Bottoms Up: Spanking Good Stories contributor interview with Elizabeth Coldwell

Reminder: Enter to win a paddle today only by purchasing Bottoms Up: Spanking Good Stories from Amazon.com and forwarding the receipt to spankingantho at gmail.com - click here for details.

Name: Elizabeth Coldwell

What inspired your “A Firm Understanding” story in Bottoms Up?

I'd recently received a couple of copies of a publication called Corporal Contacts to write about in Forum magazine. They're put together by Rupert Pendragon, who I'd interviewed for the mag several years earlier. He specialises in offering old-fashioned discipline to men, particularly those who have a fantasy about being chastised by a strict schoolmaster or head prefect (yes, it's a very English thing...), and Corporal Contacts is full of stories and contact ads on that topic, as well as army discipline and similar scenarios which involve young men with pert bottoms being spanked/caned/slippered by older men. It's a real old-school (no pun intended) type of publication, photocopied, stapled and full of fuzzy photos of cute, semi-naked young men being punished. Though I'm not in the target readership, you can see why I might enjoy leafing through it! Corporal Contacts inspired me to write a male/male spanking story, but I wanted to write it from the point of view of a woman who's watching the action, because most spanking stories are either about the person giving the spanking or the one receiving it, and it's nice to add a bit of voyeurism to the mix once in a while.

How long did it take you to write it?

Once I had the idea, it all came together quite quickly - it was probably finished in two or three sessions of writing over the course of a weekend.

What is your favorite paragraph in your story?

For a moment, Sergeant Sterne placed the plimsoll on his desk, deliberately in Stephen's eyeline, as though to remind him of what was to come. He reached for the waistband of the shorts, unfastening them briskly and yanking them down. Stephen had been instructed to wear nothing beneath them, and as his buttocks were revealed I could clearly see the vivid, rosy imprints of the plimsoll's sole on his pale flesh.

How is this story different from/similar to your other work?

I haven't really done much male/male CP before now, though I certainly will again in the future. It's similar to my other work in that I like to explore the relationship the characters have and if and how it changes during the course of the spanking or other sexual encounter. One of the points I wanted to make in "A Firm Understanding" is that men often feel they have to be strong and macho in front of a woman, but that they can actually become stronger when they can admit to be being vulnerable, as when they're receiving a spanking.

What's your favorite spanking erotica you've ever read?

Ooh, the amount of good spanking erotica available is increasing all the time. If you want a taster of the depth and variety of current spanking fiction, I don't think you can go wrong with your previous Cleis anthology, Spanked. You're bound to find a story in there you like.

What are you working on next?

I'm in the middle of a story about a woman who gets into a relationship with a man who's obsessed with stockings. It doesn't have a home as yet, but I'd like to think someone will pick it up...

Happy Amazon Spike Day to me and Bottoms Up - now let's SPIKE SPIKE SPIKE it way lower than 26,890

Right now, as of 12:50 am EST, this is how my brand-new book Bottoms Up: Spanking Good Stories is doing on Amazon:



If you buy it anytime in the next 23 hours and 10 minutes in paperback (not Kindle) from Amazon.com, you will be helping lower this number, boost my sales, and be entered to WIN a paddle of your choice, from the multitude of offerings on Amazon. There are heart paddles, paddle brushes, leopard-print paddles, xoxo paddles, slut paddles, and so many more, and the winner, plus one extra winner, will also get copies of my 3 previous spanking erotica anthologies, Spanked: Red-Cheeked Erotica, Naughty Spanking Stories from A to Z 1 and 2. Basically, if you're at all inclined to buy Bottoms Up from Amazon.com, you should do it today. (I also encourage you to buy it from your local indie bookstore/sex toy store, but only Amazon.com is part of my one-day promotion.)

There are 20 kinky spanking stories in Bottoms Up that I think you'll like very much. Visit the Bottoms Up site for a free sample and stay tuned for author interviews.

Publishers Weekly said that it was "whipped up by the popular sex blogger." Yes, that's me, whipping up books in my kitchen. Ha ha.

Here's what erotica writer Neve Black had to say about Bottoms Up:

I really enjoyed how each story is varied and complex, much like the characters - like in Donna George Storey's A Thousand Words, I could feel his shame mixed with all the kinky lust running through his pulsing veins...superb. Or in Alison Tyler's, The Hardest Part, the excrutiating build up and power struggle between the two characters was intense, which made the story sizzle-hot...fabulous. Sommer Marsden's, Bossy had me chuckling, aroused and I could feel each and every hard smack...Wow! Actually, all the stories are amazing in this collection, because I didn't know what was coming next. Every story is a new surprise. It's fun, exciting, kinky and hot. Once you read this book, you'll be searching for a paddle, a wooden spatula, or a lover's hard hand - spanking is good, especially when you've been bad. Enjoy!

ps. I kindof like this paddle, described as:

Leave your heart throb a throbbing heart with a solid swing of this unique paddle. With each stroke, a cut-out heart shape on the end will leave a red heart behind on the skin for a kinky visual effect! Covered in soft velvet, this paddle is excellent for dual sensation play - just glide the sensual surface over reddened flesh for an erotic effect. A wrist loop ensures the paddle always stays firmly in your grip.Color: RedType: PaddleMaterial: Velvet, VinylLength: 15 inchWidth: 3 inchSpecial Features: Velvet Surface, Wrist LoopWeight: 5 oz

Win a paddle from me on the Bottoms Up: Spanking Good Stories Amazon Spike Day!

My copies of Bottoms Up just arrived today - pretty much the best, if not the only, good thing about this week. Anyway, here's the contest details:

I bet you probably didn't even know Amazon.com sells paddles! Well, they do, and they're a perfect pairing with my new book Bottoms Up: Spanking Good Stories, which I hope you will buy on Monday, July 27th, my Amazon Spike Day. Amazon Spike Day is a way to try to generate sales on Amazon and spread the word about a given book, so I will be teasing you with story excerpts and interviews. And photos of pretty paddles I wish someone would spank me with!



Unlike last time around, I can't afford to give everyone a free book, but I am giving away something even cooler: a paddle! And where better to get it from than Amazon.com? Actually, there are tons of great places to buy paddles, but it goes with the theme, and I just love that Amazon sells such kinky implements, don't you? One winner will get a paddle of their choice and my books Spanked: Red-Cheeked Erotica and Naughty Spanking Stories from A to Z 1 and 2 and a second winner will get all 3 books. Winner chosen randomly. Good luck!

Rules: You must purchase the paperback (not Kindle) version of Bottoms Up: Spanking Good Stories on July 27th (from midnight to 11:59 pm counts) and must be in the U.S. Then forward your receipt and put "Amazon" in the subject line to spankingantho at gmail.com with a link to the paddle you want sent to you - must have a retail value of $60 or lower. Hint: search "paddle" in the Health & Personal Care section.

Happy shopping, and remember, wait until Monday!

You can now read a sexy excerpt from Tess Danesi's story "The Purple Balloon" on the Bottoms Up blog.

Email spankingantho at gmail.com if you have any questions and thanks for your interest in spanking and support for my books!

All of these are possibilities:



Amazon description:

Mr-S-Leather Bloodline Wooden Paddle - 18" - Canary & Bloodline, $59.95

A truly beautiful work of art. You may already have a bunch of things to whack someone with...But this new 18' long Bloodline paddle will become your favorite instantly. These are made from three distinct layers of exotic hardwoods glued together, varnished and lacquered to a high gloss finish. 3 fluted indents on one side, while the back side is totally smooth. Add one of these to your collection and use on that special bottom's butt. For the amount of work put into making these and how beautiful they are, they are priced quite inexpensively.These all wood paddles are made from high quality, furniture grade domestic hardwoods, exotic hardwoods, or combinations thereof. All wood furniture and toys are finished with multiple layers of a high quality grade lacquer making a superior finish although it is not waterproof. These wooden toys should be cared for as you would fine wood furniture. Cleaning and care should be with a mild, non-abrasive cleaner intended for wood furniture such as Pledge, Pledge Wipes or Murphy's Oil Soap.





The one below is my personal favorite, not necessarily for how it'd feel, but how it looks:



Amazon description:

Heart 2 Heart Paddle Leather Pocket with Red Hearts Inlay, Black, $54.08

Your heart is afire and your butt will be too after a playful paddling by our pocket paddle with red leather heart inlay. The black suede lining on the backside provide a soothing softness for you backside. An adorable paddle? It could only come from the makers of Heart2Heart. Get all the matching heart-a-fire pieces!

More spanking! Bottoms Up: Spanking Good Stories is officially out now!

Yes, my fourth book of spanking erotica, following Naughty Spanking Stories from A to Z 1 and 2 (more information about those books is available on my website) and Spanked: Red-Cheeked Erotica (read introduction and table of contents and watch the book trailer here) is now out! Below is the table of contents and introduction.

I will have details next week, but if you hold off buying the book until Monday, July 27th, anytime from 12:01 am-11:59 pm, on Amazon.com (yes, it has to be from Amazon during that time frame), you will be entered to win a special spanking prize package which includes Naughty Spanking Stories from A to Z 1 and 2, Spanked, and a sexy paddle, as part of my Amazon Spike Day promotion. Worth waiting for, I promise. I will be posting story snippets and author interviews throughout the week to hype it up.

Or, if you just can't wait, it's available now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Powells, as well as in a Kindle edition! (only $9.99)



Here’s the Table of Contents and Introduction:

Introduction: Getting Spanked Again (and Again)

A Thousand Words by Donna George Storey
The Hardest Part by Alison Tyler
A Firm Understanding by Elizabeth Coldwell
Prime Time by Teresa Noelle Roberts
Ass Worship by Jerry Arthur
The Purple Balloon by Tess Danesi
Sorority Sister by Dominique Dunbar
Days by Simon Sheppard
Bossy by Sommer Marsden
Oscar and Holly by Bill Kte’pi
Lonnie’s Licks by Tenille Brown
The Swinging Spankers Club by Stan Kent
Reenactment by Zille Defeu
Confessor by Craig J. Sorensen
The Spanking Machine by Rachel Kramer Bussel
Stuffing the Ballot Box by Andrea Dale
Tease for Two by Maddy Stuart
I’m Going to Grab Your Hair by N. T. Morley
Flaming by Jean Roberta
Helping Those in Need by Gwen Masters

Introduction: Getting Spanked Again (and Again)

This being my fourth book on the subject, by now it should be clear that I love spanking: giving, receiving, fantasizing about, and watching it.

So what’s different about this collection? For one thing, there are more male authors represented, a trend I fully support. For another, the tales are more imaginative; yes, there are first-timers and dedicated spankophiles, but there are also swingers and Renaissance Fair attendees living out long-held fantasies in highly unusual ways (see Tess Danesi’s “The Purple Balloon” for details). There are spankings here that aren’t all good or all bad, just as ones in real life don’t always conform so easily. Is the narrator of Dominique Dunbar’s “Sorority Sister” grateful for the spanking she got from Claire Spencer back in the day? Was that a pleasurable experience or one that teetered on confusion? Dunbar mixes things up so we’re not totally sure.

Alison Tyler also alludes to the push/pull of spanking, even for the most die-hard fan. “But now that I’m here, I’d rather be anywhere else. Name the place, and I’d rather be there: in line at the DMV; waiting in the doctor’s office; sitting at the back of coach on a packed flight. I’m scared, more scared than usual, because he’s taking his time…” She perfectly captures the way many submissives want what they know will hurt, want it and don’t want it at the very same time—something that good tops play into.

The same thing happens in Teresa Noelle Roberts’ kinky math nerd tale, “Prime Time,” in which the narrator finds herself tongue-tied as she’s given a challenging assignment. “My stomach flip-flopped. The bedroom spun. My heart raced in panic that I couldn’t convince myself was pointless. I fought back the urge to cry, fought it so hard that I started trembling.” You might think, upon reading that sentence, that she doesn’t really want to be spanked, that she doesn’t fantasize and obsess over her need, but you’d be wrong.

I’m also very glad this book has a fairly even mix of spankers and spankees, though of course some people can manage to be both at different times. The rush of delivering a spanking to one who wants and needs it is explored here in many scenarios, from Simon Sheppard’s wistful “Days” to the age-variant relationship in Bill Kte’pi’s intriguing “Oscar and Holly.” And in Maddy Stuart’s “Tease for Two,” two women get off on sharing the power of delivery, and learning from each other, as well as mutual delight in a job well done: “George’s technique was that of someone who had spanked a thousand exposed asses, but the overflowing smile and the sparkle in her eyes belonged to someone who was discovering it for the first time.”

Whatever kind of spankings you’re into–even if, like the characters in Donna George Storey’s “A Thousand Words” and Jerry Arthur’s “Ass Worship,” you’re not sure what you’re into--I hope you’ll find it within these pages.

And spank you very much for reading.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

How low can you go?

That's kindof a funny question to ask in relation to the mile high club, but still, apparently how low my book The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories went yesterday with my Amazon Spike Day promotion thanks to the approximately 20 of you (there may be more, but that's who I heard from with free book requests) is 1,997. Not bad for a book that started the day in the 200,000 range!

THANK YOU to everyone who participated. It was one of my little cheap DIY book promotion experiments and I think I will do it again with my next book Bottoms Up: Spanking Good Erotica but in a more organized, less haphazard/last minute way. I hope those who ordered enjoy your books! Big thanks to Alison Tyler for throwing in her own free book offer. And if you ordered The Mile High Club on Amazon.com on March 23rd, you can still email me your receipt, but otherwise this promotion is over.

To say thanks, here's a snippet of my airplane cybersex erotica story "Urgent Message" from The Mile High Club. To read the whole thing, you'll have to check out the book!

Urgent Message
by Rachel Kramer Bussel

The fact that I have to travel a lot for my job as a fashion photographer has always been a sore spot with my boyfriend, Brandon. He works the day shift at a French restaurant, and in many ways is more of a homebody than I am. I like a fast-paced lifestyle, which is why I moved to New York in the first place, but even though he thrives on the energy at the restaurant, he’s happy to veg out in front of the TV or just explore the city. Still, we fell hard for each other and weren’t going to split up simply because sometimes I have to hop on a plane. The chemistry between us was strong right from the beginning, and hasn’t let up, so we’ve learned how to deal with my traveling with frequent phone calls and hours of hot sex when I return. We balance our nights out with ones cuddled in front of our fireplace (yes, we have one in our apartment), watching movies or having luxurious sex on our shag carpet.

When I have to go out of town, though, he practically sulks. Or at least he did until we devised a high-tech, ultramodern, yet perfectly dirty way of dealing with my absences. I had heard on the news that several airlines were now offering in-flight instant message and Internet services. What better way to keep in touch with my man than by sharing every X-rated thought I had, while on a plane filled with strangers?

Usually I try to fly first class, where I indulge in champagne and ice cream sundaes and generally pretend I’m on vacation, rather than heading off to work. But since I’d had to book a last-minute flight, I’d been stuck with the only seat left—a middle seat in coach. Oh well, how bad could it be? I thought.

If you’ve ever asked yourself that dangerously rhetorical question, you know the answer: very, very bad. I wound up stuck between a drooling older man and a fidgety teenager of indeterminate gender. Though I’d never cheat on Brandon, I’d at least have wished for some eye candy, a hunky man—or, hell, even a curvy, cleavage-baring woman—to keep the edges of my vision occupied. So I turned to what at first seemed like a last resort: I logged on to my computer. The teenager was listening to some very loud music and the old man was nodding off, often with his head collapsing onto my shoulder. As I waited for my laptop to load, I knew that at least I could get lost in the endless offerings of the Internet, which I often do even when I’m supposed to be retouching photos or replying to email. It offers endless distractions and can keep up with my ADD brain much better than even a juicy novel.

The prospect of going online was enough to make me forget about the cramped legroom—did I mention I’m five-eleven?—and lack of food service on a cross-country fight. I went on and immediately checked my email, then logged onto IM, hoping that even though this was a red-eye, one of my friends would be up. Well, one of them was-- very close, personal, sexy friend. There was Brandon, or rather, Randyboy69, as he so often was when he wasn’t at work. We’re an equal opportunity online addiction household.

Hey sexy, I typed, shifting in my seat as I pictured him wearing just a pair of gray cotton briefs as he watched the latest episode of “Entourage,” probably with a beer, or perhaps a joint, in hand.

You stuck at the airport? he wrote back.

No. I’m stuck in the hell that is coach. I’m high. In the sky, that is, I typed.

What do you mean?

What do I mean? I’m in the air. On my flight. They have wireless now, at least, while it lasts.

Fancy schmancy.

Not so much. But you can help me pass the time. Take out your cock. Show it to me.

I didn’t mean literally, even though he could have, via Skype. That vision might be a bit much to share with my seatmates, plus I wasn’t sure I could handle the prospect of Brandon’s powerful dick right in my face. But I wanted to picture it in all its hard, pounding, deliciousness, while he pictured me in my seat, getting nice and wet, just for him. If I’d been in my car, I’d have been tempted to ditch my shoot, turn around, drive home, and jump his bones.

You’re crazy, do you know that? And I’m not gonna show you my cock till you take your panties off. Get rid of them and shove them in the seat pocket in front of you. I dare you.

That was unfair. He knew I could never resist a dare, or an order, or even a mere naughty suggestion...

Read the rest of the story in The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories.

FREE BOOK! or Today's my The Mile High Club Amazon Spike Day

What is Amazon Spike Day you may ask? It's something authors do (here's an example, and here's another) to bump their Amazon.com ranking up, which means more people are likely to take note of your book and Amazon will recommend it more often. I saw Sage Cohen's Writing the Life Poetic creep up into the 200s - amazing results! Officially: "243,882 to a low of 240." I'd love to crack the Amazon 100, but will settle for Amazon 1,000! Right now, The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories is at 220,949. (The lower the number, the more people are buying your book, relative to all the other books Amazon sells, so #1 is the #1 bestseller Amazon.com book at that moment, etc.) I know there are more people interested in the mile high club than that!

As you can see below, buy the book anytime during today's date, March 23rd, then send me your receipt and I will send you any of my Cleis Press books you want. PLUS you'll be in the running to win a signed (by me) copy of the 2009 Sex Bloggers Calendar.

Want to read more about the book? Check out the introduction here and an entire FREE sample story from the book, "Wild Child" by Matt Conklin.

Anything you can do to spread the word about this ONE DAY SPECIAL would be magnificent. For someone like me with no budget for promotion (those book trailers come out of my pocket), this is a cheap and easy way to boost sales and see the effect in real time. Pass it on and if you were thinking of buying The Mile High Club (or any of my other Cleis Press books), today's the day! Alison Tyler is also kicking in something special: if you also buy one of her books along with The Mile High Club, she'll send you another one free, so that's 4 books for the price of 2! See her post for those details.

I'm running a special promotion: order The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories from Amazon.com anytime on Monday, March 23rd, and I'll send you any of my Cleis Press books you want, for free (Do Not Disturb, Tasting Him, Tasting Her, Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma'am, He's on Top, She's on Top, Rubber Sex, Crossdessing, Hide and Seek, Caught Looking, Rubber Sex, Best Sex Writing 2008, Best Sex Writing 2009).

Instructions:

1. Purchase The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories on March 23, 2009 from Amazon.com (MUST be on that date and MUST be from Amazon.com)

2. Forward the receipt to milehighantho at gmail.com AND tell me which of the above books you'd like

U.S. addresses only (sorry!)

Thanks for your support! Read the book's introduction here

The Mile High Club special March 23th: Buy it on Amazon, get a FREE book!

I'm running a special promotion: order The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories from Amazon.com anytime on Monday, March 23rd, and I'll send you any of my Cleis Press books you want, for free (Do Not Disturb, Tasting Him, Tasting Her, Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma'am, He's on Top, She's on Top, Rubber Sex, Crossdessing, Hide and Seek, Caught Looking, Rubber Sex, Best Sex Writing 2008, Best Sex Writing 2009).

Instructions:

1. Purchase The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories on March 23, 2009 from Amazon.com (MUST be on that date and MUST be from Amazon.com)

2. Forward the receipt to milehighantho at gmail.com AND tell me which of the above books you'd like

U.S. addresses only (sorry!)

Thanks for your support! Read the book's introduction here

Proof that The Mile High Club is real

Or at least, that my brand-new book
The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories, has actually landed.





I'm taking mine on the plane to Austin!

The book will be in stores and in stock on Amazon, etc., any day now. And there are still 8 free copies available for review. (as of 8:30 am, once they're gone, they're gone)

Stay tuned for my special free book offer - I'm doing a one day (24 hour) special for U.S. customers: if you buy the book on this day (TBD very soon), I will send you FREE any of my Cleis Press books! It's a mini experiment in the phenomenon known as Amazon Spike Day, which I'm investigating. More on that soon. For now, check out the introduction and table of contents.