both of whom have been male strippers for more than a decade. On Saturday they will also be debuting the high-octane sequel, TAKE IT OFF AGAIN.

Authors scheduled to sign are:

Thursday
10-12 Lynne Silver

12-2 Koko Brown

      
Friday

10-12 Tara Nina & Cris Anson

12-2 Jez Morrow

3-5 Cindy Lee

Saturday

10-12 Kate Poole

1-3 Desiree Holt & Cerise Deland

In addition to the excitement at the Ellora’s Cave booth, BEA is wonderful because an avid, determined reader can almost overdose on free books. Last year I came away with at least a dozen hard-cover and trade paperback books from some of the publishing industry’s biggest names. Yes, my favorite reading material is erotic romance, preferably from Ellora’s Cave, but I was like a kid in a candy store with an unlimited bag of coins, with publishers from the Big Six (is it Big Five now?) to the obscure start-up with only a few offerings.

2012 BEA - authors Cris Anson (in red) and Tara Nine (standing, right) with EC staff

The only downside I can see is sore feet from all that walking. The Javits Center encompasses 675,000 square feet of exhibit space. And for three glorious days it will be filled with books, authors, publishers and all the ancillary industries of the book world. And the Cavemen.

Heaven.

LUCKY THIRTEENTH

Now that I have a signed contract in my possession, I can announce that NO PATIENCE will be released by Ellora’s Cave on September 13. Yes, lucky Friday the 13th. In the 13th year of the millennium.

AND, this will be my 13th erotic romance release. How cool is that?

Thirteen is definitely a lucky number for me – I met my first husband on Friday the 13th and we got married on Saturday the 13th (the next Friday the 13th would have been too long for us to wait LOL).

Because of this fortuitous confluence of thirteens in my life, I Googled “Friday the 13th”. Besides the film franchise, I came up with a fascinating discussion of the phobia (technically known by an 11-syllable word I won’t foist on you) from the Urban Legends site. Here are some tidbits:

* The Chinese regarded the number as lucky, as did the Egyptians in the time of the pharaohs.

* Thirteen had been revered by ancient goddess-worshiping cultures due to the 13 lunar/menstrual cycles per year. Experts note that the "Earth Mother of Laussel"— a 27,000-year-old carving found near the Lascaux caves in France often cited as an icon of matriarchal spirituality — depicts a female figure holding a crescent-shaped horn bearing 13 notches. With the rise of male-dominated civilizations the emphasis gradually shifted to the “perfect” number of 12 (12 months of the year, 12 apostles at the Last Supper, 12 gods invited to the banquet at Valhalla, and so on).

* Dan Brown’s novel The DaVinci Code notwithstanding, no written references have documented the fear of Friday the 13th prior to the late 19th century.

But let’s get back to my personal Friday the 13th. You may have read my recent blog “Lemons Into Lemonade: Blind Date Sparks A Story”. NO PATIENCE is that story. Here’s how it begins:

Ready to break out of widowhood and get some first-hand experience about BDSM, curvy Roseanne waits nervously for her in-person meet with a man who contacted her at an online fetish site. Emails and phone calls have led her to arrange this lunch with Greg, a self-professed erotic Dom not a sadistic one. She’s still too shy to reveal her sexual fantasies but he gets her to…(insert teasing music here)…

I haven’t gotten my revisions letter yet, but I’m so excited about this book that I want to share an unedited snippet from this first meeting:

* * * *

“This isn’t a fantasy. It’s going to be a reality in the next hour. I want you to go to the restroom and take off your thong. You are wearing the one you had on in that picture as I asked, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” It comes out a whisper.

“When you come back you’ll give it to me so I can bring it up to my nose and imprint your scent on my brain. And then we’ll go to the nearest mall where there’s a Victoria’s Secret, or even a Macy’s. Anywhere that has sexy lingerie. And I’ll buy you another thong to replace the one I’m going to keep.”

I can feel my nether lips swelling but I don’t say a word. I can’t.

“And maybe we’ll find a toy store for adults. I want to see you in a red corset that pushes up those beautiful tits and exposes that magnificent ass of yours. Would you like to do that?”

It takes two tries to bring up enough saliva to speak again. “I-I thought this lunch, here in a vanilla setting, was for getting to know each other. Like, what kind of banking do you do? A local community bank? Financial giant? Or, I don’t know, movies? What kind of music do you like?”

His low laugh makes my toes curl. “Roseanne, we met on a sex site. Ergo, we talk about the kinds of sex we like. You want to know about me? I have a hairy chest but I shave my balls and pubes. I’m like a bunch of M & M’s, I melt in your mouth, not in your hands. I’m not sadistic, I’m more of a romantic Dom. But make no mistake, I want to see more of you. And I mean that in every sense of the word 'more'.”

* * * *

Because it’s an erotic romance with an emphasis on BDSM, Roseanne gets all the first-hand experience she could wish for in the story. I’ll be giving you more information (more teasing) as Friday the 13th approaches, but I couldn’t resist talking about the phenomenon. Meanwhile, please do check out all my other books at Ellora’s Cave!

What’s your Friday the 13th story?

SPRING BEAUTIES BEGET SPRING FEVER

Sitting on my back porch or meandering through my burgeoning garden in April and May generates spring fever in me, because I love flowers. I love the perennials that bloom in spring and yes, Spring Beauty is the name of a five-petaled wildflower that looks like peppermint candy. But there are other spring beauties close to my heart. I want to share some of them with you, but please, do not reproduce these copyrighted images without my express written permission.

Tulip bed copyright Cris Anson

Iris, oriental and California poppies, peonies and clematis are perennials that charm year after year. Bulbs such as crocus, tulips and daffodils are earlier but no less cheerful splashes of color that return every March and April.

Closeup of tulip stamen copyright Cris Anson

And yes, I admit that spring fever also nudges my attention away from my writing. (Not really, if you consider the phallic image of the interior of a tulip. I'm always thinking of *ahem* love scenes.) But honestly, I’m doing research in between getting dirt under my fingernails and using up my camera’s pixels. I’ve experienced my first flogging and after I process all the sensations and emotions that came with it, look for a blog on that subject.

Virginia Bluebell copyright Cris Anson

Meanwhile, this week I just wanted to share photos of some of my garden’s beauty. And the unseen beauty of perennials is, of course, that once they’re planted, they come back year after year.

Creamy iris duo copyright Cris Anson

Pink peonies with white frills copyright Cris Anson

Tiger lily closeup with green bug copyright Cris Anson

 Not a bad harvest for a skinny suburban lot, hey? What’s in your garden? Do you have a favorite flower?

~~ Cris Anson

EPIC eBook Award Competition – Get Your Entries Ready!

This week I'm interviewing EPIC's fearless eBook Award Competition Chair, Debi Sullivan.

Hi, Debi, thanks for stopping by. First, please tell us what EPIC is. Why should anyone be interested in joining?

EPIC (The Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition) is an organization comprised of epublishing professionals from all facets of the electronic publishing industry: authors, publishers, editors, artists, and others. Incorporated in 1998, EPIC’s mandate is to provide a strong voice for electronic publishing and our members work together in a unique collaboration to further this mission within the industry.

Interested parties should stop in and visit our website (www.epicorg.com) and blog and see what we are about.  IMHO, once they see our focus and passion for the industry, are exposed to the vast knowledge and comradery of our membership, see first-hand what they gain by joining EPIC, they will be ticked it took them until now to find us.

And, just between us, it requires a secret handshake and complicated password before you can join our merry band.  *lol*   Doesn’t that sound fun? But I’m just kidding!  If there is a secret handshake to join our eclectic group, somebody forgot to share it with ME…and I’m the Queen of All Things Competition. *wicked grin* 

You have been managing this contest for quite a few years, akin to herding cats. How long have you taken on this challenge?

I initially volunteered to work behind the scenes and started out as a judge, moved to category judge coordinator, then inherited *grin* the Competitions Chair position in 2007. At the time I was already the New Voices Young Writers Chair, which made for a VERY chaotic and wacky first year as EPIC’s overall Competitions Chair.

What are the biggest challenges you face?

Entrants following the rules; doesn’t matter if they are young or old, folks just don’t pay attention to the details. *sigh* Best suggestion I can give any entrant: Read the RULES! *grin*

How does a book qualify for entry?

Any English-language e-book published and available for sale to the public between June 1, 2012 and May 31, 2013.

How many entries do you usually receive, and how many awards are presented?

We usually average 700 entries within a 4 week period.  The numbers of awards we present vary as we constantly update the current categories to reflect genres within the electronic industry and past entries. This year we are offering 24 categories for the eBook Competition and 11 categories for the Ariana eBook Cover Art Competition.

How do you recruit judges? Who is eligible?

I am blessed to have a loyal group of volunteers who step up every year, for both the eBook and New Voices Young Writers competitions. But we can always use more. For eBook, we seek published authors, publishers and/or editors; for New Voices, we add teachers and librarians to that mix.

What makes this award different from other writing competitions out there?

EPIC's eBook Competition has garnered a reputation for excellence from both entrants and judges, a reputation that continues to shine as we move into the future. I am extremely proud to know that I play an integral part in the progressive changes to our competitions.

What do the winners receive? How about the finalists?

Our eBook and Ariana competition finalists receive gorgeous certificates and are prominently posted on our website.  The category winners receive stunning trophies and are honored at our annual EPICon (http://www.epicorg.com/epicon.html) awards banquet before being announced on our website.

What is EPICon?

EPICon is EPIC’s annual convention.  It is three days chock full of marvelous and informative workshops reflecting the current needs of the industry, both electronic and print. You never know who will be there - whether it is a well-known author or the latest marketing/promo guru and/or agent. It is the perfect venue to mingle with publishing peers. And there is so much going on that there is sure to be something for everyone. 

Can only members attend EPICon?

Any industry member, or reader, is welcome.  I would definitely suggest checking http://www.epicorg.com/epicon.html to learn about the fabulous events they have scheduled for March 2014.  And it is taking place in one of my favorite cities – San Antonio, Texas!  What’s not to love about cowboys, ghosts (the Menger is chock full!), the Alamo, the Riverwalk, great food, the Reader eFiesta, door prizes, and incredible workshops?

When does the contest begin this year?

Both the eBook and Ariana eBook Cover Art Competitions open for entries on June 1, 2013. 

Where can authors get more information?

There are links to all our competitions at http://www.epicorg.com/competitions.html. 

You've expounded greatly about EPIC, now tell us a bit about Debi Sullivan. What have you published? Can you give me a bit about your background? Is there a book you'd like to promote here?

I am a freelance editor, not author or publishing house or cover artist as some folk might think.  I have the privilege to guide and consult wonderful authors (both published and new to the craft), to interact with houses, to be a sounding board for fellow editors, and to recommend other industry professionals as needed. 

 I have been blessed to have the opportunity to live my dream.  Who wouldn’t want to be exposed to magic every day? Anyone in this business will tell you - Magic is in Words.  And I believe in magic. :D

~~ So there you have it. Authors, if you have a book whose release date qualifies for the EPIC awards, get your submission ready for June 1, and good luck to all!

~~ Cris Anson