Emily Tilton's Explorations Series follows Victorian Era Emily as she is trained and prepared to enter the Great Drama of BDSM. Emily's family is deep in debt and has basically traded her off to Mr. Wilkes. I have not read all of the First Notebook, (though I want to) which follows Emily as she is trained by Mrs. Smith to be a submissive bride who knows how to please her husband.
Here is part of my review from Spanking Romance Reviews:
The story opens on the morning of Emily's wedding, though she quickly reflects back to events of the day before and we are transported to a room at Smith's where Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Harrah, presumably two middle aged women, fit the soon to be bride with an aide-mari (which seems to be a sexy lacy Victorian thong).
Should I be turned on by the idea of two matrons fitting up
the "charms" of a young virgin and then photographing her in various
poses which were ordered by her husband?
Well, whether I ought to have been or not…I was and I kept
sneaking away from what I was supposed to be doing to read more and more of
this engaging, erotic story.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What would you think if you found your great-great-grandmother's journals and learned she was one kinky lady?
2. Have you read scenes or topics that you thought you wouldn't enjoy, but just the opposite happened? Care to share?
3. What is it about being prepared to serve a man and submit to him, that is such a turn on? Aren't we all independent women who make our own decisions?
4. In one scene, the butler enters the bedroom where Emily and her husband are recovering from their first (or third, I can't remember. There was a lot of sex on their wedding night) and Emily's husband says something like "Isn't my bride delightful" to the butler, gesturing to his naked bride (I think he's holding her, but it's clear what's going on.) Although I'd be horrified by something like that in real life, I wasn't when I read about it. What is it about being on display or shown off by your man that is such a turn on? (At least reading about it).
5. Question for Emily---I loved the language you used. How did you get that "voice" into your head? Or do you talk like that all the time?
Upcoming Books:
May 30 Sweet Salvation by Maddie Taylor
June 6-- Spank! by Penelope Hassler and Becky Sharp. We'll be discussing The Magic Book which is the last story in the collection. Discussion Leader Emily Tilton
June 13--- Terran by Cara Bristol
June 20--- Finding Their Bliss by Thianna D discussion leader Kathryn R. Blake
June 27--- Bride Two Soon by Rayanna Jamison. Discussion Leader Patricia Green.
Interesting questions. Still thinking about my own great grandma ... I bet she was full of surprises
ReplyDeleteAshe, that's where the whole thing began for me--well, that and the white lace thong! I've got a huge nostalgic streak, and I love family-history. . . one day my thoughts strayed a little, thinking about my ancestors. . .
DeleteEmily---did you find an ancestor's thong or was it your own?
DeleteI wonder what the folks at ancestry.com would think of your take on geneology!
It was actually a picture in a catalogue, and it wasn't even being worn--it had just been laid on a table, as if it were being presented to a bride.
Delete:o I can't imagine how I would have felt if I actually found my ggg-mother's thong. :o
BTW, I have a really extensive tree in actual life on ancestry.com. No Victorian Brits, more's the pity, but a whole bunch of medieval ones. "The Count's Discipline" was inspired by the story of one of them, who was clearly a Sadist, and much less nice than my count. :)
Thanks so much for leading this discussion, Celeste!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure! I enjoyed the book (even the parts that I sort of thought I shouldn't. l) )
DeleteOh, I elocute in that fashion quite often, Celeste. Does not everyone? :D
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I lovelovelove Victorian fiction. George Eliot and Anthony Trollope are two of my very favorite writers, and any time I can find an excuse to try to write like them, and add the naughty bits they seem to have left out for some reason, I do.
Also, perhaps even more fundamentally, the formal language of that time, and of its fiction, serves as an incredible analogue, and even a kind of implement, of its discipline, and the way that discipline occasions precisely those desires it tries to repress. In other words, it's ultra-hot. ;)
There is something about the combo of formal language and naughty behavior that is extra yummy.
DeleteI don't really think it would bother me in the least to find out my great great grandmother had been kinky. For one thing, that is so far back, she would be a complete stranger to me. But if it were my grandmother or mother, well, I still wouldn't care. It's their life.
ReplyDeleteI think one's fantasy life can be SO different from one's real life. We imagine all sorts of things--not just sexual scenarios--that we would not want to occur, but that are fun to think about. So why is sex any different?
That's a great question, Cara. My guess is that it's because a lot of us grow up with the idea that sex is special, and the norms we're taught about it are to be closely guarded. I know I feel shame around sex, still, despite now having published some incredibly outre stuff. In fact, very often its the shame that makes things hot--even in fantasy. So I guess my answer is, it's complicated? :D
Delete1) If it was my great great grandmother (whom I obviously don't know) I think I could handle it, and feel like I had found a kindred spirit in my ancestry. If it was my grandmother- who I was very close to, that might be a little weird.
ReplyDelete2) No, i don't care to share :) LOL , I think we have all done this, and all still do. I'm sure it's happened to me many times :)
3) It's just hot. It's way too early for such profound questions. :) I think because we are all such modern independent capable woman, giving up control in any aspect can be such a relief, and a major turn on
4) UHHHH... that would horrify me! I'm such a prude. But at the same time I can relate, I love when I can feel like my husband is proud to show me off. (Not naked of course)
Thanks Rayanna!
DeleteI agree about the juxtaposition of being a capable, independent woman and then giving up control, it's a big turn on.
LOL, Rayanna at not caring to share. Frankly, I guess I don't care to share some of the more out there things that made me suddenly think, "Wait, I can't possibly be getting turned on, can I?"
DeleteI think it's really true about how it would be wonderful to discover your gggmother was kinky, but really, really weird to discover it about the gmother you actually knew. I can't imagine writing an equivalent story about my grandmother, even a fantasy one. Maybe that's another reason why the Victorian period is so perfect for erotica!
I would be so thrilled to find out my great great grandmother was kinky. I was super excited just to find a photo of my grandparents kissing in a canoe while another couple looked on.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, when I read Emily's book Caroline's Rocking Horse-- it was my first age play and I didn't know how I would feel about it. Turns out it really turns me on. :)
3. Hmm... not sure, but so many cultures (all?) include pre-wedding rituals to prepare the bride for her groom. Maybe it's just wired into our DNA... lol
4. Yes objectification is a total turn on, too. Not sure why...
5. I adored the language, as well!! I thought it was brilliant.