Getting Back in Sync

Posted on by toricarson

Toward the end of last summer, our son moved in with us while his house was being built. Though it was nice having him around, it definitely cut into our kink. For years now, we haven’t had to worry about how loud we were or whether a scene was enclosed in the privacy of our bedroom.

Mid December his home was ready and we returned to kinky DINKs. We bought our first piece of ‘fuck furniture’. Now we’ve transformed a lot of normal things into BDSM toys before, but this was the first piece of substantial furniture we’ve bought for the purpose of playing. He’s discretely hidden eye-bolts to the frame as tie off points for bondage. Of course the legs will be incorporated also.

My Love has spent considerable time designing scenes and we’re getting back into the groove. Thankfully, we’re falling into sync rather easily. My stress level is down and I’m able to write again. 2018 is off to a good start. Let’s up the momentum continues.

Time to get moving…

Posted on by toricarson

Since my sister passed away in May, I’ve been in a holding pattern. I haven’t been able to write much of anything and what I have written I’ve erased a few days later.

When Totally Bound announced that Against the Rules was going to be included in their partnership with WHSmith, I thought finally…something to get my head out of the clouds. This will give me the push I needed to get writing again.

Nope. The desire was there, but nothing would pass from my fingers to the keyboard.

Friday I got a message from my publisher. They want Against the Grain. They want to know what to expect after Against the Grain. I’ve been putting them off since I lost my friend in November. I’m now eight months late. Against the Grain is about half finished.

Saturday I sent my editor a message saying I’m trying. Please have patience with me.

I think about the story all the time, but for seconds instead of the hours that it needs to be. My concentration is shot. I feel like a butterfly flittering from one thought to the next. My focus is gone.

Yesterday my husband and I spent a lovely afternoon together. We cooked and read to each other. We were able to spend several hours of couple time. No projects, work, or children interrupting us. I feel more like my old self than I have in a months. It was much needed. For both of us.

Today I’m going to write. Eliza and Sam have been bouncing around in my head all morning. They’re telling me it’s time to get moving. They want their story written.

Wish me luck!

10:30 PM – Today was one of my best writing days ever. 5202 words. Thanks everyone for your well wishes. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.

Instant replay

Posted on by toricarson

If you’ve been following the saga of my matchmaking attempts, you know that the first meet fell short of the fourth of July style fireworks I’d hoped for.

After listening to the Monday morning quarterback versions from each friend, I have to admit I may have jumped to the wrong conclusions. It seems all is not lost. There was some attraction going on from both sides. I can see why instant replay was invented for sports events. I obviously had my head turned away from the action a time or two and missed the play entirely.

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Since I haven’t been on a date in 35 years, I’m convinced I’m not qualified to referee the dating game.It’s so much easier in a book where you can get into the head of one or more characters and know what’s really going on. Better still, if you’re the author and you have a modicum of control.

There’s no date for the second scrimmage. If and when it occurs, I’ll give you my game summary–flawed as it may be 🙂

Good Writing Day

Posted on by toricarson

Today was my most productive day all week. I spoke to my editor from Ellora’s Cave today. I guess I didn’t realize how nervous I was about All Grown Up until I had a dream about it last night. This morning I decided to speak to her. I turned it in the first part of January and hadn’t heard back. Naturally, I thought the worst. It was nice to hear my assumptions were wrong and that she loved it. The process is just moving slower than normal for various reasons. I should have contacted her sooner rather than sit and stew about it. She is a wonderful lady, very bubbly and enthusiastic. I’m grateful she’s my editor. Her positive attitude and kind words were just what I needed today.

I have to decide this weekend if I will accompany my husband on a trip he has to make next month. It may seem like a no-brainer, but it actually isn’t. If I decide to go, I’ll get to spend a good chunk of the month with my husband. But it isn’t a vacation or even a working vacation. He’ll be with his team, up before the sun and getting back to the room long after dark. During our last trip, I learned that staring at four white walls for twelve to fourteen hours a day waiting for him to get back to the hotel made for long, lonely days. My creativity tanked. My characters took on a darkness that hadn’t been there before. Yes, we will have the evenings alone together and that is precious time that should never be wasted. On the other hand, we will be leaving our home and animals in the care of college kids. In November, when we were gone to NY for a month one of the kiddos about melted down from the added responsibility. This semester their schedule is far worse. So, it boils down to, do I go to Boston and worry about my kiddos and everything on the home front or do I stay home and miss my husband and worry about him. Rotten options.

Instead of deciding tonight, I’m going to sink into Brett and Alexa’s story. I feel a steamy love scene on the horizon and that is much more uplifting than worrying about what next month will bring.

Monster

Posted on by toricarson

The book my son stressed out about for months, Monster, now has a cover. In keeping with the theme it is colorful and bright. He is hard at work on Wonder, the third in the series.

I’ve always encouraged my kiddos to write. My daughter is a copy writer by day and writes children’s books for fun. I’m so proud of them both.

My son has been writing stories since fifth grade. He constantly has three or four stories he is juggling at one time. I have no clue how he does it. For a long time, he couldn’t seem to finish a story and worried it would always be that way. Last year, we started writing together. Not on the same story, just at the same time. We’d sit in the great room and bounce ideas off each other when one of us would get stuck. The book I was writing at the time, Bondage Anniversary, was shorter than Night and I finished first. On one of our month long trips to NY, my husband went through mine and edited the rough draft. Once we were home, we submitted it. By that time, my son had finished his, but wasn’t sure it was good enough to submit and wasn’t sure where to submit it to. When Totally Bound, responded positively toward my book, it spurred him to send in his. It has been a journey for both of us and to be able to share this with him is something I will be forever thankful for. If

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Just about ready

Posted on by toricarson

My husband and I read through each manuscript aloud from start to finish, before I send it to the publisher. As you can imagine, it takes a bit of time and privacy. Reading the books in front of our kids, though they are adults, would be too gross to consider. Thankfully, our son lives with his headphones on while he is writing and his deadline is fast approaching.

So many things came up during the writing of All Grown Up, I was beginning to fear it would never been completed, though I’ve enjoyed writing it.The characters are fun and engaging. I will be a bit sad to say goodbye to them.

Luckily, I have one more story in this series to write so I’ll be able to visit a bit more with them in the third book. Brett and Alexis, the main characters in book three of the Master’s Touch series, are becoming very demanding. They’ve been interrupting my dreams at night and invading my showers with their story. Unfortunately, we still have to finish reading through All Grown Up, then address the content edits for Bondage Seduction before I can begin on their book. They will have to be patient a bit longer.

Truly Blessed

Posted on by toricarson

I’ve been writing since before my kids were born. Those of you who know me, please don’t say the actual number of years out loud…it is way too many to contemplate 🙂 Throughout those long years, my husband was my constant cheerleader. Every rejection letter I’ve ever gotten (and I have a stack) sent my confidence tumbling and I would put writing on the back burner for a while. I would try to hide behind ‘life is crazy right now’ or ‘I’m really busy’, but he always saw it for what it was—self doubt. He would hound me until I started writing again. He knew it was an outlet for my stress and I needed it, whether I ever got published or not. So on Friday, when Bondage Anniversary is available for sale…it is his victory. His confidence in me and his desire to see me succeed allowed me to write this book. Thank you, Love. I owe it all to you.

Seclusion

Posted on by toricarson

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Well we landed yesterday to sunny skies, which was so much nicer than the snow showers they had been predicting. The flights were smooth and we made our connection with enough time to grab a bite…thank goodness.

The quiet seclusion of the hotel is just what I needed to get some work done. I’ve finished the first chapter of All Grown Up and the second chapter is coming along nicely. By the time we head home, I should have the book completed…hopefully…fingers crossed 🙂

Hotel Room

Posted on by toricarson

Don’t expect much from my blog for a few weeks 😦 I’ll be living out a hotel room for the next three weeks. My love has business to attend to in NY and doesn’t want us to be separated. So, I’m leaving my sunny and 72 degree weather for snow showers and 35 degrees, but I know he will keep me warm.

I finished the edits for Bondage Wedding and as soon as he has time to look them over it will be shipped off to the publisher for the last time. The rough draft of Bondage Seduction is also done and we hope to get it ready to send off for approval the first week of November.

While I’m sitting in the hotel room alone and bored…yes, occasionally I can foresee my future 🙂 I hope to complete All Grown Up and if I”m really lucky, start on Andre’s book. It should be a fun one and I look forward to learning more about him as he tells me his story.

The day I fly home, November 22, Bondage Anniversary is available for pre-order. I hope you check it out and if you’re feeling kind, tell a friend or two.

Non-stop Sex

Posted on by toricarson

I was reading through Bondage Seduction, the current book I’m writing for Total-E-Bound, this morning. It is pretty much non-stop sex. In that respect it is very similar to my first book, Bondage Anniversary. The similarities end there, but both have been a lot of fun to write.

It is funny how the sex is so different in each one. Bondage Anniversary and Bondage Celebration were really hot and kinky.  Bondage Wedding was a little more tame. I suspect many readers will think it was written first. It wasn’t, but I could understand how they might think that. The love scenes are a little more soft, a little more tender. Of course, Amanda thinks BDSM is abuse so it takes James a while to cut through the bullshit and show Amanda what it’s really about.

In Bondage Seduction, the characters meet at DiscipliNation. Ted, a reoccurring character throughout the series, finally meets his true love. Unfortunately, he’s fighting it every step of the way.

Meri likes it rough and she isn’t above stretching the rules to get the Dom of her dreams. I have little doubt she will get her wish, but Ted has pulled this story in a few directions I hadn’t planned on…so I guess, I’ll have to wait until the end to be sure.