Image: “We have it rich.” Washing and panning gold, Rockerville, Dak., John C. H. Grabill [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Is anything ever truly original? Have we already explored every unique avenue, theme and possibility when it comes to creative content? In art? In writing?

I believe that someone who is inherently creative will always manage to show us something new. Will demand that we look at things in a different way or engage us in a manner we never expected. Which is why I think the self-publishing movement is so important: not only does it give writers permission to take risks – those that a traditional publishing house would deem unacceptable – it also allows them to explore themes that may not be in vogue or are ‘off brand’.

Self-publishing gives writers who would otherwise have been marginalised the opportunity to be noticed. To have a voice. To be heard. Often, it is those on the fringes who have the most important and interesting things to tell us.

However, all that said, I am beginning to notice a somewhat frustrating and interesting irony: the very vehicle responsible for giving us exciting and innovative reading material is also responsible for giving us a load of same old, same old. A plethora of stories that stay well within the tracks of those that have gone before them, break no new ground whatsoever, and look like they’ve been edited in crayon by my eight-year-old. For the purposes of this post, I’m going to call this phenomenon ‘theme flood’. (Aquatic references ahoy-hoy!)

So what do I mean by this, exactly?

Well, basically that there’s an increasing deluge of stories in the erotic romance genre based around the same themes, the same types of characters, the same plot structures. To the point that I’m finding it increasingly difficult to identify books that I want to write reviews for. Why would I want to push you all towards a story you’ve already read, albeit in a slightly different guise, a billion times before? One that’s poorly written and edited at that?

I read constantly, although I’d estimate that about five percent of the books I actually consume make it onto Chintz. Quite simply, I don’t tend to write reviews for novels I don’t like. At least, not unless they really (really) tick me off in some way and I can’t contain my angst. But even that five percent has been squeezed over the past year as I struggle to find variety and diversity. One of the negatives of self-publishing, I am discovering, is its ability to push onto the market a veritable tsunami of books that regurgitate, again and again, a raft of flavour-of-the-month themes. Something starts to sell well, garners a few five-star reviews and everyone’s on the proverbial bandwagon. I get that writing is a job just like any other and that people are publishing to make money. And that self-publishing means that anyone – anyone – can get their book out there. I do. But I really, really wish there was some way of better filtering content so that the gold can be extracted from the dross.

Am I being whiny? Yeah. But at the time of writing there seems to be absolutely no escaping erotic romance books that revolve around the following themes and it’s driving me nucking futts:

• Bikers (everyone wants a bit literary Jax Teller);
• Tattooists (buttoned-up businessmen, ala Christian Grey, are out; inked-up boys with street cred are in)
• Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters (can’t decide whether Warrior or Fighting is to blame)
• College girls going on holiday and getting kidnapped by a human trafficking ring (stories attempting – and badly – to emulate dark erotica fare such as Comfort Food and Captive in the Dark)
• Rock stars (especially those behaving like Guns ‘n’ Roses did back in the 90s)
• Angsty male leads who’re mindlessly screwing everything on two legs (of the female variety at least), have anger management problems, and are coping with some sort of personal tragedy. Enter saving grace female lead. (This theme pretty much accounts for everything in the load of bollocks ‘New Adult’ category that seems to be creepily infecting online bookstore after online bookstore. It’s the literary equivalent of a bloody chlamydia epidemic).

Whereas twelve months ago I would have taken a punt on a book based on its blurb and reviews, the ‘download sample’ and ‘excerpt’ functions have now become indispensible in relation to my eBook purchases. That one chapter – thank God – has been instrumental in preventing me from spending my cash on literary mediocrity. If you’re not using these features – and, thankfully, a number of eTailers offer them – you should be.

Romance novels and erotic stories are often described as formulaic by those who turn their noses up at such ‘low brow fare’: a love story is just a love story and sex is just sex; no real meat – boy meets girl, Part A slots into Part B, right? Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Authors writing in these categories break new ground and push boundaries in exactly the same way that writers in other genres do. And it is my sincere hope that as the self-publishing market matures, we’re better able to identify the writers and the stories that are doing so.

If you’re a writer reading this? I implore you: go where no man hath gone before. I – and a lot of other readers out there – will love you for it. (Just make sure you use a copy editor.)

The post Gold and Dross, A.K.A. more and more (and more) of the same appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

EBOOKS

*The following books were listed as free at the time of this post’s publication. Please double-check that that’s still the case before you hit the download button.

Beg – C.D. Reiss

• Amazon.co.uk – Kindle
• Amazon.com – Kindle

‘If you loved Fifty Shades of Grey or Sylvia Day’s Crossfire series, you’ll love BEG – book one in Songs of Submission…’

In all honesty, that strapline puts me off wanting to download this one (anti-marketing!), but the ratings appear to be pretty solid (most are between three and five stars). I rather like the cover, too.

My name is Monica. I’m a singer born and raised in Los Angeles.

I’ve stopped dating. When I cut a record, or win a Grammy, maybe then I’ll be with someone, but every man in my past has done everything he could to make me submit myself to him, and it’s gotten in the way of my career. I won’t do it again.

But there’s Jonathan. He owns the high-rise hotel where I work, and he is gorgeous and charming. I refuse to fall in love with him, even though when he asks me to submit to him, I want nothing more.

Tempt Me – Isabel Morin

• Amazon.co.uk – Kindle
• Amazon.com – Kindle

A novella that’s likely to push your buttons if you’re after something quick and sexy. Nothing too controversial or challenging. Just good old erotic romance.

Nina Valentine is done with New York. After spending the last year struggling to make it as a painter, all she has to show for it are bills she can’t pay. Out of money and sick of struggling, she decides it’s time to pack it up and head back to her hometown in New Hampshire.

When she meets Ian Sinclair at her going away party, Nina’s instantly attracted to his dark, smoldering looks and lean athletic body. When he asks her back to his apartment, she’s willing to overlook the fact that he’s a high-powered lawyer. It’s just for one night, and guys as gorgeous as Ian don’t come around every day.

Ian has never had a problem getting women into his bed, but after his hot night with Nina, all he wants is more of her. So he makes the curvy painter a deal – stay in the city for a few weeks and he’ll take care of everything.

Nina agrees, even though she knows better than to get attached. He’s a rich corporate suit, she’s a struggling artist. But as the connection between them deepens and Ian takes her to places she’s never been – both in and out of the bedroom – Nina doesn’t know how much longer she can resist.

Deadly Offerings – Alexa Grace

• Amazon.co.uk – Kindle
• Amazon.com – Kindle

Romantic suspense, which is a category I quite enjoy if the story is cleverly executed. This one does sound quite promising – reading the various reviews it seems that it has a quite a broad appeal.

Deadly Offerings is an ebook with a blend of pulsing passion and razor-sharp suspense. It is the first adventure in this sizzling romantic suspense trilogy.

Anne Mason thinks she’ll be safe living in the Midwest building a wind farm. She may be dead wrong. Someone is dumping bodies in her corn field and telling Anne they are gifts—for her!

As the body count rises, Anne realizes a cold-blooded serial killer is patiently waiting and watching her every move. And he won’t stop until he ends her life. It is clear there are no limits to this killer’s thirst for revenge or how far he will go to get it.

After a nasty divorce, Anne Mason does not want to get romantically involved, especially with ex-husband’s attorney, Michael Brandt.

The ruggedly handsome new County Prosecutor is the last person Anne can trust, but may offer her only chance at survival from a psychopathic killer. But will she survive the passion that rages between them?

TOYS

Lovehoney 
Yet another sale from the U.K. sex toy powerhouse with various price categories: £3.00, £5.00, £10.00 and £20.00. (There are some good silicone dildo/vibrator options in the latter band.)

Myla
Have taken up to 70% off selected underwear/lingerie. There are some gorgeous peek-a-boo bras in this line-up, so if you’re after sexy underthings at a serious discount, this is a sale you should definitely investigate.

The post Freebies and Discounts: Begging, peek-a-boo bras, and sub-£20.00 silicone appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

EBOOKS

*The following books were listed as free at the time of this post’s publication. Please double-check that that’s still the case before you hit the download button.

The Lady Submits – Chloe Cox

• Kindle – Amazon.co.uk
• Kindle – Amazon.com

Loving the premise of this one. (The warning is more of an incitement to read, as far as I’m concerned!)

‘Sometimes a highborn Lady needs to be brought low…

It’s the decadent, raunchy holiday of Bacchanal, and the Lady Lucrezia Grimaldi cannot find a man to satisfy her. Worse, she’s been saddled with the brutish Carlo Castellan as her bodyguard for the last night of Bacchanal. There’s only one thing to do: escape to the fabled House of the Severille…

The imperious Lady Lucrezia expects to sate herself by dominating some poor house slave. What she gets instead is the harsh touch of a Severille Master who will stop at nothing to make the Lady submit. 

The Lady Submits is a 12,000 word erotic historical fantasy novelette featuring strong BDSM themes. If you don’t like bondage, leashes, public display and humiliation, or alpha male doms who brook no dissent, then this probably isn’t for you.’

Strangeville – Kenneth Tingle

• Kindle – Amazon.co.uk
• Kindle – Amazon.com

This one sounds extremely odd, but thoroughly intriguing.

‘Need a good laugh? Strangeville is a different kind of story that draws the reader in and keeps them wondering what will happen next. The story is a dark comedy about a suicidal young man named John Campbell who, after a failed suicide attempt, heads to Virginia to visit an aunt he hasn’t seen in ten years. But his rental car runs out of gas deep in the mountains. When he decides to walk in the middle of the night, he winds up in a town that is isolated from the rest of the world—Strangeville. Unable to leave, he meets an assortment of loveable oddball characters—the beautiful Delilah, Klemm Johnson, Clarissa Puddworthy, Biff Flannigan, Jeboriah Varmint, Cleetus McChoparooski, and others.

So if you want a different kind of reading experience, and you’re tired of the same old cookie-cutter writing, check out Strangeville . Readers love it!’

Covet (Vampire Erotic Theatre Romance Series #1) – Felicity Heaton

• ePub – Kobo 

This could go either way – really good, or really awful. The star rating on Kobo seems decent, though, so I’ve got my fingers crossed for the former. And who could possibly resist the idea of ‘vampire erotic theatre’?)

 ‘They’ve burned for each other for two years, the forbidden attraction between them growing each night. Now resisting the sinful desires of their hearts is becoming impossible.

Javier knows better than to succumb to his hunger for Lilah. The mortal female belongs to a powerful aristocrat patron of Vampirerotique, the theatre he runs with three other vampires. A single touch is all it would take to break the sacred law of his kind, sentencing himself to death, but his passion for her has become too fierce to ignore and he will risk everything to make Lilah his.

Lilah has fought her desire for Javier since arriving at his theatre as a servant but each glance he has stolen, his eyes promising pleasure that will satisfy her longing for him, has chipped away at her defences and she can no longer deny her need and her forbidden feelings for the powerful vampire male.

 When they find themselves alone in a private box during one of the erotic performances, will they surrender to their passion and live out their wildest fantasies in a night of wicked pleasure or will the threat of Lilah’s master keep them apart forever?’

TOYS

ohtique
Are offering up to 50% off selected items, including vibrators, dildos and plugs. Like the full feeling? They’ve reduced the Sportsheets Menage a Trois harness and dildo set from £49.99 to £35.99. A fan of stainless steel toys? The Metal Worx Luv Plug is a smidge under half-price at just £24.00.

Lovehoney
The Lovehoney crew are having a warehouse clearance sale and are offering up to 75% off selected toys and lingerie, including Soft Line Flower Girdle Garter Knickers (reduced from £14.99 to £9.00), the Rocks-Off Finger Tingles clitoral vibrator (reduced from £16.99 to £8.50), and the Jimmyjane Afterglow massage candle in Grapefruit (reduced from £19.99 to £15.00).

SexShop365
Are offering 5% off orders placed with them this week. Use the discount code ‘shiny5’ at checkout. More details here.

The post Freebies and discounts: vampire erotic theatre, stainless steel, wax, and ladies bought low appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Just a quick note before we get into it … I’ve tried to pick eBooks, for the most part, that sound like they’ve actually been written by people with a basic grasp of spelling, syntax, and grammar but sincere apologies in advance if you end up with something that appears to have been written in crayon by a six-year-old. That said, these titles are all free (or were at the time of listing), so if they’re utter rubbish, you’ll have lost absolutely nothing by downloading them except space on your eReader. And maybe a few brain cells.

FREE EBOOKS

*Please note that all of the below were free at the time of this post’s publication but pricing can change at any time. To that end, please double-check that the prices are still at zero before you start downloading.

Out of the Shadows – Senta Holland

• Amazon.co.uk
• Amazon.com

According to the blurb, this is one for those who enjoyed The Secret Diary of a Submissive.

‘A deeply felt and superbly written BDSM love story, Senta Holland’s ‘Out of the Shadows’ explores the beautiful darkness in seven bedrooms.

Senta, a thirty something Londoner, travels around the planet looking for the man who can match her. The one she finds is her ‘Nai’, a high society American in Asia.

Senta’s story is both complicated and made more exciting by the fact that it unfolds in the dark world of BDSM, a world that can be hostile to single, independent females.

Highly erotic, deeply romantic and insightful this book shows the BDSM experience from the inside out, as reality, not just fantasy.’

Unbroken – Carolynn Amara

• Amazon.co.uk 
• Amazon.com 

I’m a sucker for military romance, myself …

‘When Alex Ramirez returns home from Afghanistan, his wife is thrilled to have her husband back. But the man that returns isn’t the same fresh-faced eager soldier that boarded the plane so many months ago. He may have left the war in another country but the one that brews inside follows him everywhere he goes. Can Anna find the strength to stand by the man she barely recognizes?’

 Keep Me Safe – Duka Dakarai

• Amazon.co.uk
• Amazon.com

‘Debated whether to stick this beastie in due to the alarmingly incorrect use of marks of ellipsis in the blurb (overload!) but was ultimately swayed by the candyfloss-sounding plot. (Sometimes, the cock-eyed stuff is great fun.) Be warned: this might be a ‘written in crayon’ choice.

Sky Sinclair is the sexy, sassy investigative journalist known for digging the dirt on the underworld. She oozes sex appeal and knows how to use it to open the doors of the worlds most hardened criminals…..but now her latest investigation turns personal……

Kane is an ex British SAS Captain who now runs Elite Defence. Dark and brooding, he shoots first and asks questions later. He prefers actions, not words. His assignments are Top Secret and always high risk.

When DCI Jack Mercer of the Specialist Crime Squad at New Scotland Yard calls in a favour, Kane is about to take on his toughest assignment yet…..to keep safe the one woman who he secretly rescued from a hostage situation four years ago. Sky Sinclair.

Keep Me Safe tells their story.’

Super Dark 1 (Super Dark Trilogy) – Tanith Morse

Kobo ePub

Teen contemporary romance. Go on. You know you want to.

‘Darkness stalks seventeen-year-old Sam Harper. Ten years ago on Halloween night, she and her best friend Elliot were snatched by grotesque creatures and Sam narrowly escaped with her life. Now a decade on, the police investigation has ground to a halt and Elliot’s whereabouts remains a mystery. Traumatized by her ordeal, Sam finds it hard to make friends. She is mistrustful of authority and changed schools more times than she cares to remember. To Sam, the world is cruel and unforgiving. Then she meets the enigmatic Lee Weaver. With his gorgeous face and magnetic presence, he turns heads wherever he goes. Sam has never wanted anyone as much as she wants Lee, but there are things about the alluring stranger that don’t add up, leading Sam to ask unsettling questions about her past. Soon she discovers the boy of her dreams is keeping a terrible secret: one that threatens to destroy everything Sam holds dear. Super Dark is a seductive love story that will keep you guessing right until the final page.’

TOYS

Passion8

Currently have a ‘3 for 2’ deal going on. There are over thirty toys included in the promotion, including the PalmPower Massager Wand, the Jimmyjane Form 2 and the Aneros Vice.

Crystal Delights

Don’t forget the back door! These guys do beautiful anal toys (their fur-tailed butt plugs are to die for) but they currently have a special on their small vintage plugs, which have been reduced from $94.95 to $84.95.

The Wood Wang Workshop

Okay, this one isn’t really a ‘deal’ per se, but I couldn’t resist highlighting it because I think it’s a lovely idea. For £10.00, The Wood Wang Workshop, who specialise in gorgeous, handcrafted wooden sex toys (including dildos, paddles and butt plugs) will personalise any spanking paddle you buy from them. Choose the style of paddle you’d like, chose the wood you’d like it made in, give them the text, et voilà! More details here.

The post Sexy on a Budget: romance, butt plugs and personalised spanking paddles appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Similarly, keeping the toy box interesting can leave a pretty serious ding in the old bank account. I don’t tend to buy vibrators and dildos at the same rate I buy books (I doubt I’d be able to stand upright if I did!) but, even so, the good stuff is never particularly cheap.

So in the spirit of preventing whacking great reading bills and giving you frugal orgasms, I thought I’d compile a list of current deals and freebies. I’m going to try and do this every Friday, if I can – so if you fancy a little something for the weekend you’ll (hopefully!) be able to find a book or toy that won’t break the budget.

FREE EBOOKS

*Please note that all of the below were free at the time of this post’s publication but pricing can change at any time. To that end, please double-check that the prices are still at zero before you start downloading.

40 FREE KINDLE BOOKS action, fantasy, paranormal, mystery, romance, YA

This is a brilliant Amazon Listmania list that’s updated by its author every few days. As the title suggests, there’s a bit a genre mix going on, but this compilation is perfect if you’re desperate to read and can’t afford to part with a penny. Just be aware that it’s hosted on Amazon.com so the freebie statuses may not always apply on the Amazon.co.uk site.

Currently includes Heather Bowhay’s YA Amethyst, which has a fair few positive reviews.

You can find the list here.

Masters at Arms (Introduction to Military Romance & BDSM Series) (Rescue Me) – Kallypso Masters

Amazon.co.uk edition
Amazon.com edition

I’ve read some of Kallypso’s other books and this one is definitely worth a look if you have a thing for military men.

‘Masters at Arms is an introduction to the Rescue Me series, which needs to be read first. The book begins the journey of three men, each on a quest for honor, acceptance, and to ease his unspoken pain. Their paths cross at one of the darkest points in their lives. As they try to come to terms with the aftermath of Iraq–forging an unbreakable bond–they band together to start their own BDSM club. But will they ever truly become masters of their own fates? Or would fate become masters of them? (Book One in the Rescue Me series.)’

Anything She Wants, A Lesbian Erotica Anthology – edited by Harper Bliss

Amazon.co.uk edition
Amazon.com edition

One for the ladies:

‘In the office, on the set of a movie or on the bathroom floor, the ladies in this anthology don’t care where they get it on. Power play, first time encounters and office rivalry get the characters in these twelve stories so riled up, the only way to go is down and dirty. Tales of spanking, a wild all-female college party and a waitress with a strap-on grace the pages of Ladylit’s first multi-author lesbian erotica anthology.

Caution: Reading ‘Anything She Wants’ will make you wet!’

Private Paradise – Jami Alden 

Kobo ePub

For those who’re in the mood for something romantic:

‘After years of catering to the whims of the rich and famous at one of the Caribbean’s most luxurious resorts, there isn’t much that can rattle Carla DeLuca. 
Until Sam O’Connell shows up. 
Tall, dark, and sexy, Holley Cay’s new security chief is no stranger. He’s the irresistible bad boy who seduced her over a long, hot summer only to leave her heartbroken, humiliated, and determined to never again fall for a player like him. But though her heart still stings with the memory of his rejection, her body can’t forget the all-consuming pleasure of his touch.

Sam never forgave himself for his too cruel rejection of Carla over a decade before. Young, reckless, and convinced it was only a matter of time Carla regretted hooking up with a trouble maker like him, Sam pushed Carla away before she could realize her mistake. But when Sam lands a job working for Carla in paradise, he seizes the chance to finally make things right. 

When a hurricane strands them alone on the island, Carla is unable to resist the passion simmering between them. She doesn’t fool herself that what they have will last past the storm. But little does she know, Sam will do whatever it takes to make her his – forever this time.’

TOYS

Lovehoney 

Currently have a £10.00 toy deal on until Tuesday 11 June. When I checked earlier today, there were forty-four items in the deal list, including the Cupid’s G-Spot Smoothie Vibrator (reduced from £16.99 to a tenner) and the Satisfy Me Curve Silicone Dildo (reduced from £14.99 to a tenner). G-Spot/squirting orgasm alert!

Full details here.

Bondara

Are offering 15% off their various toy bundles, including the Bargain Anal Sex Toys Bundle and the Ultimate Bondage Bundle.

Full details here.

That Position

Attention pegging fans! That Postion’s Deal of the Week is the Fetish Fantasy Elite 8’’ Hollow Strap-on. It’s made from medical grade silicone and is currently reduced from the RRP of £74.00 to £45.00 (!) and, even better, it’s a hollow strap-on so can be worn by either partner.

Wishing you all a wonderfully saucy weekend.

Jane

xxx

The post Sexy on a Budget: freebies and discounts appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Romance Novel Reader Workout III
Source: Smart Bitches Trashy Books

Read sex scenes and lose weight!

Oh dear, God, but this idea is brilliant. I came across the Romance Novel Reader Workout III post via the @SmartBitches Twitter feed and it made me grin from ear-to-ear. The premise? Every time a romance novel cliché  is mentioned, you do a specific sort of exercise. Genius. Although I was really confused about what a ‘V-up’ was. Turns out, it’s a type of stomach crunch invented by the Devil himself. Smart Bitch Sarah was kind enough to send me a clip of what one actually entailed:

Yeah, I really hope I don’t come across any penises likened to ‘velvet’, ‘silk’ or ‘steel’ in the next few books I read. My torso will be in a state of paralysis.

To date, the Smart Bitches have devised three Romance Novel Reader Workouts – you can find the previous two here and here – so you’ll have plenty of different exercises to try out as you come across virgin heroines and fruit-like nipples.

James Franco & Co. Discuss the BDSM-Porn Documentary ‘Kink’ at Sundance
Source: The Daily Beast

This year, the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, which was held in Park City, Utah, between 17 and 27 January, featured a BDSM porn documentary titled Kink.

Directed by Christina Voros and produced by James Franco (who many of you will recognise from Spiderman), the film documents the daily workings of Kink.com (NSFW) – a company that produces pornography with BDSM themes.

A really interesting and thoughtful piece on how the film came to be made, the logistics of running an X-rated company, and the experiences of those involved in making fetish films.

For those who are curious, here’s the documentary’s official trailer. (NSFW)

How EBook Readers Shop And The Importance Of Sampling
Source: The Creative Penn

A very insightful article from Joanna Penn, discussing ebook sampling and why authors should use it.

I have to say, I’m in full agreement with the points she raises in this post. If I’m looking to buy a book – particularly if it’s by an author I’ve not come across before – a downloadable excerpt is key in helping me decide whether or not to part with my cash. With the rise of self-publishing, in particular, the quality of the books on offer can vary significantly, and once you’ve been burned a few times by bad writing and/or editing, you definitely become more wary. A sample is a great way of ‘trying before you buy’. No excerpt? I’m more than likely to give it a miss.

Vive la sample! (Albeit a well-formatted one.)

The post Alert Me: The sex scene workout, Kink goes to Sundance, and ebook sampling appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Fifty Shades of Chicken
Source: http://www.fiftyshadesofchicken.com/

‘Pro-tip: Spatchcocked or trussed? Depends on how sarcastic your chicken has been.’

Thanks to author Andrew Shaffer (@andrewtshaffer), I am now following erotic poultry on Twitter (@50ShadesChicken) and considering buying a BDSM chicken cookbook. Clearly, I’m plucked.

Fifty Shades of Chicken by F.L. Fowler was released on 27 November and is the kinky person’s answer to white meat:

‘Fifty chicken recipes, each more seductive than the last, in a book that makes every dinner a turn-on.’

Not particularly skilled in the kitchen? More comfortable with Shibari than stuffing? Don’t panic, Fifty Shades of Chicken caters for all comers: ‘The Novice Bird’ (easy recipes for roasters), ‘Falling to Pieces’ (parts perfect for weeknight meals), and ‘Advanced Techniques’ (the climax of cooking).

‘Getting tied up shouldn’t be this hot. Clear juices flow down my thighs, yes, but my breast? Dry.’

Fifty Shades of Chicken is available from:

• Amazon.com
• Amazon.co.uk

booxl, Another Spotify for Ebooks Slated to Launch in Beta This February
Source: digitalbookworld.com

SkyInk Studios recently announced that they’ll be launching an eBook subscription service by the name of booxl. Similar to Netflix and Spotify, it will allow those who sign up to view eBooks and book apps through their eReaders and tablets.

I think this is a great idea but what really interests me is SykInk’s assertion that booxl will be a ‘multi-genre’ platform featuring ‘fiction, non-fiction, reference, education and even digital magazines and comics’.

No word on subscription pricing as yet.

Sex toy sales in Canada rise due to NHL lockout
Source: News Fix

‘Honey, since there’s no game on, can I peg you?’

It seems that less hockey = more sex. Or, rather, an increase in the use of sex toys. Apparently, Canadian retailers have seen a 15 percent surge in sales following the NHL lockout, as people look for different ways to spend their down time.

Puns abound in this News Fix article (‘a good puck is hard to come by’, ‘Ohhhh Canada!’) and the accompanying video is like an over-wrought summer blockbuster trailer, but for sheer entertainment value, it’s hilarious. And can I just say: Canada, I like your thinking!

The post Alert Me: poultry bondage, Spotify for eBooks, and horny Canadians appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

I’ve long been a fan of Black Lace and was one of the many despondent readers who mourned the news that its list was to be put on ice back in 2009. Thankfully, Fifty Shades of Grey has changed the erotica landscape and Black Lace is well and truly back. (Hooray!) If you’ve not come across this publisher before, you can find most of their titles on Amazon. (Their Quickies collections are fabulous but there are plenty of full-length stories on offer, too.)

Interested in taking part in the short story competition? You can find out more about it here. (Entry details are listed at the end of the article.)

The post Black Lace erotic short story competition appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Soft Core: Why Do Sex Toy Makers Have Such Horrible Videos?
Source: http://techcrunch.com/

If you’re having a bad day, I guarantee this link will cheer you up. The title of Jordan Crook’s article is pretty self-explanatory; YouTube promo videos from various sex toy manufacturers looked over with a blunt, comedic eye.

From Vibease’s Personal Massager (for God’s sake, call it what it is, people – a vibrator!) that runs off your Android phone, to the JimmyJane Form 6 (which is waved around like a mime prop by a pair of creepy white gloves), this Tech Crunch offering made my morning. And for all those fans of air guitar, get ready to rock out with OhMiBod’s one-woman vibrator rock-concert.

On a slightly more serious note, this article touches on the growing number of Bluetooth enabled sex toys. I’ve got my eye on this trend …

Doctors Remove Sex Toy From Man’s Intestines That Had Been There for Days
Source: http://www.medicaldaily.com

In the unlikely event that you get a nine-inch dildo lodged in your bat cave, can I recommend that you go to the doctor IMMEDIATELY and not FIVE DAYS AFTER THE EVENT!

This article about a thirty-year-old Chinese man really did make my eyes water. Getting a sex toy stuck in your intestine is no laughing matter and, in this case, the consequences could have been very serious for this poor bloke:

‘ … doctors found that the sex toy had caused intestinal blockage and damaged some tissue.

“If we did not remove the dildo in time, the man could have gone into critical condition,” Dr. Yao Liqing, from the Zhongshan Hospital, said to Shanghai Daily.’

Ouch. Just … ouch.

Avon Is Experimenting With DRM-Free eBooks
Source: http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/

Now this is interesting. Romance publisher Avon is experimenting with DRM (digital rights management). In addition to launching a Facebook App that will allow readers to read and share excerpts from up-coming books, select titles are to be offered to consumers free of DRM. Are we starting to see the effects of J.K. Rowling’s ground-breaking move from earlier this year, in which she launched the Harry Potter ePubs free of DRM?

I’m a big fan of removing losing this Big Brother technology as it’s a real pain in the backside for those who have legitimately purchased eBooks. Fingers crossed, Avon’s move signals a change in stance from the major publishers.

Interested in Avon’s Facebook App? You can find out more about it here.

The post Alert Me: hilarious sex toy adverts, a big dil-don’t, and Avon’s DRM experiment appeared first on Behind the Chintz Curtain.

Synchronized iPhone Sex Toy Makes Long Distance Relationships Even More Awkward

Source: http://betabeat.com/ 

You can now have sex with your mobile. No, your iPhone 5 hasn’t suddenly sprouted an appendage (or a tunnel-like recess); rather LovePalz, a U.S. company, has invented an app for your phone that controls their own-brand sex toys. Per their website:

LovePalz is a brand new concept of motion sensing technology that aims to create physical feelings as real as possible in virtual sex experience. It can simulate your actions and cause physical contact over internet in real time. Through our service, you and your lover each hold one device and as long as you remain connected to the internet, the device automatically senses your actions and conveys them to your partner’s toy! In short, how you use it is simultaneously reflected on your lover’s toy, physically! bringing you and your lover together even when you are miles apart.

For crying out loud, people. Really? What happened to good old-fashioned phone sex and inappropriate Instagram pictures? As Beta Beat’s Jessica Roy aptly points out: ‘It’s almost like you’ll never have to have sex with a real person again. Thanks, LovePalz!’ And don’t even get me started on the narcissistic sex toy names, ‘Zeus’ and ‘Hera’. Greek gods indeed. It’s all thunder and pomegranates until your 3G connection craps out at a critical moment.

Erotica-uk.com relaunches as a community hub

Source: http://erotica-uk.com/

Many people were disappointed when it was announced that Erotica, the annual London lifestyle community event, wouldn’t be taking place in 2012. (The company responsible for staging the show decided to take a year-long break in order to evaluate and examine the changing marketplace.) Some good news for those who have withdrawal, however: Erotica U.K. have just launched their revamped website:

We’re excited to finally announce the launch of the brand new Erotica UK website. Sexy in nature but not pornographic, erotica-uk.com is now a professionally managed social hub and resource for the open-minded adult, offering good entertainment value, interesting reading and plenty more fantastic new features still to come.

While still clearly in its early stages, erotica-uk.com looks like it will offer a mixture of news, fiction (erotic publisher Xcite is involved in the venture), events, and lifestyle advice to visitors. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how things develop content-wise over the coming months.

Digital Publishing Start-up Payhip Appeals to Indie Authors

Source: http://goodereader.com/

If you’re an aspiring erotica or romance author eyeing up the self-publishing route, then this article may be of interest to you. Payhip, a London-based company, has launched a website that allows writers to keep 100% of any royalties they earn on their publications – and receive payments via Paypal. In addition, the service has a strong leaning towards the promotion of books through social media; the Payhip platform allows authors to generate links to their books and then share them with fans and followers. The basic service is billed as free, although users can pay to upgrade their accounts and access premium features (such as analytics and customisation tools). An interesting idea that, I think, has some intriguing possibilities.

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