scarletdarkwood

A Review of Michael Dalton’s “Spider”

May 15, 2016 by scarletdarkwood

Spider by Michael Dalton

I don’t normally review books. I’ll only do it in rare circumstances, usually when I want to share an author I really like, one I took the chance on reading when I have a TBR list that’s a mile high. I was intrigued by the title and the description of this book, thus I even went so far as to pre-order it on Amazon–another thing I rarely do.

An ex operative with a score to settle, his past was dark, gritty, and filled with dirty business. The women he targeted and encountered were dissatisfied with their supposed lot in life, willing to take the plunge when opportunity presented itself, no matter how strange it might have seemed.
Spider is the first book I’ve read by Michael Dalton, and I was never more impressed. I must say that I’ve never read so smooth an author. I never once got confused about who the characters were, and was able to keep track of them all with ease. The chapter transitions were smooth and logical; I didn’t have to go back and re-read to re-orient myself. The prose was clear and contained just enough information to set the scene and characters and pull me in. No extra fluff anywhere.

The erotica in this book was enough to make it fit nicely into the genre, and blended well into the story. The author seemed to have a good handle on BDSM and some of the philosophies behind it. Total trust, surrendering that makes you truly free. There was a good balance of story with erotic elements. Nothing was overdone or lacking.

This is not a sweet story, nor does it contain cheesy dialogue and silly actions that I sometimes find in books of this nature.
What I found interesting is that the author left an enticing trail of treats, pulling me in one nibble at a time, until I realized that I was halfway through the book and still didn’t have a handle on just what the big picture or the goal was. What’s more interesting is that it didn’t matter. I knew enough chapter by chapter that I wanted to keep reading to find out. Everything made sense.

The twist at the end was amazing and all in all I enjoyed how everything came together in one seamless action and chapter at a time.
Character development was concise and smooth. I knew just enough about each one so I could appreciate their past and subsequent behavior. I never grew bored and looked forward to each read until I reached the end. If you’re looking for a story that’s dark, mysterious, descriptive, and alluring, Spider will not disappoint. Purchase Book.

We’ll Have The Usual, Thank You!

April 17, 2016 by scarletdarkwood

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

March 22, 2016 by scarletdarkwood

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.

The Occult And Writing

March 2, 2016 by scarletdarkwood

Looking back on my personal history, I became interested with occult themes in my mid-twenties. Between graduate classes and work, I’d find myself heading off to the new age shop whenever I got a spare moment. Unfortunately, that old shop is now gone. I loved walking up the steps to the old house where I’d lose myself for a while, browsing through all the stones, tarot cards, and pendulums. One time a friend of mine and I splurged and paid $25 for an aura photograph. What was neat is that she had a white aura. I’d heard of people having those, but I’d never seen one. As I waked through the rooms, the incense lingered heavily in the air, and I knew I carried it out with me on my clothes. There was a legend surrounding the house about a black cat that would mysteriously dash through the room. I never saw it.

After thinking long and hard one day, I invested in my first tarot deck, The Mythic Tarot. I purchased it because it had a nice book and a layout cloth to go with the cards. I’d just reassured myself that much of these divination tools were not evil and bad at all, but a way to bring to the physical world a representation of what was going on in the spiritual world. I studied my cards, practiced, tried different layouts, and became proficient in reading them. One weekend, my friend invited me to do card readings at a local event. I dressed the part, wearing a long black skirt and white top. I even wore a crystal ball ring I’d purchased in my favorite shop. When I read the cards, some people cried. That was scary.

Later, I bought a pendulum at a bookstore. I also made some additional charts to fit my question, writing down all the possible answers. If I enjoyed the tarot cards, I loved the pendulum even more. The one thing I never used was the Ouija board, though I received one for Christmas when I was a little girl. I got rid of it years later after I grew up some more. A few years ago, I used some money (another Christmas gift) and purchased the Spiritual Pathways Board, a prettier and definitely more detailed board than the Ouija.

When I was in my late thirties, I finally joined the Rosicrucian Order AMORC and spent years studying the arcane, spiritual teachings. The lessons were orderly, made sense, and finally I had a better understanding of the universe, how it worked, and how everyone and everything fits in it. Sadly, I still fall short of living the exemplary life, still holding on to prejudices and frustrations. I’m not racist by any means, but I’ll admit I do have my prejudices still.

As I learned to meditate and became more intuitive, I’ve discovered I’ve lost the ability to use the divination tools like the pendulum or spirit boards. Cards are still good (I even learned I Ching). But I miss using some of my old methods to delve deeper into the psychic world.

One of my novels uses elements of the occult, and I felt comfortable incorporating them into the story and working out the attitudes of the characters who used them. It was just as easy for me to write the character who was skeptical as it was to write the character who believed in those spiritual ways unconditionally. I find myself enjoying metaphysical stories as opposed to vampires and werewolves, which I think are too overdone at this time.

Using occult themes in writing allowed me to explore a part of myself, and it forced me to look closer at how those tools worked. How does one get into a mood and state to channel or receive answers from beyond or from spirit? How does intent create an atmosphere for a stronger answer? The most interesting scenes I incorporated into my novel involved kundalini, a spiritual state where one feels a rush of energy starting at the base of the spine, traveling through the body and out the top of the head. It’s a total spiritual orgasm, if you will. The truth is, I learned from a spirit guide, one that came from a most unlikely source, but one that worked perfectly.

When I used this experience and concept with my characters, I had to include what the sensation was like and wrap it all up with a reason they would even experience something like kundalini. I had a better time creating a scene where another character describes himself going through the same sensation but under different circumstances, though the timing coincided perfectly with another event. It all gets complicated, I know, but it was exciting for me and a golden opportunity to incorporate some unique activities I wouldn’t normally address in a story.

That’s the beauty of writing. You can write what you know. No matter how much you may think you understand or know something about a particular subject, there’s always additional research you have to do so you don’t sound like you don’t know what you’re talking about. Author M. J. Rose is one who incorporates metaphysical themes in her work. My goal is to read some of her books to see how she does this, and how would I (and how will I) use them differently when I write my stories in the future?

Here’s another interesting tidbit. Before I even considered writing a novel, I went to a new age fair–again to do card readings (and promote my shop, which is not new age). One of the other vendors did crystal ball readings. Needless to say, I’ve never been any good at scrying. I adore crystal balls, but I’m deplorable at using them. I just can’t. She did a reading for me and said I’d be writing. I told her I’d written two books on jewelry design and the jewelry business, but I couldn’t imaging me writing anything else. I had absolutely nothing in mind. She said, “Well, I can’t see what it will be, either, but you will write.” Interestingly enough, when I did meditations, I saw myself sitting at a desk writing. I couldn’t figure it out, either. And only when I truly began writing did I realize why she saw the vision in the crystal ball and why I had the visions I did. And so I journey onward, continually trying to come up with interesting material and subject matter. Too bad I can’t consult a handy crystal ball, but maybe I can meditate on it all.

Words We Never Speak Is Published!

February 24, 2016 by scarletdarkwood

This is the release of my supernatural romantic suspense novel. I say supernatural because it’s not your vampire/werewolf read. It’s a ghost story with a twist, but it mostly reads like a romance. You like the occult? There are some elements of that going on in this book, with a tidbit of horror, the creepy kind that makes your hair stand on end.

In full disclosure, I first released this book under “Destiny’s Last Chance” last July, and after some feedback, I pulled the book so it could get an overhaul. And trust me, it got an overhaul, with the introduction of a new character, a different spin on the mansion where the main character works, along with a more tightened up romance between Kit and Dwight. Even the ending is extended.

All in all, the book has a more broadened feel to it, with Kit doing more action-oriented activities than the more reactive role she took on in the first book. Let me tell you, I did some major work on this book, removing over fifteen thousand words. It didn’t seem as bad when I looked at the actual number removed, but try creating new scenes, new plot lines, smoothing in the new with the old … Needless to say, I got a grip on it all and got it together, and in the end, came out with an even more solid book. Readers are liking it a lot.

This book came about as an inspiration from a dream I had near the end of 2014. In the book Kit starts having dreams about an old classmate. I did too–very simple, straight, to the point–no action, just the vision of the person. Of course this book is a work of fiction, but there are several elements of truth in this book.

For giggles and grins, I’ll do a list of fact, and then I’ll do a list of fiction:

Fact:

I had a dream about an old classmate
He died in a car accident soon after graduation
We attended the same church throughout high school
The church was a Catholic church
The classmate truly had a whispery, high-pitched laugh that I can still hear in my mind
The classmate was an adept artist
In 4th grade, the classmate sat behind me, drawing all the time–one day he sketched a copy of the cover of my library book, Helen Keller
He was a star football player
A psychic female friend from high school and I did a phone session, channeling this classmate that I dreamt about–he “spoke” to us.
There really was the one girl in school that people avoided (even in grammar school they avoided her).
When I was a little girl, an old lady gave me a crystal rosary that belonged to her husband. She never had kids. I still have the rosary!
I’m a coffee addict, and sweets are my downfall
I really own a VW Beetle

Fiction:

There never was a romance between me and the classmate that appeared in my dream (we ran in completely different circles
The classmate never went out on a date with the strange girl in school for any reason
I’ve never lit a candle to a patron saint in a church
No one in my family owns a beautiful old mansion, nor did I ever spend time in one growing up
I’ve never lived in an historical district
I’ve never experienced paranormal activity of any kind
The classmate, to my knowledge, never received a scholarship to college for football
I’ve never had to choose between two people in a romantic situation
Of course, the setting, people, and happenings are ALL fiction!

If you have purchased Destiny’s Last Chance and would like a copy of this new book, please let me know. I don’t want readers angry because they’ve purchased similar books. If you do read this new version and can leave a review on Amazon, B&N, and Goodreads, that would be most appreciated!

Your Mama and Daddy Don’t Owe You Anything

January 23, 2016 by scarletdarkwood

True story: My spouse’s best friend had a step-father who just died. In his last updated will, he finally stated that he wanted to leave ALL assets to his wife (the best friend’s mom). Everything. He left the children out of it. Why? I have no idea, nor do I care. “But … but … he should have!” you say. No, he shouldn’t have. Really, listen to me. Your mamma and daddy don’t owe you anything! “But I took care of them in their old age … yada … yada.” Really? Good for you. Who cares? They took care of you when you were young. They didn’t? They were mean things? Yes, there are horrible parents, and there are, likewise, horrible kids. So there. Now we’re all even. Everybody’s bad.

As my spouse conversed with his friend, there was some discussion about how the man’s children would be coming out of the wood work, demanding their share. Newsflash: daddy and mommy don’t owe you a share of anything. For a spouse, however, there may be laws dictating that the spouse at least receive an “heir’s part/child’s part, if the deceased wanted to divide his/her assets among the family and not leave it all to one person. Let’s face it, family dynamics can be complicated, at best. There are rifts along the way, and feelings and attitudes can change as a result of any situation.

I know for a fact that my spouse’s friend took great care of his step-father when he needed it. He took him out to lunch (yes, grabbed up the wheelchair, loaded it in the car, pushed him around), took care of him in other ways as needed. This man was extremely grateful to his step-son. However, he didn’t leave anything to him, either. I will note that he’d given my spouse’s friend money for other things long before he died. But what if he hadn’t? Does that mean that people’s good deeds should be rewarded by being remembered in a will? Not necessarily. There’s nothing wrong with helping others because you want to, and to know that you’d want that kind of assistance if you ever needed it–and getting it without strings attached would be nicer.

Another true story: Some distant cousins in my family, a brother and his sister, owned some property in the mountains of East Tennessee. On one part of the property stood the original house belonging to their mother. On other parts of the land the cousins had built “cabins” on them. One of the houses consisted of a simple cinder block dwelling built by my cousins. That particular house belonged to the sister, and it sat right next to the river. The other cabins were simple “make-shift” crude dwellings that were primitive but okay to use for camping or weekend getaway purposes.

The brother and sister enjoyed inviting the family over for a day in the mountains, where we’d cook food, maybe roast a chicken in the ground, make home-made ice-cream, and basically have a day of telling stories and chatting. After lunch, the brother and I would go on a motorcycle ride over the trails in the woods. It was something he and I always did without fail.

We all loved these sojourns to the mountains. One of my aunts loved them so much that she took it upon herself to sink some money into “fixing up” one of the dwellings on the land. She and her spouse had done some painting, carpeting, little interior upgrades. The place was much nicer. Keep in mind she didn’t own the land or the dwelling. And this cabin wasn’t some fancy one you see advertised as the “build-your-own” kind, either. The cousins allowed her to use the cabin for enjoyment, and they didn’t mind it being fixed up, as long as there was no destruction.

Over the years, the cousins passed away, with the last cousin leaving ALL the land to the church. That was what she wanted; that’s what she had in her will. Knowing her, she did what she’d always wanted to do. This lady and her brother didn’t have children, and they loved their church. They’d always hinted that they’d most likely leave all their assets to the church. No big secret here.

Needless to say, when my aunt and her sister found out that all that land had been willed to a church, they hired a lawyer, demanding that they were living heirs, next of kin, had used that land, and had installed upgrades to one of the dwellings. They believed they were entitled to at least the part they’d upgraded. They invite my mother to join in the lawsuit. I’m happy to say that my mother politely declined, indicating she wanted no part of such dealings as this. That her cousin left the land to an organization according to her desire.

The church, probably not wanting a big to-do, agreed to let the one aunt have the sliver of land with the cabin she’d fixed up. Later, that same aunt passed away too. At this point, I’m not sure who owns the land or what’s being done to it. But my beef is that there was no discussion about who would get this cabin once the original owners passed. Who would have been sure that the owners would have adjusted a will to accommodate this cousin of theirs who’d put so much time and energy into a place? Everything was done on assumption, good faith, it appeared. Did the aunt really “deserve” the land with “her” cabin, even with the expense she’d voluntarily lavished on it? That’s debatable. As for me, I say no she didn’t. But that’s me being jaded. The aunt made assumptions and made choices based on these, not cold hard facts, or a copy of a will saying she’d get the land at the owner’s death.

True story: My paternal grandmother came to the United States from another country many years ago, and she ended up passing away in this country. There were her children, my dad, my aunt (with whom my grandmother lived), and my uncle. When my grandmother came here, she brought what monies she had. While my dad was alive, he kept the money in a bank where he lived (the account was to be divided between the siblings, what would be left of it when their mom died). There could also be a chance that nothing would be left if she required money for her health care. She had two surgeries before she died. My aunt and her spouse kept her in their home, sheltered her, clothed and fed her, and basically cared for all her needs.

When my dad passed away, the two remaining siblings requested that my mother please send the money in the account back to them so my aunt could keep it in an account in her local bank. This hurt my mother, as she would never have taken the money. However, she knew once it was handed over, her daughter would never see “her part.” When my grandmother finally passed, my aunt informed my mother that there were no more funds left, as it had all been used for her mother’s care. My mom is still hurt to this day, and doesn’t believe that what my aunt told her was true.

My take on it: sorry about that. Even for me. You see, I’d love “my part” of any money that was left over. Do I feel entitled to it? NO! This is an extremely debatable issue: when a child dies, the parent “should” leave that child’s part to their grandchildren, the next blood kin. My take on it: that’s truly a choice left to the owner of the gold. He who has the gold gets to decide who gets it. My grandmother on my mom’s side adjusted her will to indicate that only LIVING children would have assets divided amongst them, thereby, leaving out in-laws and grandchildren (next of blood kin). Truly, this upset my uncle who was married to one of my aunts. He’d been in the family for many years. My mother-in-law, on the other hand, adjusted her will to ensure that though one of her children is deceased, the grandchildren would get his part, divided between the two of them. My spouse is wanting to encourage his mother to adjust the will so that the daughter-in-law gets a little (divide the deceased’s part three ways instead of two). Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Such fodder ripe for angry debates and justifications why one “should” get something! I say, no one is entitled to anything, except maybe a spouse.

Thus ends my stories. Just so you know once again: I didn’t make them up, though I am an author of books (hint: those stories I made up). I live my life without a sense of entitlement. Maybe I have that feeling on a few things that are usually upheld by policy or law, but not on everything else. I may think I should be entitled to certain things, but really I’m not. Neither is anyone else, though they don’t believe it.

Moral to the story: Your property is yours and yours alone. So is everyone else’s. They don’t have to give you anything or leave you anything in their will regardless of your role in their life. Also, give some lengthy consideration to the reasons you make the choices you do, because there’s no guarantee that someone will give you “what you deserve.”

***Please note that I’m not a lawyer, but that this post is truly an opinion piece.***

Do any of you have personal stories you’d like to share? What are your personal thoughts on this subject? Have you ever been left out of your parents’ wills? Why? I’d be interested in hearing your story.