50 Shades my way.

[lovecraft68]

I loathe 50 Shades of Gray, I loathe everything about it from the 12 year old style of writing, to the simpering spineless bag of bones Ana who sets the women's rights movement back 40 years to Christian Gray who is not a Master, but an arrogant bully who did not train this girl, but bought her.

Yet, for all of that Shades inspired me. It inspired me to dig out a two year old outline that I felt I wasn't good enough to flesh out and finish. I spot read several chapters of Shades and said "Shit, I can be as bad as this!" I then sat back and said "Why not me? Why not now?" Most of all I said bitching and shaking your fist makes you look like a whiner and a loser, but putting your hands up and getting into the fight is another story.

So today my version of Shades launched on Amazon. In a sense Shades has another influence on me. Romance. I am a Satanist, therefore all about selling my soul to obtain what I want. In my outline, book two of this projected trilogy had a lot of romance, book one was very dark.

Because of Shades success in the I hate to say it, but "mommy" porn crowd, I changed my plan and book one has a romantic storyline that runs alongside the introduction of a secret BDSM group, so I sold out a bit and am trying to give the audience what they seem to enjoy.

Now where I held my ground is the sex. Although there is some Lovemaking there is plenty of hardcore sex and no female says "down there"

Also unlike the weak spineless twit Ana, my female characters are all strong willed and take it to the men just as the men can take it to the women. I have occasionally put my foot in my mouth by saying Shades is insulting to women to me. I can't explain it seemingly without pissing people off here (yes you Ms. Omega), but trust me ladies, my heart is in the right place and I don't like how Shades portrays Ana as a version of not a sub, but a spouse in an abusive relationship.

This book is long, 682 kindle pages, and because of that Amazon gives a very long preview. Basically you can read the first 3 chapters for the bubble. That includes 2 sex scenes, one pretty rough and one playful.

I will not post the link here as it would just be target practice for certain "friends" of mine and I'll end up with one star reviews. However if anyone here is curious about it pm me and I will be happy to send you the link and maybe you can let me know what you think from the preview(and of course feel free to buy! I wouldn't stop you!)

Why am I posting this? Well admittedly a little shameless promotion(which I have no issue with as there are authors running around with their entire library in their sigs), but mainly because I want to encourage people to take their shots. E.L James is not a good writer, Shades is not a good story and many here have slammed it for its poor portrayal of certain things.

yet despite that she has made millions(and kudos to her for that I begrudge no one success) and the book has become lightning in a bottle. Now there is some other book coming out of the UK that is catching fire.

The time is now for BDSM, but hopefully some of the books that can follow in this train wrecks footsteps can be better. So if you're a writer here, don't defeat yourself and don't ever tell yourself(or let anyone tell you) that you can't do it.

I am also posting this because recently I lost someone close to me who's favorite expression was "you can talk about it with the rest of the bitches or you can jump into the fight and take your fucking shot. It is upsetting to me that they could not be here to see this book up and for sale, but at least they got to read the finished manuscript.

This is my shot, for good bad or indifferent, I can look in the mirror and say I did it. I encourage more people to do the same. No one knows how much time we have here and we all need to enjoy it to the fullest and take our shots when we can.

Thank you for humoring me.

LC

 

[Stella_Omega]

If it's what I read snippets of- I can endorse it. I thought it was well written, struck a good balance between the roles being played out in the situation and the awareness of real life outside the mansion (and thank you for that! A very rare thing! ) and yes, very strong women. And men.

 

[lovecraft68]

If it's what I read snippets of- I can endorse it. I thought it was well written, struck a good balance between the roles being played out in the situation and the awareness of real life outside the mansion (and thank you for that! A very rare thing! ) and yes, very strong women. And men.

Thank you Stella, although we have disagreed on some things, your opinion means a lot which is why I sought it out, (so yes this is what you looked at)

Thank you again

 

[catalina_francisco]

Good luck with it. LOL, the more I read the nasty Shades trilogy, the more I found myself mulling over the many threads we have had from would be writers who want to include BDSM but have no idea how to, so ask us their questions and for input and/or advice so they can continue writing their tale. Keep wondering if E L James was one of them, and if so, which one? She has said she did a lot of research on the internet.

Catalina

 

[Stella_Omega]

She probably did it on livejournal, where all the fanfic writers hang out.

On LJ there are communities of BDSM writers that really know what they are talking about, and there are communities of BDSM writers who don't know jack shit, but keep passing the same half truths and misapprehensions back and forth.

 

[desertslave]

She probably did it on livejournal, where all the fanfic writers hang out.

On LJ there are communities of BDSM writers that really know what they are talking about, and there are communities of BDSM writers who don't know jack shit, but keep passing the same half truths and misapprehensions back and forth.

My daughter's primary hangout, since Jr. High, is LJ.

I find the mechanics of the site to be annoying and more trouble than it's worth. Except she's gotten me hooked on ONTD_P, which seems to be a better news and science source than almost anywhere else.

 

[FloggingMolly]

Would love to have a read. I need something that isn't going to wake the baby as I yell 'its called aftercare, dickhead!'

 

[lovecraft68]

Would love to have a read. I need something that isn't going to wake the baby as I yell 'its called aftercare, dickhead!'

Honestly, the "down there" just kept eating at me.

First off that any 19 year old would say it and worse that Mr Domly of Domerville (as Stella always says) wouldn't make her say pussy.

Anyway I maybe read a total of 80 pages spread out across the book. it was enough. I also never critique a person's writing because I'm not saying I'm the greatest by any means, but the child like style got to me, felt like I could be reading Nancy Drew.

Hmm Nancy Drew and the mystery of Down There. Plot bunny anyone?

 

[sweepthefloor]

I am going to write a book called: Fifty Shades of My Face Fucked Up, and see if I can make some money.

 

[Mads]

If its ok with you, lovecraft, I'll have a looky once Molly has the link.

 

[Xelebes]

It is simply a story of Anna falling for Vronsky without the reassurance that Vronsky ultimately destroys her in her folly, leaving those who pine for their own Vronskys satisfied.

 

[Bandit58]

I'm tempted to write a book called "50 Shades of Bullshit"

 

[BiBunny]

It is simply a story of Anna falling for Vronsky without the reassurance that Vronsky ultimately destroys her in her folly, leaving those who pine for their own Vronskys satisfied.

Ugh. Vronsky is the whiniest little bitch who ever bitched a bitch. If that's the kind of thing that passes as a dom with the horny housewives these days, then I'm glad I'm a freak show.

 

[lovecraft68]

Ugh. Vronsky is the whiniest little bitch who ever bitched a bitch. If that's the kind of thing that passes as a dom with the horny housewives these days, then I'm glad I'm a freak show.

Sadly it seems to be.

I also ran into the other type of person who is driving these sales "The Lemming"

I posted on another thread that at a recent party my wife's cousin was telling me she was reading it so after my eye roll Iasked what she thought. She said she hated it.

She's an english teacher and said the writing was painful to her, said Ana was a pathetic female that made her embarrassed to be a woman and Gray was an arrogant bully.

She then said she was just starting the second book.

I asked why the hell she was reading it if the writing sucked, but mainly because she hated the characters.
Her answer?

Everyone else at work is talking about it, I want to talk about it to.

I then proceeded to sell her my prime vacation real estate, offered her a glass of kool aid and told her to meet me for a bridge jumping party.

Really I did,.....I'd been drinking.

 

[catalina_francisco]

Sadly it seems to be.

I also ran into the other type of person who is driving these sales "The Lemming"

I posted on another thread that at a recent party my wife's cousin was telling me she was reading it so after my eye roll Iasked what she thought. She said she hated it.

She's an english teacher and said the writing was painful to her, said Ana was a pathetic female that made her embarrassed to be a woman and Gray was an arrogant bully.

She then said she was just starting the second book.

I asked why the hell she was reading it if the writing sucked, but mainly because she hated the characters.
Her answer?

Everyone else at work is talking about it, I want to talk about it to.

I then proceeded to sell her my prime vacation real estate, offered her a glass of kool aid and told her to meet me for a bridge jumping party.

Really I did,.....I'd been drinking.

LOL, so finally, someone else presents evidence of what I was saying (and being jumped on for) about humans being prone to feeling the need to follow what everyone else is supposedly doing, hence likely a huge proportion of those who are or have read it. Sad really, but not new if you know human nature and patterns.

Catalina

 

[catalina_francisco]

I'm tempted to write a book called "50 Shades of Bullshit"

You could become a millionaire overnight, especially with the right publicity and friends!!

Catalina

 

[ecstaticsub]

Work was really slow last night and one of the young technicians took out a book she was reading. Yep, it was the 2nd 50 Shades book. The interesting thing was the conversation among the technicians about the book. I just sat quietly at my desk and listened in. Someone recommended to her the Sleeping Beauty trilogy and then someone else mentioned The Story of O. There seemed to be great interest, even a hunger among them for BDSM themed stories.

50 Shades of Grey may be a poorly written book but if it makes more people interested in reading erotica this is great for all authors who write BDSM stories.

 

[Xelebes]

Ugh. Vronsky is the whiniest little bitch who ever bitched a bitch. If that's the kind of thing that passes as a dom with the horny housewives these days, then I'm glad I'm a freak show.

Remember, Vronsky was intense. But so was Nikolai. Vronsky could woo Princess but not for too long as Princess was awaiting marriage. Anna had a lifeless marriage all buggered up by the maintenance of class and so could be strung along a lot further. The maintenance of class and fantasising about the outside seems to be a big theme for a lot of class-conscious women.

 

[BiBunny]

Remember, Vronsky was intense. But so was Nikolai. Vronsky could woo Princess but not for too long as Princess was awaiting marriage. Anna had a lifeless marriage all buggered up by the maintenance of class and so could be strung along a lot further. The maintenance of class and fantasising about the outside seems to be a big theme for a lot of class-conscious women.

You're right about the class-conscious thing. And I will agree that Vronsky was intense--intensely a bitch.

I'd have rather had Nikolai, alcoholism, tuberculosis, and all. But I suppose that's why I'm not the target audience for this book, huh?

Also, having this bit of conversation in a thread about this book is the reason that I love Lit, in a nutshell.

 

[Netzach]

Am I a dork that I'm actually kind of stoked about the new Anna film? It seems like they're even doing the Kitty/Levin storyline maybe maybe, which is the one I love.

Wuthering Heights and Anna K. Two books that will never have their second halves made movie.

 

[BiBunny]

Am I a dork that I'm actually kind of stoked about the new Anna film? It seems like they're even doing the Kitty/Levin storyline maybe maybe, which is the one I love.

Wuthering Heights and Anna K. Two books that will never have their second halves made movie.

OMG, THEY'RE MAKING A NEW MOVIE?!?!?!?!

Yay!

I love Kitty and Levin's storyline, too. They were the only reason I even made it through the book. Anna and Vronsky were nigh on intolerable to me from the get-go.

 

[FireKrystals]

Anyone else see that they are trying to make 50 shades trilogy into a movie.......*vomit* they have producers and are now looking for actors and actresses. People can even vote on who they think would be best.....I smell another "John Carpenter of Mars" failure ^_^. I personally loved the books honestly, but thought that it also wasn't true to the dom thing. In my opinion he was way to lenient and she was like bella from the twilight books. Loved those to I must say, but think both books had character flaws int he main heroines.

 

[lovecraft68]

Anyone else see that they are trying to make 50 shades trilogy into a movie.......*vomit* they have producers and are now looking for actors and actresses. People can even vote on who they think would be best.....I smell another "John Carpenter of Mars" failure ^_^. I personally loved the books honestly, but thought that it also wasn't true to the dom thing. In my opinion he was way to lenient and she was like bella from the twilight books. Loved those to I must say, but think both books had character flaws int he main heroines.

I think the movie had potential to be better than the books, but only if taken seriously.

They will rush the shit out of this thing, make a ton of money the first weekend then not care beyond that.

If they were smart, which they are not. They would not rush the movie.

They would let sales and hype die out, then make the movie and send another wave of sales through to the books (ala Girl with a Dragon Tattoo)

But they are not smart and will continue to cram this down the consumers throat until you puke.

You knwo how bad they're pushing this on amazon? You know when you buy an e-book they put people who bought this also bought this? or advertise similar books?

My wife bought a book on "angel numbers" (yeah I know what is she doing with me?) well all over the bottom of that page was nothing but shades.

Even worse? there were spots to advertise 6 books. Know what was there? Shades 1-3 then the box set then shades 1 and two again. Are you kidding?

 

[FireKrystals]

AHAHAH yeah. That's how I found out about it. Every in the hospital I was working in be they female were reading them and gushing about them. I had to pick um up. I bought the trilogy bundle since it was cheaper then each book individually, being the penny pincher that I am, I bought the bundle ^_^, so of course I had to read all 3. My OCD doesn't allow me not to finish something after I start it . I found it an exciting 2 day time filler, but after I finished them I started thinking abotu the content and realized it was a little unrealistic to think a dom would be like that. But I am a hopeless romantic . Yeah it's pathetic. you have to spend 60$ extra to get a kindle without advertisements.....

 

[Xelebes]

OMG, THEY'RE MAKING A NEW MOVIE?!?!?!?!

Yay!

I love Kitty and Levin's storyline, too. They were the only reason I even made it through the book. Anna and Vronsky were nigh on intolerable to me from the get-go.

You have to remember that Tolstoy wrote the Anna-Vronsky story in a lamenting tone where nothing would go right even from the point of them falling in love.