Scarlet Darkwood Author

We’ll Have The Usual, Thank You!

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Yes, you will. There’s no doubt about it. You’ll have the usual and nothing but the usual, forever and ever, amen. Most of you may not know this, but in my retail store I try to carry unusual items, unique and not the run-of-the-mill merchandise that other stores carry. I mean, I want to be different so people will have a reason to come in and shop with me. I want to be competitive. Guess what sells? Go on. Don’t be shy. *Jeopardy music playing* The usual!! Ta-da! And there you have it. The usual.

Seriously. We sell more of the usual than anything else. We sell what you can buy in other stores and can get in other places and on line. When we buy, my spouse makes sure we ask our vendors, “What’s the top 100 items you sell?” We want those things. Like it or not, there’s something to be said for that. That’s why it’s called the top 100 sellers. They don’t call it that for giggles and grins.

What on earth does this have to do with books? C’mon, Scarlet. You write books. What’s your point? Guess what? “The usual” sells well for books too. Yes, they do. The Billionaire-Biker-Alpha-Male tropes. There a zillions of them, and more coming, mind you. They’re being cranked out as we speak. Oh, look. I see one now …

When I published my first book four years ago (OMG, it’s been FOUR years ago? It seems like last year!), I really didn’t know much about the erotica genre. I don’t practice the things I included in my books (Oh, yeah, I wrote a collection), so I had to do research so I could minimize sounding like an “idjut.”

When I started my first book (uh, oh—that’s actually the one I’m trying to finish now. Don’t ask), the one I published first, I had a dream. I had a dream to create something wild, unusual, extremely different and not the run-of-the-mill tropes you find out there today. I wanted to write a book with a different twist and one that contained at least the elements of a theme that would really turn readers on. Did I succeed?

Meh, some like it. Some don’t. What’s the surprise, then? Of course there will be those who enjoy what you write, and then there are those who simply don’t cop to it. True, dat. And for those of you who don’t like my approach to kink or my erotica collection, I don’t hate you for it, either. Am I disappointed? Aw, yes. Of course I am. It means I fell short of my goal.

It’s been four long years, and though I created a Facebook author page, created the blog, and a year ago created a Google+ account (I just started participating more in Twitter a few months ago), I didn’t do much more marketing. I surely didn’t put my books in a Blog Tour or pay for advertising. It was when Booktrope picked up the collection that I did more, and also started lightly asking for reviews—mainly picking one or two bloggers at a time. I still have a list I haven’t gone through.

The four years have given me some time to possibly grow a thicker skin, but I still get bummed when someone doesn’t like the work. I still shake my head when someone doesn’t cop to what I write. One author told me that he wished there were more readers who liked works that deviate from the cookie-cutter romance novels, but the market is what it is.

True, dat—again, dammit! I like writing for the joy of it most times, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to make a little money at it, or have some validation that what I produce is good. The real truth: I simply do not like writing tropes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure I’ll write one someday. Maybe I just released one. Heck, I don’t know. But cookie-cutter is simply not for me. If you find my work something you just can’t get into, then too bad. For both of us, really. You didn’t find a new author you like, and I didn’t find a reader who’s a fan.

Does it shake things up for me? It does a little at times, and here’s why. It’s just another teaching lesson that the erotic genre is so diverse, it’s difficult for me to keep up with it. I’ve also learned from Goodreads that “Dark Erotica” doesn’t mean my work fits beautifully into that category. I thought it would have been a match made in heaven, but I clearly missed the mark on that notion. Try some different groups? Yeah, I guess I could do that. Throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks.

Here’s the real truth about my Pleasure House Tales: there are three more books I’d planned on writing for that collection, and now I’m questioning if it would even be worth it. Why write them if people already have issues with the ones currently out there? And the issues being the fact that these books are not the tropes currently available and not an approach to subject matter that’s popular. I’d thought about trying to join book signing events for this collection, but now I’m seriously reconsidering it. I just don’t think this collection fits in.

Admittedly, there are times I wish I’d just written Pleasure House and stopped and moved on to other books. I learned something else: I somehow created a world that people who do enjoy the books made clear: they love The House, and they want the stories to take place there. Some even mentioned they’d like more books with other characters and ones focusing on some of the original characters.

The thing potential readers need to know about the Pleasure House Tales is that they are erotica novels. Though these books have romance elements, they’re not sweet, soulful reads, usually. Pleasure House honestly has a more “Victorian” feel to it, and the purpose of that book was to introduce a reader to the world of The House and to accompany the main character on a journey of sexual awakening. The other books have not only some of the original characters, but new ones as well. This collection tells the different stories of the patients (admits) of The House, what they experienced there. There are different kink elements, and medical play is a big part of that too. Some scenes hit you from out of the blue unexpectedly. For some it will be seen as abuse, others will see it as a score, that you surprised them when nothing much usually surprises them (in a good way).

Maybe I’ll write those three remaining books someday; maybe I won’t. I’m just not sure. Maybe I’m just a little tired right now and need to take writing a little bit slower to re-group. Finish up the current book (the original first novel) I’m working on. The bottom line: The Pleasure House Tales are not your normal read, and the scenes will surprise you. If you’re wanting to deviate from the norm, take a break from the popular market reads and try on something different for size, these books might work for you. For those who are wanting the usual reads, please move on. There’s nothing to see here.

Throwback Writing

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Throwback writing. People have their throwbacks to everything, reminiscing over bygone days. Days when everything seemed simpler, more innocent. Some like to present throwbacks to fashion, hairstyles, music. What I haven’t seen much of is authors presenting the first story they ever wrote.

Do you as readers ever wonder about that? Most authors say their first novel should be buried or burned. Personally, I’d like nothing better than to see some of the first prose by Anne Rice or Stephen King. Or basically any author who’s willing to share.

I think Mary Rowen Horgan, a fellow author, feels the same way. One day she came across some of her old poetry and read it again with adult eyes. Some of the writing she laughed, some she still nodded at the sentiment. It was the time travel backward, a moment in her personal history when she was trying to find herself, trying to express herself in the most creative words she knew how. Her first writings displayed her passions or her gripes. No matter how strong or weak, the paper held her words for all posterity. As long as the paper lasted. And the papers lasted.

Mary Rowen Horgan

A catalyst to a new idea, she created “Throwback Writing,” a category she has now included in her blog, and a place where authors can submit some of their very first attempts at writing, whether it be poetry, an essay, or a short story. I scrounged a little deeper in my closets and lo and behold, I found all of my creative writing assignments I wrote back in 1980. These assignments were short stories, poems in all styles, and even a play. At that time, I was only trying to fulfill an English credit, and I loved the class and the people in it. Little did I ever suspect I’d be writing novels. That was not a task I thought I could complete, no matter how many classes I took. I think now how different a creative writing class in high school might be. Would a class perhaps create an anthology and put it up on Amazon? Would the teacher go through a syllabus and tackle exactly how to craft a story?

I’ll personally never know, but I did want to share one of my stories on Mary’s blog. Click on the link below and enjoy some throwback writing.

Mary Rowen Horgan

If any of you wish to share some of your writing with me, and would like for me to create a post featuring your work, don’t hesitate to contact me. Happy reading, and never forget where you came from.

How Culture Has Influenced Me

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I was encouraged to think about the elements that influence my writing, what spurs the passages and descriptions a reader might find in one of my books. Let’s face it, so many experiences, even the seemingly smalls ones, color who we are, and for writers, this often shows up in their stories. I chose to focus on a post outlining how culture influenced me and my novels.

You can’t tell by looking at me, but my cultural heritage is American and Latino. You see, my father was from South America. As child growing up, that meant closer family ties, spending holidays and weekends together, and going to church. But it’s the language and the food I remember as well as anything else.

In my mind, I still hear my aunt and father speaking Spanish, and when my paternal grand mother came to live in the United States, she strengthened the ties to the original homeland even more, because she didn’t speak English, nor was she accustomed to the mores and traditions of the US.

But the food! Oh, the smells and spices filling my aunt’s kitchen. She prepared as many Lebanese dishes as American and Hispanic, only because she’d married a wonderful Lebanese man. As a result, my exposure to different cultures at a young age enriched my life only in ways I truly appreciated when I became an adult.

As a younger person, I see now that I took my experiences for granted, and when I come into contact with others who didn’t have those experiences, their stories hit me rather flat. Something seems to be missing, and as I reflect more at an older age now, I know what that special ingredient is. It’s the traditions, language, and interactions from other cultural backgrounds that truly added spice to my life.

When I graduated from high school, I spent two summers in South America, visiting the homeland of my father, the land where he didn’t want to relinquish his citizenship, though he said he would have died for America. I stayed with family, a cousin, who had three girls and a spouse. During my visits, they immersed me in their lives and culture. For the most part I saw many similarities, school, shopping, homework activities, the usual.

What struck me most was the parties and get-togethers. My younger cousins spent much of their weekends attending parties, and the adults spent time at each other’s home, engaged in talking, singing, dancing. Though one may wonder how this is different from Americans, these people thrived on sharing time together. Though music was also popular on my mother’s side, my American heritage, I don’t recall seeing family members dance. My American friends got together at times to play card games, like Uno, but they didn’t have special Mis Quince Anos parties or invited people to large birthday parties, in general. In South America, invitations to events were hand-delivered, and unless you had a good reason for not attending, you saved the day and showed up, always bringing a small gift.

During my first summer in South America, I also gained a boyfriend, thus introducing me to the dating life! This gentleman stood taller than most people of that culture. He was six feet! Very sweet, smart, and a true gentleman. At that time I learned that kissing wasn’t just for showing affection, but also used in greeting and saying goodbye. The first time he kissed my cheek to say goodbye, before officially asking me to be his girl, totally floored me. Then I realized that’s what people do in this country!

How did these experiences work their way into my writing? They slipped into my writing because they are the most readily available frameworks for me, where I use language, food, and modern-day preferences. Many men, for example, prefer or are strongly attracted to Latina women. In my first novel, I used Spanish phrases, following them up immediately with the English translation. I used fragrance and dance as part of scenes, exposing the main character in the process.

In one of my short stories, which has been accepted into an anthology, one of the characters features a Latina female and is set in Mexico (another place I’ve visited as well). For me as an author, I frequently draw from Hispanic or Latino culture to help enrich my work. The goal is to provide as rich a backdrop in my stories as the backdrops were for me in real life—minus some of the escapades! After all, that’s what fiction’s for!

Tiffani chose to put her “Writer’s In Residence” on hold a bit. Her readers requested this so they could savor the posts when time afforded them to do so. I’m thinking my readers want to read my post “now.” Tiffani’s site is a great site to check out more authors and increase your reading experience. This Writer’s Life

 

A Sacred Union Of Similar Minds

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Love is wonderful, the way you fairly skip with giddy excitement, the way your heart rushes when you’ve discovered a mutual understanding with a like mind. I’m not talking about a polyamorous relationship as most of us know it, but multiple lovers, in a sense, are involved, allowing a beautiful union, a ripe time for co-creation. Sound a little steamy? This experience has a rush on it’s own, from wooing, to courting, to the final proposal–and then the marriage!

What I’m talking about is the coming together of a group of authors who’s minds, creativity, and general good-heartedness all contribute to a unique way of publishing: literally co-creating a universe and writing the stories that intersect, meeting in the middle–of that universe. Basically: Multiple authors, multiple stories, ONE universe. I know a group of authors who had this experience. No, created it! And the results were eye-opening, mind-blowing, and fun. I was among them, in the frenzy, in the eye of the storm.

And out of this union, a concept was born: Kosalogy

Kosalogy means a collection of stories that all intersect at one universe. What you have is an anthology or a collection of stories that could be viewed as episodes in a novel, so that by the time you’re finished reading, you pretty much have a solid world-view of that universe, what it is, it’s history, and the characters involved. Each kosalogy is different, with unique characteristics, and so is the next one, and the next one.

Anthologies, on the other hand, are a collection of stories expressed toward a certain theme. Each author alone spends time creating the elements of their story as it focuses on the theme. There is no joint collaboration, no melding of minds, no having a companion to travel the twists and turns in the road. You are a lone wolf, going it in your own way. You share your anguish and happy moments alone. Quite the opposite of the kosalogy, where collaboration is king, and content is queen, if not the next king.

When a group of authors create a kosalogy, they brainstorm on the world, the theme, and the types of inhabitants who will make up that world. They create the backstory and discover new ways aliens or humans can interact. The characters battle the elements, fall in love, fall out of love, make war, make peace, make haste. Each story can nicely fit into another one.

During the creation of a kosology, it’s a time for discarding egos and time for stirring up creative juices. Likewise, it’s a ripe time for uncertainty, fear, frustration, and triumph. It’s a cosmic experience that allows creation at the highest levels, from the heart and from the head. When the authors work in harmony, blending creativity, creating new characters and new elements, they end up producing the “whole.” From the many to the “one.”

Creating kosalogies teaches you a whole different way of looking at writing and how stories can be written. If you’re squeamish about a certain genre, the group helps you along, hand-holding when it gets tough, gently pointing out how you can make your story stronger, more compelling, better. Most of all, it teaches the beauty of stepping outside yourself and sharing ideas and critiques with others, creating new worlds, and if the fit is just right, the possibilities are beautiful and endless.

If the concept of Kosalogy intrigues you, you can find out more about it at Kosa Press.

Digging Into The Entrails

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Flannery O’Connor said many things in her short life. This particular viewpoint I found quite interesting:

  • Writing a novel is a terrible experience, during which the hair often falls out and the teeth decay. I’m always irritated by people who imply that writing fiction is an escape from reality. It is a plunge into reality, and it’s very shocking to the system.

Luckily, I have not found writing a terrible experience. My teeth have not fallen out, thank goodness. My hair . . . Let’s just say I was not blessed with luscious locks, but I have what I have! I must admit, however, that the more I try to fine-tune my writing ability, the more I have to agree with O’Connor. I’m finding authors who write moving prose have shown an ability for digging deep into the psyche, into reality, and into the darkest shadows of human thought and experience, and have brought out those mental pictures beautifully onto the page.

Such an ability doesn’t require just talent alone, but a willingness to travel deep into the guts of what makes us, for better or worse, human. As I write different stories, I’m finding I must do that too. Sometimes I hit the bullseye. Other times, a swift kick in the pants from a beta reader reminds me I failed miserably. Usually a comment of “this left me dry,” or “you just pulled me out of the story” means I failed in digging into an experience or exploring how someone might feel in the situation I’m trying to portray on paper.

I must admit, I’m one of those people who hates digging into emotions, expressing deep feelings, though I’m opinionated as hell. I’ll go a step further and state that I actually hate feeling sometimes. Life’s so much easier if you have a stiff upper lip and can go on about your business without getting too involved in the human condition. The only problem, not feeling robs you of being human, of showing compassion, love, fear, hate, and as a result, of fluently pouring out meaningful prose where it counts most.

People subjected to severe trauma often shut down, detach from life, and feel nothing. The world is a painful place and they avoid it now. Desperate for any feeling at all, they’ll sometimes inflict pain on themselves so they’ll feel something. Anything. This pain reminds them they exist, that they are still alive, still human with a future ahead of them, if they can just hang on and keep going one more day. Something inside tells them they must feel and acknowledge the good, bad, and ugly, or else go blindly through life like an automaton–or worse yet, die.

For a writer, one who writes without thinking, feeling, blindly typing out words on a screen in hopes of getting a good thought or story across, this lack of attachment or understanding can be a death knell. A good writer takes a moment and considers the many faces of human nature, the good, funny, odd, dark, eccentric, and perverted so they can tell their version of a story that’s burning inside them, and hopefully one that will leave readers more enriched and questioning their own attitudes and the world around them. For a writer, delving deep into scenarios where angels fear to tread can be scary. It means looking deep into yourself and your own attitudes. It means dredging up old pain, reliving the past, or in some cases, imagining yourself in situations you’ve never dreamed of.

It means opening yourself up and feeling. For me personally, that’s difficult much of the time, and if I’m not careful or don’t have beta readers who keep me on track, my stories risk lacking that human element, or leaving a reader wanting more. Like a person undergoing psychotherapy, a writer must also explore those uncomfortable aspects of life, those instances where one squirms a little, or a lot.

No genre is exempt from this type of self-study. In erotica, one has to consider sex, the arousal evoked, and in some cases, the willingness to incorporate some the kinkiest activities in the sex arsenal. For me, that was hard, especially when it came to using some of the lingo that went with it. I have a personal prejudice again certain words. My very first release showed that prejudice in the form of flowery, what may be considered more Victorian, language. For most readers, that will be a deal breaker. When I went back and tweaked the story again, the language was a little more palatable, but still not hard-core. However, I wrote it they way I wanted to, like it or not–and it sells the best.

In my erotic short stories, I let my hair down, closed my eyes, and let the “nasty” words fly. To my surprise and amusement, there was something rather liberating in that act, just letting it all hang out and dangle, if you will. My current WIP is different, altogether. Because the main character is suddenly thrust into an insane asylum, I’m forced to capture what a person in such a horrid setting may feel when they see unsightly scenes and insults to humanity. I have to capture how a woman feels when her old life has ended and she’s forced far from her home, and must build a new life with no family, friends, or relative who can help.

I’ve got some ideas for some horror stories. Likewise, I’ll think about what motivates people to harm others or what drives their world, what makes them think and act they way they do. During Christmas, I wrote a short story in the sci-fi genre, which is totally out of my element. Talk about rationalization! Both my characters found themselves rationalizing just to survive an unpleasant mission and continue in their privileged lifestyle. This experience as a writer was amazing and valuable. It taught me how to think differently and how I might tackle elements out of my usual genres.

Like we say today: “It’s all good!”

If you’re a writer, what things bog you down? Do you find it difficult to search deep inside yourself, your experiences? How does this affect your work? Do you struggle with tackling the dark sides of humanity? Do the negatives of today actually drive your work, encouraging your plot lines? I’d love to hear about it!

 

 

 

The Dark Night Of The Soul

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The dark night of the soul. They say we’ll all go through one at some point in our evolution, but as for me, that’s one part of my spiritual development I’d love to avoid. But the whole purpose is to rely on spiritual help (and earthly help when it’s available or given), and to learn that the cosmic power and intelligence will help see you through. It’s almost like a forced surrender, falling off that high beam backward, rope around your waist, and expecting the one waiting below to come through and provide the balance you need so you don’t come crashing down to the ground and end up badly hurt. 

Takes a lot of faith and trust to do that, doesn’t it. I really doubt my ability to pull through hard times too gracefully. But I’m creating this post in honor of a wonderful person I know, whom I’m hoping others of you, my dear subscribers and others who find this blog, can help her in a desperate time of need. Nymph Du Pave has been a writing companion of mine ever since I published my first novel, Pleasure House. She beta reads for me, gives me advice, and answers all my crazy questions when things come up. She’s truly been a blessing for me, and I’d be lost without her support.

Just a few days ago, her spouse had a horrible motorcycle accident, making her acutely aware that life can change in the flash of an instant. She’s undergoing her own personal trauma as she helps her spouse on the long road to recovery. The whole nasty affair has left her feeling like one in a dream. Also, she’s dealing with the physical aspects of trauma: nausea, poor appetite, decreased energy (which I’m sure flairs up when the adrenalin kicks in). However, as a result of the accident, her spouse is unable to help bring in income. As a result, my friend is trying to sell her writing and jewelry  so she can support the two of them. Her jewelry is fun and bohemian, and if you’re looking for some fun gifts for yourself or someone else, supporting her Etsy shop would be a great way to help. She’s also a writer, and her works can be found on Amazon under her name, Nymph Du Pave.  I’m including links below so you can see what she’s all about. Not only would she appreciate it, I would too. I appreciate all you readers who have purchased my books, and as a fellow writer, she’ll deeply appreciate your support as well. I want to say thank you in advance if any one of you choose to help. My hope is that you’ll be doubly rewarded!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/freehippie?ref=si_shop

www.etsy.com   Quality Hippie Bohemian Jewelry and Accessories.

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