BDSM: Its Power Over My Characters

Power.

A word that can express so many things, and mean something different to each person. Throughout history, power has been synonymous with brutality, genocide, oppression, and sometimes mercy…but always, always, it means CHANGE, whether that be great or small, or somewhere in between.

I’m not going to bore you, the reader, with some essay on the sociological implications of BDSM. There are plenty of good books on the subject written by experts…er, sexperts…who are about a thousand times more educated and eloquent than I, so quit yawning and perk up, kids.

When I shared a private message discussion on Facebook some months ago with a few of my most devoted fans, I was initially unsure as to whether or not I should take Skriker and Rose, my two most popular characters, into the BDSM realm. Sure, readers had been taken on a few really fun adventures where the notorious half-demon bad boy and his Nephil (half-angel) love frequently paused in hunting the Big Baddies to have a good sweaty roll in the sheets. Panties were definitely wetter for their sexcapades, but to trek into the frequently controversial world of BDSM was daring, at the very least. Would Skriker and Rose be looked on the same way ever again? Would I lose part of my readership?

I realized that I needed to use the theme of BDSM sex to explore the dynamic of Skriker and Rose’s unorthodox relationship in order to make such a sordid sexual tale fit in with the other books already available in the series. I could not simply make this a porno—and, as much as I love porn, I’m a piss poor writer of “just sex”. There always has to be more…an exploration of something outside the shagging, an emotional pull that offers the reader more than a simple series of hardcore sex scenes.

(Rose & Skriker - designed by Moi)

The first thing that I decided to address in DEMON’S SLAVE was a complaint that I hear often from my female readers: how Rose, in her angelic perfection, seems to feel so greater-than-thou toward her Halfling lover. Anyone who has read the first installments of the Black Dog and Rebel Rose adventures knows that Skriker, despite his 200+ pound, buff as hell, heavily tattooed, Billy Idol-blond bad boy exterior, is a certified mush muffin when it comes to his angel girl. He worships the ground that Rose walks on, and would fall on his knees and kiss her feet if she would ask it of him. And she has been, in no uncertain terms, a flaming bitch at times, turning her nose up at him, despite his passion, his boyish worship of her beauty, her intellect, her power.

There’s that word again. Power. And that was how I determined I would make my BDSM tale “more” than just a pornographic series of hardcore sex scenes involving bondage, spanking, and nipple clamps. Rose would lay down her power—her angelic need to be in control at all times—to give her beloved the gift of domination over her proud (and infinitely supernaturally more powerful) body. This is how she would profess her love for him, for all time. This is how she would show him that he is worthy of her, body and soul.

Admittedly, since DEMON’S SLAVE was published, there have been those who have hated the rawness of the story. Some have said I went too far: that if Skriker loved Rose, he would not dominate her with the intensity that he did. That at times it bordered on abuse, DESPITE the fact that everything is consensual, that Rose is thrilled and made all the wetter when her beloved spanks her until her ass is red and bruised, or backhands her as punishment for speaking without permission. That she feels all the more bonded to him as she lies bound, rubber-coated nipple clamps pinching her pink pearls, her mouth and cunt and ass brutalized deliciously by her Halfling love, matters little to these usual BDSM readers. There is no rape, no child abuse, and no dubious consent of any kind. But some still viewed it, and will continue to view it, as “too much”. And that is fair enough. I expected there would be naysayers, and people who will never be able to pick up another book by me because of what went down in this one. Who simply didn’t “get” the dynamic between these two lovers who would give each other everything: body, soul, pleasure, pain…and in that giving, that sharing, apologies would be spoken, regret would be expressed, and a forbidden romance would be strengthened all the more by this raw and brutal gift.

Sometimes, power can mean giving in, can mean submitting…can mean the greatest sacrifice for love. And that is what makes DEMON’S SLAVE, in many ways, my most powerful story yet.

--Author & Artist Danielle D. Smith

Originally posted at Darkest Sins

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DEMON'S SLAVE Blog Tour

 

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DEMON'S SLAVE Character Interview and GIVEAWAY

BREAKING ALL THE RULES: AN INTIMATE INTERVIEW WITH SKRIKER AND ROSE

Well, kids...you asked for it, and now you've got it. The long-awaited release of my first BDSM tale, DEMON'S SLAVE...yes, my balls have grown THAT big. And to celebrate, I have invited the hero and heroine of this shockingly sordid tale back once again to chat...Skriker and Rose, my most popular characters and the protagonists of my most popular books thus far.
It's no secret to my most avid fans that Skrike and Rose are an interesting  pair...star-crossed lovers who should be bitter enemies. Those of you who are new to this pair might ask, why enemies? The answer is simple...ever heard of a Nephil falling for the son of a demon? Yep, things are definitely complicated for these two, and that's just the way the fans seem to like it.
Please welcome Skriker and Rose as they discuss some of their more intimate moments in DEMON'S SLAVE.

DANI: Skrike and Rosie, thank you so much for being here. I know that the subject at hand is very...personal. So it is especially thrilling to have you here with us today.

SKRIKER (winking): Great to see you again, baby.

ROSE: Thank you for having us. Nice to see you again and all.

DANI: Every time we do this, there are always new readers who have yet to join the ranks of your fans. Please introduce yourselves in detail.

SKRIKER: Gladly, baby. My name's Skriker, and I'm a hunter of the nasties that dwell in darkness, so to speak. Vamps, weres, shifters...none of 'em are safe from me. I was born to a unique pair--my daddy was a Collector demon, born straight from the flames of the Pit, and my mama was a human and a stripper. They ran into each other in this smarmy peep show where my mom worked called The Neon, and the rest was history. Dad was trying to snatch souls...what he snatched instead was my mom's heart, and losing his own in the process led to the conception of Yours Truly in the back seat of a '68 Chevy Camaro. I was orphaned when I was eleven--my dad, mom, and little brother were killed by demons sent by Hell...the Pit doesn't like to lose its best to a human heart. I lived orphaned on the streets util I was 13, when a werewolf who runs an undergorund fight club and bar took me in. Taught me everything I know. I now cage fight and hunt...and I make loads of cash doing it. Good life for a rascal half-demon.

DANI: Rascal indeed! You are a certified badass. Rose, you are also the offspring of a unique pair, are you not?

ROSE (averting her eyes): Yes...very unique. My father is an angel, one of the biggest and baddest warriors the ranks of Heaven ever saw. He was banished centuries ago and wandered the earth for a long time before he was given a chance to redeem himself--kill my mother, a human artist who took a commission from a demon. Long story short, they fell in love, and my father chose to stay here with her.

DANI: You two met on a hunt, and sparks flew. Not really the sort of thing that is supposed to happen between a half angel and a half demon.

SKRIKER: Nope...we're breaking all the rules, true enough. But Rosie is the love of my life, and I wouldn't give her up for anything. We both know pretty damn well we're not supposed to even breathe the same air, which is why what Rosie gave me for my Dirty 30 was so freakin' special.

(He nudges Rose playfully, and she blushes a deep pink, smiling.)

ROSE: Skrike, you silly dog.

SKRIKER: You know I loved it, baby...oh, did I ever love it.

ROSE: I'm so glad.

DANI: Okay, guys, spill the beans...tell us all about this gift and what it entailed.

SKRIKER: Rosie, you want to take it away?

ROSE: Okay. God knows, no pun intended, that Nephilim and Halflings should never be lovers--angel and demon romances are pretty much unheard of, and rightfully so--but what we have is so special, Dani. Skrike is better to me than any man has ever been, and the more Heaven wants me to hate him, the more deeply and wholly I love him. Sometimes...I don't show him that enough. So I wanted to give him something extra special for his 30th birthday. The answer was my total devotion...my total submission.

DANI: Wow. And by submission you mean...

ROSE (nodding): Yeah, that's right. I became his slave for three days and three nights. Collar, lead, and all. To be blunt, I became his fuck toy, willing to do whatever he wanted, wherever he wanted to do it. He became my Demon Master, and I became his Angel Slave. Oral sex, anal sex, bondage...it was sublime.

DANI: Now, not everyone is into BDSM sex. To be blunt, a lot of people are flat out disturbed by it. Rose, you being a woman and an occasional willing submissive, can best explain what the appeal is to such wild side sex. Will you give us a bit of insight?

ROSE: I definitely want to send the message that this is consenting sex...I willingly offered myself up to Skriker, and was open and willing to receive both pain and pleasure from him. I learned very quickly that the two are very close together, and it made things all the more thrilling. Sure, he slapped me, spanked me, gagged me with my collar...and it did get really brutal at times. But it was everything that I had asked for. Too many people assume that BDSM is automatically some sort of abuse, some sort of non-consenting intercourse. In reality, as the slave, I was the one in control in the end. We had a safety word, and all I had to do was break that out to make everything stop. Skriker was the best Master during those three days--so skilled. He was quite a lady's man before we met, and had had experience in dominating some of his past lovers. There was nothing he did that didn't thrill me to my toes. Through being his submissive, I gained true freedom psychologically. I was able to connect with Skrike in a way that freed us both from the awful pressure of being the "forbidden lovers".

(Skriker leans in and kisses her, and she responds fervently.)

SKRIKER (pressing his forehead to hers): Love you, Rosie.

ROSE: You too, honey. So much.

DANI: It is great to see a couple who is so in love. Skriker, Rose speaks of your skills as a BDSM lover...details, please! Give us a few tasty tidbits!

SKRIKER: Oh, the adventure never ends in old Skrike's bedroom, baby. I have a drawer where I tuck away all my toys...and I brought them all out for my Rosie here. I have all the old standbys--silk and velvet scarves, ball gags, leather shackles--but I like it to get a little more exciting than that for my girl here. Rosie seemed to dig the pinch of the old nipple clamps quite a bit, and the riding crop I busted out when it was time for us to play a little game I like to call Pretty Pony was right up her alley. Then there was the Japanese rope bondage, which I learned from a chick I dated who was from Tokyo back in the day...my dining room table got a good workout when I broke the ropes out for my girl here and gave her a good tying down. We had some fun with food when I asked my Rose to serve me--literally--and then there was the jacuzzi in the Beelzebub Club...oh, wait, don't want to give too much away. (He grins devilishly.)

DANI: Pretty Pony? What on earth is that game, Skrike?

SKRIKER (winking nastily): Basically I have my Rosie strip down for me, leaving on nothing more than a nice pair of really stacked heels, her wrist bonds, and her collar and lead. Then I make her prance around, lifting those pretty legs as high as she can until she's worked up a good sweat. And if she doesn't get them high enough, she gets a nice flick of the crop across her tits and ass. I give her collar a nice jerk as needed to make sure she stays in line...

DANI: Holy crap, that's hot. Rose? Thoughts?

ROSE (grinning): I had welts on my butt and tits for days after. But they were marks of pride. I actually felt a little sad when they finally faded away.

SKRIKER (gazing at her, his look smoky): There's always your birthday, Rosie...

ROSE (gazing at him from beneath her lashes): There's always tonight.

DANI: Whoa...holy shit. Okay, let's wrap this up. I think you two need to get home pretty quick. Thanks for joining us, you crazy supernatural kids. Have fun in the bedroom tonight!

SKRIKER: Always a joy and a pleasure, Dani. Now, if you'll excuse us...pleasure is the reason why we need to split.

ROSE: And pain.

SKRIKER: Oh, yes. And pain.


***

OFFICIAL BLURB:

Rose, Nephil daughter of a Warrior of Heaven, has betrayed her celestial heritage by falling for the guy from the wrong side of the tracks: Skriker, tattooed half-demon hunter, and the most irresistible chunk of hard meat that she has ever taken to her bed.

Rose knows that there is no love in all of Creation more forbidden than that between an angel and a demon, and that knowledge has left her terribly fragmented, despite her passionate love for her Halfling bad boy.

As Skriker's "Dirty 30" approaches, she will offer him the ultimate birthday gift: she will be his devoted sexual slave for three days and three nights, laying aside her angelic pride to fully commit to his pleasure (and hers) with every part of her being...and neither Heaven nor Hell will have any power to stop it.

**Publisher's Warning: This delightfully sordid tale contains graphic BDSM sex, including forceful oral and anal sex, bondage, blindfolding, slapping/spanking, nipple clamps, toe-curling dirty talk, hot wax, and crazy hardcore sex in a church.** 


BUY ON KINDLE HERE

Interview at Queen Tutt's World of Escapism

I was fortunate to be interviewed at QueenTutt's World of Escapism, a great new review blog and website! The interview was so great that I decided to repost it here. Enjoy!

Ronda – Hi Danielle, it is such a pleasure and honor to have you on the blog to interview. Thank you so much.




Danielle – Thanks for having me, Ronda! I am more than honored to be here!


Ronda - Would you tell us a little about yourself?


Danielle – I'm a tattooed, horror-loving, avid-reading author and artist living in San Diego, CA. with my buff man candy hubby and a big collection of books, indie flicks, and documentaries. I can be found writing dark fantasy, horror, and dark erotica stories primarily based on angel and demon lore. Artistically, I paint, draw, and do some digital design, and have studied everything from theatrical costuming to tattooing. I am also pregnant with my first wee one, so add mommy to that list of activities!


Ronda – I just had the pleasure of reading your new release “In the Neon” and it was absolutely fantastic. Can you tell our viewers a little about it?


Danielle – In The Neon is a prequel to all other books I have written thus far--the true beginning of the story! This darkly sordid tale follows Faust, a sexier-than-Hell Collector demon born directly from the flames of the Pit. He has tempted kings and queens, wizards and peasants since the dawn of civilization and has always been proud of his wicked duties.


One rainy night, while wandering the red light district of a nameless urban wasteland, he stumbles upon a young woman smoking on the back alley step of a strip club and peep show called The Neon, and is inexorably drawn in to her web.






The woman he comes to love is named Annie, and she is one of The Neon's most popular dancers. A Swedish beauty, she is not your stereotypical idiot sex worker--she is clever, kind, multilingual, and well-read--a stripper with a heart of gold. When fate brings Faust and Annie together, they each come to realize that the other is a key to personal redemption.






This story is frequently dark, at times violent, and achingly romantic. There is steamy sex to be had, but this story is hardly sex-driven--there is much personality in these two characters, much for the reader to delve into besides the sensual parts.



Ronda - The Art Work created for the book is absolutely fantastic. Can you tell us a little more about your talented passion for the art you have created?


Danielle - I have been drawing since I was 18 moths old (per my mother), and I was thrilled to at last be able to merge my art with my writing. My painting style can usually be described as "stylized realism", but for In The Neon I chose to do more of a graphic novel style of artwork, which seemed to fit the theme quite well.






The final B&W interior illustrations (over 30 individual pieces total) were created using a combination of ink, graphite pencil, and Photoshop. Illustrations were sketched and inked by hand, then scanned into my computer for basic shading and highlight laydown, then printed out, retouched with graphite, rescanned, and final touches were once again added digitally.






I actually hated computer artwork up until recently, when I discovered that Photoshop could cut my work time in half when it came to illustration. There is still a big part of me that really prefers painting by hand--something amazing that cannot be achieved with digital means (in my opinion).






Ultimately, I'm really proud of how the artwork came out for In The Neon, and I think my readers will like it, too. It will appeal to fans of graphic novels, comic books, and picture books for grownups. :-)






Ronda – “Psyche’s Gate” and “Black Dog & Rebel Rose” are two of your previous releases; can you tell us a little about these two great books?






Danielle – Psyche's Gate was my first novel, the first book in what will eventually be a five book series. It tells the story of Alexius, a banished warrior angel who is desperately trying to earn back his place in Heaven.






To retrieve his stolen wings, he has been given the task of stopping a talented human artist, Psyche, from creating a commission for a powerful demon. Instead of harming or killing her, Alexius falls deeply in love with her, and the tale spirals down into darkness and desperation as he fights to save his mortal love from angels and demons alike.
Black Dog and Rebel Rose is a "spinoff" from the Psyche's Gate Saga and is my first "true" erotica story. This story follows Skriker, a tattooed, Harley riding half-demon bad boy who loves breaking hearts and hunting the evils that dwell in the dark, including his own demonic kind. He loves being a lady's man (and make that VARIOUS ladies) and a total badass, and never expects things to be different. When he gets word of a tantalizing vampyre hunt in a rotten abandoned town, he rides out to explore what he sees as a blow-'em-away live carnival game, and runs (literally) into his destiny: a fierce and beautiful huntress named Rose, who is scouting the same prey.






They start out as rivals, and quickly end up falling in love. Having found the girl of his dreams, Skriker is willing to follow his new soul mate to the ends of the earth...but loving Rose may end up being his undoing, considering what her ancestry is... Black Dog and Rebel Rose is probably my most popular book to date. My fans can't get enough of Skriker and Rose...they are always asking for more!
Ronda – Can you give us a hint of what you might be working on next?


Danielle – My first anthology--a very exciting project! Titled HUNT, this collection will include 5 or 6 short stories and novellas chronicling Skriker and Rose's various adventures as they hunt supernatural prey.


Thus far I have sent them to New Mexico, Sweden, Italy, England, and Israel, and two of these tales center on the hunters before they met each other. Stories range mythologically from Navajo skinwalkers to Swedish utburds to English demon hounds, giving my readers a nice entertaining collection to curl up under the covers with.


There is plenty of rollicking fun, hot sex, crazy adventures, well-researched world folklore, and a few good one-liners from the half-demon bad boy himself...I can't wait to release this collection on the masses! I think it will be well-received.


Oh, and this one will include a smattering of illustration, as well. I am also working on the screenplay adaption of Black Dog and Rebel Rose, slated to be submitted to over 30 production companies worldwide this summer. Stay tuned for all the news on my website: http://www.Danielledsmith.com
Personal Fun Questions


Ronda – Do you have a favorite restaurant that you love to go to?


Danielle – Oh, dreadfully complicated question! San Diego is fast becoming a foodie haven, so I have a ton of restaraunts that I count as favorites. I adore Cafe Chloe and Blue Boheme for French, Alchemy for fusion, Barrio Star for Mexican, Zia's Bistro and Alexander's for Italian, and Sea Rocket for vegetarian and seafood.


Ronda – Any special pets?


Danielle - My husband and I are expecting our first child, so no pets right now. We both love bunnies; our most recent pet was a sweet Netherland Dwarf that we adored and who sadly passed away. We're thinking the adoption of a puppy, kitten, chinchilla, or bunny will be in order when our wee devil spawn is, maybe, three years old or so. Til then, baby only! I don't have the energy to potty train a bunny AND a kid at the same time! LOL!


Ronda – What is your favorite type of Music?


Danielle - I am a music nut, and I love all sorts of genres. I love grunge, metal, classic rock and old-school punk on one end, and on the other I love classical, opera, and ethnic music. It really depends on my mood. Music is a big influence on what I write, and every one of my books has a "soundtrack"--the soundtrack to Black Dog and Rebel Rose included everything from Rooster by Alice in Chains to Kashmir by Led Zeppelin to Puscifer to 16 Horsepower. In The Neon's sountrack was even more diverse, and included such musical selections as Billy Talent, Portishead, and Diablo Swing Orchestra, a spectacular Swedish avante garde metal band that I utterly adore. I'm really very open to all kinds of music.


Ronda – Do you have a favorite song?


Danielle - Too many to list! Some songs that have inspired me recently include "Dozo" by Puscifer, "Sunken Dreams" by And They Shall Know Us By the Trail of Dead, and "Devil in A Midnight Mass" by Billy Talent. That's only a few, though--I have about a hundred favorite songs! It's all just dictated by my mood.


Visit Queen Tutt's World of Escapism HERE

BD&RR RELEASE WEEK CONTEST!!!

My second novel, the wickedly dark erotic horror tale, Black Dog and Rebel Rose, has been released by Solstice Publishing and is now available to the book-hungry masses!

BUY EBOOK EDITION HERE 
(Paperback coming on September 30th)

To celebrate this release I am hosting a week-long contest for my readers and fans! I am giving away 3 Prize Packs featuring fun and unique items that fit the Black Dog and Rebel Rose theme!

To enter the BD&RR Release Week Contest, please leave a comment on this post including your email address. You do not have to be a follower to enter, however, I am giving extra entries for Angel's Gate blog followers (see below). Giveaway will end on Wednesday September 8th at Midnight (USA Pacific Standard Time). All entries posted after that time will be disregarded and not entered in the contest. Winners will be notified by email.

To Earn Extra entries:

+1 Follow The Angel's Gate

The Prizes:

First Prize: Genny

*Handmade Skull and Blue Rose Tattoo Necklace
(Created by artist The Ring Leader)
*One copy of the BD&RR Mixtape CD
*Prize Pack of Bookmarks, Postcards, and Magnets









Second Prize: E.J. Stevens

*Handmade Hot Pink Rose Post Earrings
(Created by artist The Ring Leader)
*Copy of the BD&RR Mixtape CD
*Prize Pack of Bookmarks, Postcards, & Magnets










Third Prize: 5 Winners:
Michelle
Miranda
Pooks226
Stacey
Miss Lenore

*Copy of the BD&RR Mixtape CD
-- A compilation of music that made up the inspirational "soundtrack" repeatedly listened to as I wrote the story. This compilation includes music by Puscifer, Hank Williams III, 16 Horsepower, Alice in Chains, and much more!
*Prize Pack of Bookmarks, Postcards, and Magnets








CONGRATS TO ALL THE WINNERS!!! :D


(NOTE: Black Dog and Rebel Rose is a work of erotic fiction. This story contains graphic sexual content and is not appropriate for readers under the age of 18.)
(Disclaimer: No book purchase necessary. The songs included on the BD&RR Mixtape are the sole property of their copyright holders. Winners of the BD&RR Mixtape are strongly encouraged to support the included artists by purchasing their music. No profit is being made by Danielle D. Smith, the Author, from the giveaway of this mixtape.)