D/s Archives « Page 3 of 4 « Behind the Chintz Curtain

Jan 25

Spank v. slap with one’s open hand or a flat object, especially on the buttocks as a punishment. n. a slap or series of slaps of this type.

How can something that’s painful be enjoyable? Create sexual satisfaction?

Erotic pain is a very hard thing to describe and quantify. In the words of Jay Wiseman:

‘One of the great fallacies is that people vary in their pain threshold. Medical research has proven that all persons begin to feel pain at almost exactly the same degree of stimulation. What is true is that people vary a great deal in how they react to painful stimuli …’

Whenever I read about spanking in the mainstream (outside of an erotic book or BDSM instructional text, basically) it’s invariably portrayed as something that’s met out as a unenjoyable punishment. Indeed, the idea that someone would willing submit to a spanking for the purposes of pleasure alone is confusing to a lot of people. Equally, the notion that there are those who like to inflict pain (responsibly) can be a difficult concept for some to get their heads around. Continue reading →

Jan 23

What we used: Rattan cane
From: Bondara
Price: £16.99
Material(s): Rattan (cane), leather (handle)

*Important: Canes can hurt in bad ways as well as good ways! If you haven’t already, please do take the time to read the Behind the Chintz Curtain Disclaimer before delving further into this post.

First thoughts …

Lizzie
Excitement and dread.

It’s fair to say that Thomas and I have been on a bit of a journey these past few years with impact instruments; first hands, then paddles, then floggers, then straps, then crops, and now, finally, a cane. We’d been discussing the idea of trying one for a while but had been gradually building up as we knew from all the research we’d done on them (and from playing with our other impact toys) that the pain level would likely be quite a jump. Additionally, because of their greater length, there was the worry that a cane would be trickier to control.

In the end, it was Thomas who took the bull by the horns and ordered it – I was too chicken! Continue reading →

Jan 16

Title: Board Resolution (Knights of the Boardroom
Author: Joey W. Hill
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave (20 January 2010)
ISBN: 9781419925771
Reviewer: Michael

What do you call a tale where a woman shows up for a business meeting only to be assaulted, manhandled, stripped naked, rendered immobile by being bound to a specially designed piece of furniture, blindfolded, gagged and forced to submit to her captor and, possibly, his stalwart management team?

Aw, you guessed it – it’s a love story.

Geoffrey Tennyson wasn’t one of those men who felt sorry for himself because he had a daughter and not a son. He just played the hand life dealt – and spent every moment from the day she was born until the day he died instilling in her his own version of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition. There simply wouldn’t be a situation that would come up in any business negotiation that Savannah wouldn’t be prepared for.

But then Matthew Kensington enters the equation. Continue reading →

Dec 12

Title: Hunted
Author: Zeke Connor
Publisher: Excessica Publishing (06 October 2008)
ISBN: 2940000149157

‘Suzanne never believed that she was the type of woman who would allow herself to be dominated by a man, even if he was as strong-willed and intense as she was …’

Have you ever thought that Behind Enemy Lines would have been way cooler if Gene Hackman’s character weren’t in it, Owen Wilson’s part was played by a girl, and she was actually captured? Welcome to Hunted.

Suzanne is a women on a mission. Go in, meet up with her contact and take out the bad guys. One guy in particular on her list is a notorious torturer named Aleksandr. Continue reading →

Dec 11

Image: Power of Words by Antonio Litterio

Over the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know a certain gentleman who writes seriously fabulous book reviews. Honest, insightful and, without fail, interesting. He’s been my writing feedback stalwart and is also one of the mods for my favourite Goodreads group, BDSM. (No doubt, a few of you will have met him already.) Continue reading →

Dec 11

Not that keen on sugar? Looking for a different sort of cane to decorate your Christmas tree? May I suggest this festive alternative. (Although removing the holly before use would probably be wise.)

Thomas recently bought this rattan cane for Lizzie (they’re currently putting it through its paces) and I borrowed it from them to take this shot. Continue reading →

Dec 10

What we used: Rubberwood Spanking Paddle
From: Coco de Mer
Price: £20.50
Material(s): Rubberwood

First thoughts …

Lizzie
I am likely to be a little biased in my review of this Rubberwood Paddle because, straight up, spanking is one of my favourite bedroom activities – receiving rather than giving. With the right partner, the right mood and the right delivery, nothing beats it – no pun intended – although, as those of you who have read my previous reviews will be aware, I am a bit of a masochist, so please keep that in mind when digesting that statement!

Thomas and I tend to purchase most of our toy box items online, but this particular paddle was the result of a browsing session in Coco de Mer and something that I picked out for Thomas to use on me rather than the other way around. To that end, I had the opportunity to handle it and experiment with it before purchasing, so was pretty sure I was going to enjoy its various charms. Continue reading →

Dec 06

Title: FrankenDom
Author: Robin L. Rotham
Publisher: Robin L. Rotham (27 October 2012)
ISBN: 9781301029679

Mary Shelley meets Grey’s Anatomy meets Torture Garden.

‘Let’s experiment’ is the tagline for FrankenDom and flippin’ heck does it ever. Reading this book was the literary equivalent of walking into Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin-starred The Fat Duck, ordering the snail porridge and, after a tentative taste, scraping the bowl clean with enough enthusiasm to chip the porcelain.

FrankenDom is by far and away one of the most original and engaging BDSM books I’ve read this year; the plot is awesomely wacky, the characters original, and the D/s relationships in play both unusual and captivating. A medical drama on crack and filmed in a Rocky Horror Show-esque dungeon, if you will. (Or more, accurately, castle Bangenschloss in Montavena.) Continue reading →

Nov 30

Title: Reclaimed Surrender
Author: Riley Murphy
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave (08 February 2012)
ASIN: B0077ROL0O

A marriage on the rocks. A wife who longs to be taken in hand. A husband who wants nothing more than to recover the control he’s relinquished. Reclaimed Surrender is a fabulous exploration of what happens when the equilibrium is upset in a D/s relationship; of the havoc that ensues when a Dom, with the best of intentions, cedes to his sub.

Rene and Alexis Tanner are having major problems. Something has happened (I won’t spoil the book for you by saying what) that’s severely affected the level of trust between them – and it’s absolutely killing their relationship. To the point that they’re unable to relate to one another, to exchange power, in the way they both desperately need to. Continue reading →

Oct 25

Title: Sweet Persuasion
Author: Maya Banks
Publisher: Berkley (02 June 2009)
ISBN: 978-0425227701

This isn’t the first book in the Sweet erotic romance series by the ever-popular Maya Banks, but, in my opinion, it is the standout title in the line-up. In other words, if you’re going to pick one, this is the one to go for. Sweet Persuasion is a cracking, singe your fingers read. Put the cat out, dim the lights, grab a friend (breathing or battery operated) hot.

Serena is in the business of making dreams and wishes come true for other people. She spends her days fulfilling fantasies and making others happy, but what she really wants is to indulge in a secret fantasy of her own. Serena wants to be a sex slave. To give up complete control to a man, temporarily, and then return to her normal life once her slavery is complete. Continue reading →