Thirty-Two Shades of GREEN!!!

It's time somebody said what every erotic romance writer has been thinking for the last few weeks. What the BLEEP is going on?  How come an erotic BDSM romance has become the talk of the literary town? Why is every television personality clutching a copy like it was a canteen of water and they're stuck in the middle of the Gobi desert at high noon? Why is every interviewer on every evening program suddenly talking about BDSM like it was some new and shocking sexual deviance?

And most of all - yes, really, I'm going to say it - WHY THE BLEEP WASN'T IT ME?????  DAMMIT. I'M EVEN BRITISH, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE.

In the interests of full disclosure, I will admit I have not read "the book". I did skim the sample and found it is in first person-present tense. That's a tough POV to write and not one of my faves to read, but nevertheless I'm sure it's a good book. This is in no way a denigration of the author or her accomplishments. I'm the first to congratulate anyone who writes a book, let alone publishes it herself and hits the top of the lists. Well done, E.L. James. Hat's off to you, dear.  No, this rant is an indictment of the media who have worked themselves into a slathering state of drool over the idea (apparently unique) of a novel full of erotically hot BDSM sex.

Uh...seriously?  This is where I begin to turn all those shades of green. And not just for myself. Honestly. We are a community here. So let's look around, shall we?

Ten years or so back <make woo-woo time machine noises here>  - Jaid Black wrote The Possession. That book could've jump-started puberty for an entire generation because it was so damn hot. But was it lauded on tv? Nope.  Another fabulous writer, Kate Douglas, found herself with some erotically charged lions and turned readers on to Star Quest. From there she traveled to wolves and her Wolf Tales series is a continual best seller. Bravo, Kate. But where are the paparazzi? Where are the incessantly hounding interviewers, article-writers, biographers and people who would like her to endorse their latest product? Are they out there lurking around Kate's house? Ditto some of the other wonderful erotic romance authors who paved the road leading to those shades of grey.  Authors like Diane Whiteside (the scarf scene in The Switch. Moan.) , Angela Knight, Lora Leigh and Cheyenne McCray.  And let's not forget one of the all-time BDSM queens, Joey Hill. Where is her adulation? Am I missing a memo? Did I take a Rip-van-Winkle style nap?

And I have to say this, since we're all thinking it...where am I in this pantheon of erotic passions? I'm proud to have a buttload of erotic romances out there. Yes, several are BDSM books and have garnered a share of praise from readers and reviewers. But the last time I looked out my window I completely failed to see a truck with a tv dish on it and there wasn't anyone from Access Hollywood at my door. Sigh. You want some BDSM-lite? Try Pure Sin, written with my partner S.L. Carpenter. Neither of us got a call from the Today Show recently. Or even when it was released. WHY THE BLEEP NOT? It's hotly erotic and features a trip to a dungeon. And a woman who wants to experiment with submission. So...so... uh...
<insert pouty sniffling noises here>

I apologize if this sounds like sour grapes. Well, actually I don't, because it is. Very sour grapes. I, like so many of my fellow erotic romance authors, have worked frickin' hard at my craft. I've put out the best books I know how for many years and with many publishers. I'm now doing it on my own for a variety of reasons. But however they're produced and released, they're still out there. Yet apparently lacking in that certain magic, that je-ne-sais-quoi that makes a best-seller. I'm not hauling in the dosh by the barrel, or buying myself that Lincoln MKX that does everything but make coffee in the mornings. I'm not even anywhere on any lists, that I can tell, unless Bottom-of-the-Birdcage counts. WHY THE BLEEP NOT???

The answer, of course, is that nobody knows. And all kidding aside, anyone who enters the world of writing with the intention of penning another Shades of Grey is in for a huge disappointment. Of all the authors out there writing erotic romance, there are maybe a dozen with such successes under their belts. And that puts the odds at somewhere between going to bed with George Clooney and getting hit by lightning. Twice.  In other words, slim to none.

My philosophy about my books has always been that writing is a crapshoot. There is NO way to predict, analyze or otherwise manipulate this industry to produce a best-seller. And I reckon the last six weeks has proved my belief to be right on the nose. Again, I congratulate E.L. James. She's hit the jackpot and I'm happy she's brought attention to the genre in which I have happily played for over a decade. More power to her and to the others that will follow her.

However, in my quietly private moments, I still permit myself that silent scream of envy. And turn those thirty-two shades of green. LMAO

Begging forgiveness for my weak spirit,
Sahara Kelly

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www.saharakelly.com
www.skprivatelabel.com

A Different Take on... Amanda McIntyre

One of the best things about writing is the people you meet - the friends you make whose path you would otherwise never have crossed. For me, Amanda McIntyre fits that bill. Besides the fact she's a terrific writer with an imagination that a corkscrew would envy sometimes when it comes to "twisted", she is also a wonderful friend. Funny, giving and visionary in so many ways, Amanda has shared a lot of writing and creative adventures with me and each has produced unique memories! (Thanks, QE1. Don't ever make me drive a Bradley Assault Vehicle over mountains again. LMAO) It's my pleasure to be able to offer her a chance to talk about something close to her heart that isn't to do with writing. So here, in her own words, is Amanda - eloquently entertaining us in her own unique style!

LASTING IMPRESSIONS - from Amanda McIntyre

We live in a world filled with symbols. In marketing, we dub this as ‘branding.’ Few wouldn’t recognize the twin golden arches as being McDonalds, or the red bull’s-eye as the Target logo, or how about that kindly bearded southern colonel on the side of a bucket of chicken? But branding goes beyond marketing. Oh yes it does. From clothing choices (think Lincoln’s stovetop hat, or Madonna’s famous coned corset,) to hairstyles (think Katy Perry’s hair color choice of the week, or Marie Antoinette’s bevy of beehive wigs) to the type of car we drive. All create an image of how we’d like others to perceive us.

And we take it with us right to the grave—

I admit. I am a Taphophiliac. Technically speaking, that is someone who has a fascination with funerals, gravestone art and epitaphs. For me, however, it’s all about the art and symbolism and there isn’t a cemetery I drive by that I am not craning my neck to catch a glimpse of some ethereal stone sculpture rising high above the rest in homage to the mortal remains buried below.

Now before you cringe at this odd fascination, take into consideration that cemeteries have been around for a very long time. In earlier times, it was thought - especially among the Puritan sect - that only a privileged few would make it past the pearly gates of heaven. The rest pretty much just died. But times changed (thankfully) and as Puritanical belief waned, the burial locations inside the churches (nearest the alter for a better shot at heavens doors) gave way to the land outside the church. They called this “God’s Acres” (Stories in Stone, Douglas Keister, Gibbs Smith Pub. 2004) And that’s when the symbolism and great stone art in cemeteries began to take flight.

Today headstones reveal symbols more personalized to the life of the deceased — whether in context of who they were, or an engraved symbol of something dearest to them in this life — the symbolism is there as its always been, but to a lesser degree. In Victorian days, for example, it was not strange to invest scores of money into hiring a famous sculptor to create a suitable memorial for your eminent departure. To that end, (no pun intended) the cemeteries of this world house some of the very best in historical architecture, many a proverbial outdoor museum with exquisite statuaries and ornate family vaults. Far too many to name, the stories behind these magnificent works of art is as intriguing as the result.

One of the more famous of these stories is the Blocher Mausoleum, located in Buffalo New York in Buffalo’s Forest Lawn Cemetery. Its nineteenth century design has been referred to as something called ‘follies’ in Victorian architecture. According to Penguins Dictionary of Design, ‘follies is defined as “a costly, but useless structure built to satisfy the whim of some eccentric and show his folly.”(Referenced in Stories in Stone) Whether useful or a whim, the structure is a testament to just how important making a ‘lasting impression’ was and probably still is, to this day. You can see pictures and learn more about this amazing Blocher memorial here.

I have always had a fascination with history and those who know me know my love for researching odd historical tidbits. Perhaps that too, plays a part in my taphophilic tendencies. While some people have their ‘bucket’ lists of exotic cities and countries they long to one day visit before they…well, you get the idea. Mine include some of the world’s cemeteries. And thanks to the scores of tourists who share my particular interest, as well as the scores of ‘ghost hunters’ scouring at night some of the most famous cemeteries, the thirsty taphophile can be satisfied for hours taking the film tours on YouTube.

However, nothing can beat the real deal — last fall, I had the giddy good fortune to take a tour of New Orleans. The city alone is a mecca of historical wonder, but top on my ‘bucket’ list was a visit to one of its ancient cemeteries. Of its three famous historical Catholic cemeteries, St Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the oldest. Founded in 1789, it is the eternal home of some of ‘N'awlins most famous residents including the voodoo priestess, Marie Laveau. Unfortunately, due to the decline in safety and rise in crime in the area, the guide chose instead to take us to St Louis No.3, near Bayou St John and Esplanade Avenue. Though flooded after Katrina, the tombs, some of the most elaborate of the three, were fortunately unscathed. I will never forget the experience.

On a three-hour tour (which I highly recommend) I could barely contain myself as we pulled alongside the curb and merged into the sultry 100-degree plus afternoon. Great billows of murky grey clouds consumed much of the blue sky, leaving only patches open to the heavens above. Off the cost, a tropical storm was brewing as the city braced itself for a deluge. Our stay wasn’t nearly as long as I would have liked, but I was able to snap a few pictures encapsulating the moment. If you’d like to learn more about the fascinating cemeteries of New Orleans, I recommend this link. http://www.nolacemeteries.com/

Among the top fascinating cemeteries on my bucket list:

High Gate Cemetery London, England

Glasgow Necropolis, Glasgow, Scotland

Cimitero Monumentale, Milan, Italy

Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York

Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France

Cimetiere Montparnasse, Paris, France

Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo New York

Charter Street Cemetery, Salem, Mass.

In addition, I’d like to return to New Orleans and visit more of her historical cemeteries!

So there you have it, the perhaps morbid and gothic extension of my love of researching history! Certainly, I must not be alone in my strange fascination. What cemeteries have you visited, or would like to? What should I add to my bucket list of ‘must see’ cemeteries? Inquiring minds want to know!!

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Thanks for sharing, Amanda! I'm fascinated with this unusual interest of yours and I'm sure some readers will be as well. For those interested in finding out more about you, I'm posting a link to your website and here's the gorgeous cover from the book I know you'll have with you in Chicago next week - another genre you love! Westerns and Time Travel. (Yep. It's pure McIntyre! As unique as the lady herself. LOL)

Wild and Unruly (Decadent Publishing) - available from Decadent and also Amazon.com HERE.

Please visit Amanda's website - http://www.amandamcintyre.net

If you're in Chicago at the RT Booklovers Convention, don't miss saying hello to Amanda. She'll be the one gracefully juggling an impossible schedule and keeping that lovely smile in place in spite of the chaos around her.

(I will be there as well, but not nearly as graceful as my gal pal. On me, the chaos shows. Looking to say hi? Check the bar. LOLLOL)

Hope everyone has a great couple of weeks - next time, a wrap up of RT Chicago!

Cheers,
Sahara
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