Thursday, March 27, 2014

Guest Post & Giveaway ~*~ Out of the Night: Book One by Joelle Casteel


I am really excited to have Joelle Casteel joining us today! 
Take a peek at her excerpt, Guest Post about the twins and leave her a comment or two :-)


Adan and Ailin, the Twins

It's day 14 on my blog tour for the re-release of "Out of the Night: Book One" of my Vala's Story serial. Please visit this page if you want to catch up on missed posts. Thank you, Stacey, for hosting me.

Excerpt from "Out of the Night: Book One" 
Copyright Joelle Casteel 2007-2014

"Adan and Ailin, step forward."

A male and a female walked hand in hand around the couch to The Queen's left. While not identical, their similar hair style lulled Vala into thinking them identical. Their hair, a lot like her hair, fell in long, red spiral curls that flowed to below their butts. Freckles across their cheeks and noses highlighted their fresh cream complexion. Vala guessed them about five and a half feet tall. They bent to one knee in unison in front of him, two melodious voices raised to say, "My Queen."

"This is Adan and Ailin. They have been my slaves for seven months. I got them as a package deal, which is the way they try to remain as you can see. They had been serving this obnoxious Dom for a few weeks when he got it into his perverted head to make them have sex with each other at a private party. Simon and I saw him issue the order. Before he had the chance to force them to comply Simon and I took their hands and led them out of there. Thankfully, there were no repercussions for them or me. All who witnessed the order were disgusted. That guy does not go to parties around here anymore. After I swore I would never try to make them have sex they agreed to become part of my stable."

"And we thank you again for saving us from that icky guy, my Queen." Adan wrinkled her nose.

"And we thank you for dealing with our weirdness, my Queen." Ailin grinned at Adan.

"You are both welcome. And you are not weird, just special."

Did I need to specifically say the twins are dressed :D? Really I don't think Vala would be noticing what every single slave is wearing as she's being introduced to them. But in comments from one reader, I got this laundry list of questions and assumptions because he couldn't imagine that things with the twins would work just like The Queen's other slaves. I didn't realize that I hadn't done enough to set the twins apart from any taboo, at least for this one reader. And beyond their state of dress, do I talk about them watching each other have sex, engage in BDSM activities?

Now I've read erotica/erotic romance where the author actively experimented with the incest taboo; that's not what I was doing with my twins; however I didn't realize I hadn't dealt enough with the taboo of siblings. Adan and Ailin have different doms. Also they are not shown (in "Out of the Night: Book One") naked, engaging in sexual or overt BDSM activity. Yes, they kneel in front of The Queen; they aren't being flogged, spanked etc. In a way, I feel bad putting this out there already; I don't know why that guy even had those thoughts, just reading "Night." To me, the fact that The Queen swore he wouldn't order them to have sexual intercourse with each other was enough. But I beg you to withhold judgment just yet- see where I go in the serials and don't let one little thing derail you. :)

To continue with the guy's comments, his assumption was that their training would be different from what The Queen normally does, that they wouldn't wear the same training uniform his slaves normally do (a 3.5 inch posture collar, a leather chest harness, and a black thong). Now it might be that I live in a clothing optional household. It might be that I'm incredibly comfortable in my own body so the idea of either of my siblings seeing me naked doesn't take me aback. Or it might be the sex work or orgies I've been part of in the past. I didn't see the twins would have a problem with seeing each other in the uniform. So yes, maybe having a brother and sister in the same BDSM stable will make some people go "ewwwww." I can't find myself feeling a lot of sympathy for such.

Another piece of my confusion about his response to the twins is that they're only fourth class slaves. Not that they're less than human, or less important as humans. But in The Queen's stable, the flow of the hierarchy of authority, they are less than higher class slaves. I didn't understand the reader focusing on them because they aren't that important. And I checked this morning- other than being introduced in "Out of the Night: Book One," they don't figure much in that book. Remember, I'm writing a series here.

"Out of the Night: Book One" blurb

Restless and world-weary, Mearr isn't about to admit she needs anyone's help, even this gorgeous man who has taken her into his home. Well one of his homes and part of this huge family she's heard about but not met all of. She's young, looks young, and knows it but at least she's legal now so she can pick a new name to go with her new life...

The Queen knows he wants Mearr bad, ever since the first time he saw her in the window of the coffeehouse. He has his plan, but even a Dominant's plans don't always survive the unpredictability of the future. He struggles to figure out this temperamental woman he's brought home, how best to help her. Then he takes her to his mansion...

They wait patiently for The Queen to bring Mearr home. Well to the home they've been redecorating for Him and for the hopes that she'll become part of their family and be trained to please Him. Simon and Tommy have seen her, of course, being The Queen's right and left hands; they say she'll be a perfect addition...

Please come along with Joelle on this journey, shared with the readers in serial fashion. A multitude of "Happily-ever-afters" are waiting with the completion of book 9.

Author's Note: This novel is meant for open-minded adults. Activities described include a wide range of BDSM and sexual activities, some of which are male/male, male/female, consensual slavery, oral/anal/vaginal intercourse, bondage. The story also covers some sensitive topics in characters' backstories, such as drug abuse.

Buy it on-
Smashwords  ~  iTunes   ~   B&N   ~  Amazon  ~
As they become available, please check on the "MyBooks" page for links to buy on Allromanceebooks.com, if you'd prefer not to buy at Smashwords.

Joelle's Bio:

Joelle Casteel has been writing for as long as she can remember. Explicit, graphic, her writing isn't for minors or the easily offended. Once upon a time, she preferred to write on a PC, sitting on a stool- there were those who told her she looked like Tori Amos playing the piano. She's still trying to get the hang of writing in an arm chair instead, normally with a heavy dog's head resting on her feet, whether she wants that or not. With BDSM gaining a broader audience with various books- which she will not name because she can't stand them- she feels it's past time to put out her impression of what BDSM can look like in reality.



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10 comments:

  1. You should write what works for you. No reader has the right to tell you how to write YOUR story. Keep smiling and listen to your muse not the reader who "thinks" he knows better than the author.

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    1. thanks for the comment, Shelley. Yup, readers need to realize the book isn't "for them." And one person isn't going to like every book. :D.

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  2. I fully agree! When reading that, I would have just assumed that the twins were clothed and even if they weren't, with them being twins and being so close, they've seen each other naked and nudity wouldn't have been an issue for them. Makes one wonder how one processes certain things.

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  3. thanks for the comment, Tequila. But yeah, after the first brush of irritation with him, I did ask that question- what was it about him that he focused on the twins and basically had a freak out about them. I talked the scene over with my current BR and she agreed that Vala (and we are in Vala's POV in the scene) wouldn't noticed what every single person would be wearing. She'd be overwhelmed, excited, trying to look everyone at once.

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    1. yup, they do, Angie :D it's not like I showed the twins having sex :D thanks for the comment

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  5. havent read this book yet but put it on my tbr list

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