Joyfully Reviewed by Jo

Confirmed lovers seek to find the “something” that will satisfy needs.  His Intimate Submission continues Lucy and Jason’s story from Curious Intimacies.   Jason and Lucy have no secrets with their sexual relationship, just understanding of the needs and what pleases each other.  But when Jason reveals his latest need, Lucy finds a way to give it to him while still pleasing herself. I truly love the honest and openness of Jason and Lucy’s relationship and the fact they work to make it stronger.  Their erotic discovery is both sensual and loving, even while trying to figure out the mechanics of this new loving.  I really enjoyed the fact that Shane makes a couple of appearances.  His Intimate Submission is sensual eroticism at its best with that sense of discovery.

And from RomanceReader at Seriously Reviewed:

Um, yeah, I want—want Jason, want Lucy, still want Shane. Okay I don’t want the enema but Jason loved it and this book is all about him. I absolutely adored Lucy and the lengths she was willing to go to in order to please Jason. Lucy crossed a few lines that initially made her uncomfortable. In doing so she understands that pleasing her man is incredibly erotic and damn is it ever erotic. In this story you get a very palatable taste of Fem Dom. Ms. Douglas brilliantly reveals the strength and promise of pleasure in submission. While some aspects aren’t typical in any book, including erotica, Ms. Douglas is still tasteful in her descriptions of bodily functions and enemas. Should they be in every book, egads no. but in this case, the elements just worked. As for the love and devotion of Jason and Lucy, they are the characters love stories are made of.

So where have I been? Working the day job, being sick, working the day job and being sick some more… seriously, I’m so over being ill in some manner or form.

First it was a doozy of a cold – which I’d half expected with the whole going back to work thing and exposing myself to all those extra germies – then just as I got that sorted the trees started dropping pollen. Now I’m not sure if it’s just a Florida thing, or maybe a very lower southern states thing, but holy-high-pollen-count-Batman! Everything, and I mean everything, gets coated in a thick layer of fluorescent yellow gack. That yellow gack is pollen, and this year oh-lordy-me did my body decide to have a field day with it. I seriously considered nose removal surgery. Adding into all of that I’ve been having some major tooth/jaw problems – like migraine-put-me-in-a-dark-room-and-let-me-scream problems.

The tooth problems *crossfingers* are the only lingering issue at the moment. And even those I think are on the mend. YAY!

Is it April yet? ‘Cause I’m really quite done with March!

Many of you have been emailing asking after Huntingdawn 3. After the washout writing-wise that was ‘09, these little emails – even if they are as short as ‘when’s the next one?’ totally, and I mean totally make my day. As a reader I know what it’s like when there is a big gap in a series you like, so I just want to say thankyou for putting up with this slow-arsed writer who is finally getting her act together. I won’t give a timeline (mainly because I do hope to break it) but the 3rd book is being actively worked on, with some thoughts for a story a little outside the main prophecy storyline for a certain pesky jaguar cousin.

Oh and if you hadn’t seen earlier posts Dave (from the Diner) and a new girl to town Betty are the main couple in the next story.

First things first, yes, the naughty scenes are pretty good. What I like here is how well Ms Douglas manage to integrate the awkwardness felt by both characters as they try out various sex toys and all in a realistic manner without destroying the momentum or the heat level of those scenes. But what I also enjoy in this story is the insight offered by Ms Douglas into the psychology and dynamic behind the Domme and male submissive relationship. Now, I don’t know how authentic such details are as I’m not familiar with the scene, but I do find them convincing enough in my opinion. It is interesting to learn that being a Domme isn’t just about becoming Xenia Onatopp and punishing the submissive – the Domme also has needs, I learn, and the very act of punishing a submissive sometimes isn’t enough to satisfy those cravings. Ms Douglas goes beyond the stereotypical portrayal of BDSM typical of CSI episodes to introduce the emotional intimacy aspect of such a relationship, and I find the whole thing a most interesting read indeed.

Fun and educational – not bad at all, in my opinion.

While reviews might be for the readers, as the writer I’m feeling pretty happy right about now!

But I walked away from the movie with one big disappointment.

Why-oh-why did the nice, turned-out-to-be-quite-the-hero second husband have to die? It would have been rather refreshing to have a story where for once the poor second husband didn’t get gypped for taking on the first marriage baggage and making it work anyway.

Maybe I’m projecting too much reality into my movie watching desires, after all the amount of divorces that end up in a remarriage are rather slim. I would very much believe a ‘we’ve been able to become friends again’ scenario though.

Especially in 2012, as husband #2 might have been a little bit of a milquetoast safe-bet of a partner after the ups and downs of husband #1, but he stepped up to the plate when push came to shove to save the ones he loved (and some he didn’t). In fact, the story hinges on husband #2’s abilities to be able to fly a plane; yet die—and pretty dramatically—he does.

Do scriptwriters think it’s impossible for viewers to expand their view to encompass an ending where marriage #2 is a winner? Do they think all divorced people are secretly still moping over partner #1?

And why is this the polar reverse to Romanceland?

In Romances it’s traditionally the other way around. The first husband dies (sometimes of a banal reason like she was married off to an old codger and his heart gave out; others because they deserved it for their violent behaviour/actions) leaving the floor clear for that first young love to come back and take his rightful place. It’s not a commonly found story where the heroine was quite happy with marriage #1 and looks back with fondness, love and heartache at having lost their first husband.

Movies often have marriage #2 only exist until partner #1 pulls their head out of their arse, Romance has #1 existing only as a placeholder (and giver of angst/drama) until husband #2 comes along to save the day. I wonder why such different points of view about marriage (and subsequent divorce) #1 from movies to romance reading?

Frankly, I’d not thought to find something as fast as I did – I sent out a resume on Monday, heard from an employer Wednesday, and by Friday I had a job offer in hand. It seems I was just the right person in the right place at the right time, WAHOO! Well, wahoo kinda…

I’d worked right trough my 99/00 pregnancy, then after a few months off had gone back to work again, but then in Sept 2001 we came to the USA. While my husband had a valid visa for work, I didn’t so I became an enforced SAHM. And that way I stayed until Jan 2010. Eight long years out of the workforce, so it was a little nerve wracking to know that in just two days I’d be back amongst the working again.

That first half a week? OMG what a killer – I was in bed and deep asleep by 9pm each night. Last week at least I managed to get all the way through Castle on Monday and Fringe on Thursday Forget about housework… and writing.

This week though I have grand plans of being a together and with-it WOHM. At least an hour each night dedicated to writing – more if I’m not having to prop my eyes open with toothpicks.

It sounds sad to say it, but it’s taking some work to get back to being a normal working person – you know the one that doesn’t fall face first into her bed when she gets home, but first makes dinner, catches a tv show, does some craft/oddjobs (in my instance, filling orders from Anne’s Addictions), and puts some time in on her hobby before heading for some well earned zzz.

I used to be able to, hopefully it won’t take too much longer to get back into the habit ’cause I’ve got stories to get written!

(PS. For the acronym impaired: SAHM – stay at home mother, WAHM – work at home mother, WOHM work out of home mother)

(PPS. I’m back working in an Optometry Practice – oh my, how insurance makes things sooo different)

(PPPS. Nice deal $1 – $49,000, very nice deal $50,000 – $99,000, good deal $100,000 – $250,000, significant deal $251,000 – $499,000, major deal $500,000 and up)

Remember me telling you about the wonderful website May runs, MaleSubmissionArt.com? Well, one of May’s other works is Kink for All (unconferences designed to speak openly, frankly and positively about all types of sexuality) and part of that again is Kink on Tap. Male Submission Art supplied me with many of the images that were used as inspiration for His Intimate Submission. May picked up on some of those link backs and commented here, and from there invited me to talk about being an author wanting to write about male submission in a positive and romantic light (well sort of, HIS is erotica after all ).

So that’s where you’ll find me from about 7.30est tomorrow night – though the show doesn’t officially start until 8pm est. Please do come along and participate in the chat room, the topics will be wide and varied that’s for sure (you can see some of the things tagged for possible discussion on Kink on Tap’s delicious feed). You never know who might be there, and frankly there are some interesting folks, with some interesting kinks that have all sorts of relevant things to say. (Jury’s still out on if I will be at all interesting or relevant )

Now, those changes… Seems I’ve gone and gotten myself a job. More details to come once it’s all official.

Just a touch out there, no? But the mind takes you in strange directions at times

Would it be rude to tell it to bugger off because I’ve gotten exactly one, yes 1 thing of the ten on my list done this year? Hmm,  maybe I should be welcoming it with open arms because, yes, I think 2009 can go on the ‘oh, that year? it was forgettable’ list.

So. Tweeps have been doing this ‘Word for 2010′ thing. This year my word is PullyourheadouttayourarseandDOIT!

That’s not one word? I beg to differ. Productivity.

And she says with great zeal: I WILL be productive this year!

Feel free to publicly flay me if by March there isn’t a new SOLD post on this blog.

The first review for HIS from BookBinge:

“Douglas is very effective at building the foundation of mutual respect and desire between Lucy and Jason. It’s clear in how carefully Lucy researches the lifestyle that she really cares about Jason and wants the experience to be fulfilling for him.”

“…the story features very hot sexual encounters between a couple who are both likeable and clearly seem to care deeply for each other”

And from @girrlitsbooks on twitter: ‘Loved it! Want another story with them! ‘ & ‘loved the characters and the learning IYKWIM’ & ‘It worked for this reader’

And Bookbinge on Curious Intimacies:

‘Anne Douglas has a strong imagination, and while this novella is only 44 pages, it’s well written. Douglas does a nice job of giving the reader enough information about Shane’s friendship with Jason, as well as laying the foundation of Lucy and Jason’s relationship, so that the encounter is plausible.’