Feminism and Submission: Kinky Coexistence #BOAW2018

In the last couple of years there has been a huge resurgence of attention and activism placed on feminism and women’s rights. We’ve had coordinated women’s rights marches, much more discussion around equality in pay, education, and career opportunities.

Yes, as a group we’ve become loud and proud, creating campaigns like #metoo and “Fight Like a Girl” designed to encourage our fellow woman to speak out and share in solidarity to the female sisterhood.

Even in movies we’ve been a force to be reckoned with….bringing out badasses and heroes like Arya, Khaleesi, Rey and Wonder Woman… and other movies like Black Panther and Hidden Figures where the women were strong, smart, and powerful. And this is all amazing. Really!

But I wonder sometimes if, in our battle for equality and power, we’ve lost some sensitivity and somehow managed to push others in our sisterhood into a deeper closet…made them doubt themselves and their acceptance in our new, fierce world.

Submission in a time where we’re calling on the badass women must be so difficult. I mean, living in the often highly misunderstood BDSM world is already tough. They already get the whole…blah, blah, blah…”abuse”,….blah, blah, blah…”Stockholm syndrome” crap from people with no understanding of the “Safe, Sane, and Consensual” lifestyle.

But now, when we’re talking about powerful women, I’m sure that there are many women fighting against their nature because somehow submission in this new world (not that it wasn’t already there a little bit) might make them seem weak or the ‘unfeminist.’ Or maybe their sisters will think maybe they’re not living up to their gender/power roles and are somehow encouraging female oppression, either silently make them feel like an insult or embarrassment to the cause, or outright say it…because they don’t understand.

And they’d be WRONG!

“A submissive is free to do whatever they desire, whenever they desire. Yet even with all their freedom, they choose to kneel. That is why submission is so beautiful.” ~ Unknown

My first contribution to Beauty of a Woman GirlBoner edition was Sacred Sexuality. At that time, I discussed my thoughts about being both a Christian and kinky. Why do I bring it up? Because I believe there’s something pretty sacred about the power exchange, too. Heck, people like to throw around the “wives submit unto your husbands” verses as a reason NOT to embrace Christianity, but I believe they don’t fully understand (or choose not to) the difference between submission and subjugation. Plus, the scriptures also say submit to each other, so it also doesn’t limit itself as a one way path down a gender specific street. Pronouns CAN be exchanged, in my opinion.

“The idea of submission is never meant to allow someone to overstep another’s boundaries. Submission only has meaning in the context of boundaries, for boundaries promote self-control and freedom. If a woman is not free and in control of herself, she is not submitting anyway. She is a slave subject to a slave driver, and she is out of the will of God.” ~ Henry Cloud

Submission is a physical, emotional, and mental act of consciously and deliberately giving oneself over into the loving care of another. Far from weak, it’s one of the hardest things to do, and only the strongest of soul and purpose is capable of giving up so much trust and placing it into a worthy Dominant’s hands.

“Fight for freedom when someone suppresses you.. Be submissive when someone gives freedom for you.” Shivaranjani Murugesan

I think that probably speaks to the strength, beauty , and power of submission pretty well. It takes a strong, self aware woman to willingly and knowingly walk this path. Isn’t that also what being a feminist is about? Knowing and understanding your needs and fearlessly reaching out and grabbing it? Being a trailblazer on a road less travelled? Knowing your true self and knowing what it takes to make yourself happy, then fearlessly reaching out for it, screw the voice of public opinion?

I mean, there’s something exquisitely beautiful about BDSM… It works because there’s an honesty to the relationship that you won’t find in many places. They realize that no one gets through life without a few wounds and scars, fears and insecurity. And it’s about building such a strong foundation in honesty and communication that you don’t hide the realest, ugliest parts of you. Because somehow, in the give and take that happens in such a surrender, they want those parts of you, too…and help you learn to accept and love even those darker parts of your soul that make you uniquely you. And it’s true on both sides of the relationship.

“I want the parts you’ve tried to throw away. The parts you were convinced no one could love.” ~ unknown

To me, the fearless strength a submissive has…to take their power and willingly, knowingly hand it over to someone worthy…well, if that’s not both powerful woman and feminist, I don’t know what is. It’s scary, sure. Misunderstood by many, absolutely. But true to your inner self? A beacon of strength that leaves many a Dominant in awe and grateful for the amazing gift? How could they not be?

Submissive, please don’t let yourself be stifled, squashed, or afraid because of the feminist message. YOU are the embodiment of EVERYTHING that makes a woman both powerful and a survivor.

Be fearlessly you!

This post is part of The Beauty of a Woman BlogFest VII! To read more entries, and potentially win a fun prize, click HERE. on August’s McLaughlin’s site between today and 11pm PST March 9th.

Sending you all Love and Empowerment!

Life’s Too Short

I’m baaccckkkk!

Ok, so many of my friends here noticed my short hiatus turned out not to be so short. And yes. There were a few adventures along the way, but really, deep down, I got stuck again. I somehow found myself living one of my favorite melancholy Manilow songs…

Ok, replace “my woman” with just plain ol’ me (or my inspiration would probably be more accurate) because the other isn’t quite an accurate fit, but you’ll basically get the gist. Once again I allowed myself to get sucked into a career that drained me of some of my most valuable commodities.

Time.

And energy.

And once again it was for people who didn’t even know, understand, or appreciate my personal sacrifices. But that’s in the past.

I took a new job that is not nearly as demanding of my time, nor is it as draining of all my mental capacities. So, despite some personal tragedies along the way that I’m not quite ready to talk about (too fresh), I’m finally getting back to me!

Yesterday was my first time in a long time to post something I’d been inspired to share in quite some time. 1. It was great to be inspired. 2. It was awesome to have time and energy to share. See the theme?

I even got the chance to meet up with a friend for lunch, then brainstorm and information gather from a friend I’ll be using as a resource for my next book! He helped me flesh out characters that would work with the plot line I had envisioned. It felt great!

As always, there’s a song that helped inspire and engage my creativity with this relationship. Apparently it’s from a movie. I’ve never seen it, but the undercurrents spoke to me…

So I’m sorry I’ve been away so long. Hopefully I’ve learned my lesson. I’ve missed you guys. Am I forgiven? What’s new in your worlds?

Virgin, Vanilla, or Virtuoso – It’s All About Sexual Freedom #BOAW16

Being part of August McLaughlin’s Beauty of a Woman, especially the Girl Boner edition gives me a chance for reflection and candid sexual discussion, something I enjoy immensely and hope you do, too. In fact, when you finish here, I challenge you to check out the other participants and what they shared. I guarantee you’ll walk away empowered and enlightened….and now, on to my story.

There’s this myth that says people have to actually have sex to own their sexuality. Once upon a time I may have even agreed with them…but as I’ve matured, I’ve started to view things differently.

Although I didn’t know it at the time, one of my defining moments sexually occurred when I was in my late teens.

If I knew then what I know now, I probably would’ve taken more precautions, but it’s often through living life that we learn those important lessons. At the age of 18, I had no idea that one little experience with slightly younger (he was 17) boyfriend would give me the beginners guide to my preferred sexual kinks.

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon. I was hanging out with my boyfriend and our mutual best friend. Because of my constant “take charge” attitude, our best friend thought it would be a hilarious gag to give me a set of thumb cuffs to play with. I don’t think, in a million years, he thought I’d actually do anything. But I did.

Like any typical hormone crazed teenager, that afternoon was spent making out with the boyfriend. My best friend was laying across my living room sofa, so we were laying on the carpet. My best friend, ever the comedian, threw a blanket over us and told us to “get a room.”

I remember the blanket dropping and the comment because it managed to momentarily break up the kiss as we laughed. But the implied privacy also sent a thrill of daring through me. Before my boyfriend knew exactly what was happening, I was straddling his hips (He was 6′ to my 5’3″), my fingers twined in his, and his hands were raised over his head while I controlled our kiss. He didn’t even realize that I’d snapped the thumb cuffs on, effectively trapping him to the couch leg until he felt the metal touch his skin.

Yup. I had that whole 6′ tall male gymnast’s body at my mercy to play with as I chose. And I teased him, exploring his body with my hands and mouth to my heart’s content and he was powerless to stop me.

Looking back I think– Wow.

He should’ve had a safe word. Except we didn’t even know what that was back then.

It also solidified in my mind that I got off on the sexual power. I got off on taking a much bigger, stronger guy than me and bending him to my will, his pleasure and pain at my mercy.

As I looked backward, I also realized I thrived on both the audience and the threat of being caught. Danger and exhibitionism did it for me in a big way.

I was lucky. That particular boyfriend’s kinks lined up with mine. The “Wow! Oh My God, that was amazing. When can we do it again” were definite clues. My use of bondage had him hard enough to pound nails. My teasing him mercilessly and using his body as my own personal playground, making him beg, drove him wild with lust. We both thrilled at the power exchange that we didn’t quite understand.

Now, knowing what I do, I realize that the only smart things we did that day were making sure he could communicate or say no and having someone else in the room to witness or stop things should they have gotten out of control or gone wrong.

That day taught me what I liked. It led me to explore Dominance and submission more deeply, especially since it seemed practically ingrained into my DNA. And it taught me to communicate.

And every woman’s epiphany is going to be different, just as their experiences. What’s become most clear is that the most important things are a willingness to learn, self awareness, and communication.

For me, there’s nothing sexier than knowing someone who can easily overpower me voluntarily gives up his control to me in order for me to bring us both intense pleasure. For someone else it could be something completely different.

And it doesn’t matter if you’re still a virgin (hey, masturbation could be your kink, or it could be that you don’t have much of a drive-and that’s okay!) or not. Heck, maybe kink isn’t your thing… Whatever it is, own it. Celebrate it.

Share your thoughts and fantasies with your partner (if you have one). Be self aware… Look into yourself and don’t be afraid to embrace your inner sex goddess…in whatever form she may take.

You deserve it, and you’re worth it!

If you’re feeling brave, I’d love to hear from you… What prompted your sexual awakening? When did you realize that’s what it was?

Hey, Stranger! Let Me Introduce Myself… #Hello2016

Bonjour! I hope everyone’s having a stellar new year so far.

When Anna over at Herding Cats & Burning Soup came up with this idea for a blog hop, I was pretty stoked! Basically, here’s how this one goes. In this hop, we’re to introduce you to fun, quirky things about ourselves and/or our blogs. Not the boring, obvious stuff like I’m an erotica writer who can turn practically anything into innuendo….but more random, surprising, or maybe disturbing things. PLUS, we give stuff away AND a lot of cool authors and bloggers are involved.

Is there anything better than FUN & FREE?

So here goes….

Image courtesy of Karen Shaw at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My biggest fear is not blood or guts or gore…. If you want to see me get all weak, girly, and scream like someone murdered me (aka not in the good, orgasmic way)… watch me when I see a frog. I completely lose my dignity. Don’t believe? Read about it….HERE.

I don’t care what anyone thinks. They. Are. NOT. Cute!

In a past life I worked for a hospital for several years. The tales I tell are both comical and a bit disconcerting with the strange things people have done…Check it OUT!

On a personal level?

Yup! I AM that girl that pretty much turns everything into a song. This was a little snippet from my wedding day. My sister gave me a hug, and someone said something like…”Awww, look at the sisters…” Which caused me to break into this song, and my sister to chime in. Yes, it’s a family thing. I come by it naturally.

The strange? Cause, ya know…. There had to be the strange, right?

My biggest insecurity body image insecurity came from my feet. I hated them with a passion. Felt they were ugly….until I met a foot fetishist who helped me view my feet in a different way. Here’s THAT story.

As for what most consider my most contradictory characteristic? I guess it’s the fact that despite writing ménage erotica, I don’t consider my very outspoken, focused belief in the Freak Flag, letting it fly to contradict my very passionate belief in Christianity and my faith. In fact, I wrote about that, too. It even got me on GirlBoner radio with August McLaughlin.

Anyway…. that’s a bit about me. Now, to tell you what I’m giving away and how to qualify.

I’m feeling generous. I’m giving away 3 books. Two are mine. (Three For All & Four One Night) The third? It’s a project I was honored enough to participate in… all about empowering female sexuality. This is a subject near and dear to my heart. The book? Embraceable: Empowering Facts and True Stories About Women’s Sexuality. They are all in ebook format.

To win, I want you to share something unique and personal about yourself with me. Something that might surprise people, or maybe what you’re passionate about, or which body issues you’ve overcome. It doesn’t matter as long as it’s in the spirit of getting to know each other.

And if you want a chance at more prizes? Check out the link below and visit the other participants!

@NBlackthorne is Wild, Wicked, and Wanton

 

*** Limited Time

Special Pre-Order Price ~ .99 ~

Join the Facebook Party

and enter to win an Amazon Gift Card, please

click here for more information.

 

*** Limited Time

Special Pre-Order Price ~ .99 ~

Erotic Romance set in Regency Era

America with heroines who are Wild, Wicked and Wanton.

She wanted

just one naughty carriage ride…

 

Beth McConnell has a secret.

Sometimes in the afternoons, she escapes the drudgery of her family’s

shop and seduces wealthy gentlemen. One encounter is all Beth allows.

She must leave them burning.

When she boldly seduces Grey

Sexton, a powerful shipping magnate, Beth finds his ice-over-fire

combination of ironclad self-control and sensual indulgence too

tempting to resist. Surely, one or two more clandestine trysts

wouldn’t hurt?

But Grey Sexton demands more. His possessive

determination to own her, body and soul, threatens to expose her erotic life. To give into his demands means losing her good name

and her place in her brother’s home…everything she holds dear. She

must turn away, for she knows that a poor girl can never afford to

trust her heart to a gentleman.

Reader Advisory: Grey’s Lady

is an erotic / hot historical romance. It contains scenes of

frequent, explicit sex and graphic sexual language. It contains a

non-traditional romance plot and an  unconventional heroine.

 

White

Lace and Promises

 

New York Merchant Prince Grey Sexton

loves the audacious, spirited young temptress who seduced him in a

Philadelphia bookseller’s and made passionate love to him in his

carriage. Her fiery nature broke through his cold self-protection.

Beth McConnell loves her husband-to-be very much, yet she

wonders if she will ever be able to present herself as the

respectable lady he needs for his wife.

What started out as a

secret, tumultuous affair has blossomed into something neither of

them can live without. But under the strains created by the

differences in their social rank, they begin to have serious doubts

about the future. And dark secrets from their past threaten to tear

them apart.

Can their love prevail?

 

Reader Advisory: Erotic Romance,

graphic sexual content, frank sexual slang.

Alex’s Angel

 

In the wake of a devastating epidemic,

sheltered Emily Eliot finds herself alone, making her own decisions

for the first time. When desperation leads her to sell her virtue,

she walks straight into trouble.

Enter one gorgeous, golden

haired gentleman bent on protecting her.

Alexander Dalton

came to the Blue Duck Tavern seeking to lose himself in sexual

pleasure. But when he saw the delicate and vulnerable young woman, he

couldn’t turn away.

Emily is alarmed by her own intense

responses as this charismatic and carnal man introduces her to erotic

pleasure. Having lived as a virtual prisoner of her grandmother’s

suffocating manipulation, Emily bridles under Alex’s possessive,

protectiveness. And Alex’s charming smile hides a dark secret that

could destroy their chance at happiness.

Reader Advisory: Erotic romance,

graphic sexual content, frank sexual slang, sensual spanking.

Emily’s

Seduction

Book Four in the Wild, Wicked and Wanton Series

Love is the most seductive sacrifice of all. Before

he can share his deepest, darkest secrets with her, he has to show

her what seduction truly means.

For the first time in

a long time, Alex is genuinely happy. He’s found a woman he can love.

Now he wants only to enjoy his life. But the past won’t let him go.

His dark secrets threaten to engulf him. Yet how can he tell his

innocent fiancée about the horrific things he’s experienced?

Emily finds herself locked in a battle with the

darkness that appears to hold Alex captive. As he reveals more of his

inner torment, as he seduces her into carnal decadence, she wonders

who is this man she’s so desperately in love with.

 

Can

their love survive this intense journey of erotic exploration,

shocking revelations and unsettling discoveries?

*** Reader

Advisory ***

Emily’s Seduction is an Erotic / Hot Historical

Romance and contains frequent scenes of explicit sex and uses graphic

language. Emily’s Seduction also features sensual spanking, toys,

voyeurism and one scene of ménage MfM. The characters discuss

backstory issues of abuse, slavery and violence.

Add

the Wild, Wicked and Wanton Series Bundle by Natasha Blackthorne to

Goodreads.

**Available on Kindle

Unlimited **

Pre-Order: .99 Amazon US

Pre-Order: £0.99 Amazon UK

Pre-Order: CDN $1.31 Amazon CA

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

 

Natasha Blackthorne

Natasha Blackthorne writes hot & sensual Erotic

Historical Romance where deeply flawed characters find love &

trust. Her stories are most frequently about the intimate journey of

the characters as they learn to open their hearts to love.

Natasha’s heroines are not perfect ladies. They are

wildflowers and wallflowers who flirt with the forbidden. Whether

they are bold or shy, these heroines’ strong desires and deep

emotions drive the plot and drive their heroes to the point of no

return. Natasha’s heroes are strong and dominant and live their

lives with strength and purpose. They support their women in

everything.

Natasha holds a B.A. in History, loves reading, cats

and music. Readers are welcomed to Friend her on Facebook where she

is most socially active online.

Facebook

I Amazon

Author Page I Website

I Reader’s

Group I Twitter I

New Releases

I Goodreads

 

#RockinReads Giveaway and Tattooed Baristas

I have several major passions…. Most of you who’ve stopped by my page pretty regularly know that one of my big addictions is coffee. In fact, it’s a big part of what began a beautiful friendship with one of my favorite authors (who has since become a friend), Lissa Matthews.

We have a mutual passion for coffee, experimenting in the kitchen, hotties…and she’s a terrific writer. I was a total fan girl first. She made my day the first time she responded to one of my Tweets. Her Blue Jeans and Hard Hats series is one of my all time favorites. Her Simple Need series? A close second… And don’t even get me started on how much I love her gay romances. Yum!

And then she comes out with this awesome new series that surrounds some of our favorite commonalities. How could I not share something with a cover this HAWT and a story this fun?

Don’t believe me? Check out this blurb:

Derek Forrester couldn’t lie his way out of a paper bag, but somehow he’s managed to convince his less than approving high society mother of his engagement to the teal haired, dangerously curved, tattoo covered, coffee cart owning girl named Peggy.

Peg, not ‘Peggy’, is far from amused by Derek’s fib, but the way he kissed, left her wondering what might have been if she hadn’t been paid to play along.

The stakes are higher than the original bargaining price, a new business is getting off the ground, and it’s going to take a whole lot more than caffeine to get through this wedded mess.

Sounds like terrific fun, right? The Tattooed Barista has one of the coolest, most unique covers I’ve seen in a long time and I’m in love with it.

Want a chance to win a copy? I want you to share your favorite coffee shop drink and the title to one of Lissa Matthews’ books that YOU think is most intriguing based on the cover or blurb…or if you’ve read her stuff. You have until the end of September 30th EST to qualify to win!

And if you haven’t met Lissa yet, Stop by her Facebook or Twitter and say hello. Not for points. Just because she’s cool as $hit….and tell her I’ve been bragging on her and how amazing I think she is.

And if you’re looking for more books to win? CLICK the button below. It will guide you to other participating blogs!

The Unique Tale Self Discovery and Sexual Awakening by @MeganReel

Those of you who regularly read my blog posts already know that I’m all about female empowerment and sexuality, so when a friend told me that there was a book that whose premise I might find very intriguing, I thought, “why not?” I’m all about discovering something new and fun, especially if it also allows me to support a fellow author.

So I looked the book up.

Not gonna lie. I balked for a second because, let’s be real. The cover’s kind of unfortunate. And I’m a bit of a cover whore (yes, Anna Cade, we share that in common). But, I decided to try to overlook the aesthetic and give it a shot anyway.

I’m soooo glad I did!

Here’s the low down skinny on this book. The very beginning of The Queen was a little confusing and slow as the author, Megan Reel, laid the foundation for the world she’s building…but it quickly evened out into one of the more intriguing premises I’ve read in a long time!

Truth is, it was very interesting to me to read a unique version of a matriarchal society where the peace of a nation was held in the hands of a lone female ruler. And here’s the female fantasy kicker: The Queen was expected to take 6 male consorts– all masked, unknown to her (and the rest of her country), and representing different, sensual animalistic features. Technically their purpose is to give her a female heir to take the crown.

But that’s where it gets really tasty, not to mention exciting…. Because as “peaceful” as everything is supposed to be, there’s definitely intrigue in the form of an assassination threat on her head. All of this is occurring at an annual feast that this country puts on in celebration of the men that the Queen (who is a virgin due to gaining the throne at an early age after her mother is killed) will be given as consorts.

Alendra, the Queen, is outwardly self possessed, intent on following her mother’s footsteps. She’d been told that her control and regal demeanor are key. That she should keep herself separated and untouched by the world around her. But, like many of us, she’s NOT her mother. She’s both passionate and a bit of afraid of her own desires, but determined in her self discovery. So she seeks guidance in overcoming her fears of the unknown and rediscovers a mysterious friend from her youth who challenges her and pushes her to think more; be more.

And then the icing on the cake came as her own sexual awakening came in the form of a night of sexual decadence and bliss, fulfilling so many of the various fantasies we, as women, have about taking and being taken.

The cherry topper? This is just the beginning of this series, and I’m dying of curiosity to see where Megan Reel takes us next!

So, although it was a bit of a slow start, it definitely turned on the heat and left you wanting more. Hopefully, the next cover will tease the senses the way that the author did between the pages!

Yes, I’m saying I would definitely recommend this book. What about you guys? What book turned out to be much more than the cover for you? Are you a cover whore? Is there a new author you’d care to share with me?

Bringing on @beth_teliho and Her Beautiful Book

Have y’all met my fun, feisty friend, Beth Teliho?

No?

Well it’s time to fix that. She’s a great friend, a brilliant blogger, and an up and coming author. So, of course, when I found out her book was finally making it’s much awaited appearance I just had to invite her to get to know you guys. (And did I forget to mention she’s also generous? She left a chance to win a prize if you hang out….)

So, without further ado, the brilliant and beautiful Beth Teliho!

Hey everybody! Thanks for having me. Kitt asked me to share a bit about my book, so here goes.

Imagine yourself as eighteen again. No, really. Think about that time in your life. All the uncertainties. The trepidation and excitement mixed with insecurity and fear. The angst. Hormones charging through your veins like bulls, twisting and turning your emotions on a dime. The yearning to find yourself and understand who you are.

What if on top of all that you also had an enormous secret? One that no one else in the world knows except an empath, who also happens to be your brother. Not even your parents…or a single friend.

Imagine this secret so encompassing, it swallows the rest of your world whole, like the sun’s shadow eclipsing the moon. Other experiences are muted as a result. You feel empty and desperate; you’re disconnected from your family, and unable to make friendships.

You exist in a figurative cave. The only beacon of hope is the sliver of light your secret provides. The secret you love as much as you hate. The secret that robs you like a thief in the night while providing the air you breathe.

And even though you tried desperately to research information about it…you’re left with nothing. Zero. Nada. Nil.

Because it has no name. It has no support group. In fact, it doesn’t appear to exist anywhere else in the world. Which is why even if you could tell someone…you wouldn’t. They’d think you were insane.

Can you envision this? Are you feeling the immense pressure on your chest, squeezing your lungs? Feel the crushing isolation? The bitter angst in your veins, boiling with rage?

Good. You’ve just entered the world of Devi Bennett, the main character of Order of Seven.

But the secret isn’t Devi’s only problem. There’s also her unknown heritage, a reoccurring dream about an African tribal ceremony that’s plagued her since childhood, and an inexplicable connection to a certain tree. Mysteries that she hopes can be explained by finding her biological family.

“My older brother, Nodin, remembers more than me.

But I have something he doesn’t. 

I have the dream.”

Then she meets Baron, an intense and alluring energy healer, whose prophetic dreams seem to be connected to her.

“Two days ago I didn’t even know this man.

Now his absence is an earthquake.”

But when one of his visions leads to an ancient legend that could link to her birthright, she learns her secret may be more imperative than she ever thought imaginable.

“The air seems to suck out of the room, leaving a silence so loud it’s screaming.”

Order of Seven is a unique, edge-of-your-seat novel that intricately weaves, adventure, danger, mystery, magic, love, religion, hope, self- discovery, family, and fate into a ride you won’t soon forget.

You won’t read this book. You will eat it. Drink it. Inhale it.

You will live it. Real time. Through Devi’s eyes.

It will crawl under your skin and consume you. Let it.

This is the kind of possession you want.

BETH TELIHO is a writer, artist and tree hugger who lives in Texas with her husband and two adventurous sons. Restless in the mundane, she writes about the abnormal, paranormal and otherwise fantastical because that’s what quickens her heartbeat. She laughs at inappropriate jokes, and prefers spicy food and margaritas to almost anything. One day, she hopes to live in a treehouse, where she can be an eccentric introvert with at least seven cats.

Blog: www.bethteliho.me

Facebook: www.facebook.com/writerbisme

Twitterverse: @beth_teliho

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/bethteliho

If ya wanna shot at Beth’s prize, just click:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spring Giveaway and Vacation Talk #lvlspringgiveaway

Spring is here and it’s time for a big giveaway from Laughing Vixen Lounge. 11 shops have come together to create one amazing Prize Pack ($280+) full of Jewelry, Perfume, Clothing, Vintage and much more! Many of the shops offer items perfect for any book lover along with lots of other unique, handcrafted and custom designs.

The Fabulous Spring Giveaway is open worldwide. 1 winner will win the Prize Pack. You can enter via the Rafflecopter below. Please visit the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog and the Main Giveaway Post HERE to see the full prize list, participating shops and daily features during the giveaway.

Since Summer is right around the corner the giveaway theme is Vacation Memories. Each of our participating shops, and many of our blog sponsors, will be sharing some of their favorite vacation photos with you.

At A Cowboys Game

Snorkeling in the Bahamas…

Hubby & me at Trump Tower in Chicago

Fabulous vacation at the Atlantis with hubby.

 

Giveaway runs May 4th – 18th. Laughing Vixen Lounge is responsible for all giveaway details. See full details HERE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

V is for Virginity

Do you remember when you lost your virginity? Was it anything like you imagined it would be?

I remember that once upon a time, I thought it would be this big, sexy romantic deal. You know, planned out. Lots of candles and ambiance and romance. In the early stages of puberty I was torn between whether I wanted to lose it on my wedding night the way I was told “a good little girl” did or if I would simply wait till I was in love.

Although my virginity story wasn’t all candlelight and roses, it was definitely memorable in a good way.

It was also with the guy who I would eventually marry.

Yeah, yeah…. I was a total cock tease in my youth, but for some reason my virginity needed to mean something to me. I wanted it to be important to the person I chose to share it with. I’d only have it once. So I chose someone I loved. Someone who cherished me enough to take the time to make sure I was already overwhelmed with pleasure (aka orgasm) before he popped the cherry…making the endorphins and pain blend into something that was kinda sexy hawt.

The reality is that not everyone’s like me.

One of my best friends decided to wait till she got married. She doesn’t regret it. She now has two children and is perfectly thrilled to still be experimenting and exploring all sorts of fun sexiness with her man.

Another one wanted to lose her virginity to a stranger…because she imagined the whole process to be awkward, mildly painful, and embarrassing. She figured with a stranger she wouldn’t have to see him again if it turned out to be everything she pictured.

Was she wrong to think that way? Was I? What about my other friend?

Nope. None of us were.

There’s no right or wrong way to lose your cherry. The funny thing you realize thought? Regardless of what works for you (and it is all about what’s right for you), I’ve learned that it’s always memorable…

So now it’s your turn to share. What did you picture and how did it actually turn out? Regrets? No?