Kindle Direct Publishing and Graphic Porn

This has left me pissed off.

And rather depressed...

So, I had something of an epiphany when I was writing and working on a short scene. Suddenly, I realized that I wanted to put a lot of little sceneys of mine together in a collection I call "Taboo". It was supposed to contain stories from all the parts of human sexuality that aren't discussed in polite society.

And by this, I barely mean BDSM. I meant incest, underage, rape and zoophilia. I happen to have at least one story that falls into each of the categories (although the underage was written when I was underage). I thought it would be a clever, although controversial collection. Although I didn't expect any one individual to find each story arousing (I only find a fraction sexy), but I thought there was a little something for everyone.

So, whilst on my computer, I go to Amazon.com and I download the Kindle Publishing handbook... I'm so happy I found now, before I put in the extra time writing other little shorts for this collection.

I'm reading through it, looking at the policies that are in place, how to go about it. Amongst the final pages, I find the list of prohibited content. The first fucking thing is "graphic or hardcore pornography". Immediately, I thought a blood vessel in my head popped.

All of my erotic writing is graphic and hardcore. In my mind, that's what makes good erotica, the ability to see, touch, taste and smell what's going on. I want the reader to feel that everything they're reading is happening right in front of them.

Thinking that there might be some other things not allowed by KDP, I went to their forum (I already have an account), and I found that not only are graphic depictions prohibited, so are rape, scat, underage, and anything else that one might find in 120 Days of Sodom.

Most of my stories and outlines for stories contain themes like that. Hell, it's usually a major conflict. What can I say, my first favorite author was VC Andrews.

Even my stories, the longer pieces that I'm working on, cannot be published under KDP. I really feel some sort of way, my head and heart are aching right now. I don't know what's keeping the tears at bay.

Now I'm just wondering what it is I'm going to have to do... I think I will wait, finish a major story, and then see about finding an agent. That will probably be the only way to get out my work, since it's too graphic and "wrong" for me to publish independently.

I have to find a way to get my mind back on track with my work...

Venus In Furs

I had read de Sade's 120 Days of Sodom, and I loved it. It gave me a true sense of why the word sadism had its roots in his name.

I'd heard of Venus in Furs, and I knew that Sader-Masoch's name gave way to the word masochism. I came into the book with preconceived notions of what it was supposed to be, what it was supposed to do. I've just now left the book with higher hopes and spirits than I thought I would.

 If you've come to this book looking for hardcore pornography, you should just go to Kink.com's Divine Bitches.

I have to start off: the book, novella actually, moves at what I thought was a slow pace. Being the crass individual that I am, I thought Severin was a whiny bitch, and Wanda and flip-floppity fluffer Dominant. There is lots of crying from the former, and lots of wishy-washy love/hate from the latter.

There are many references to historical people at times, and even though I'm reading it for my own edification, I have to say I'd like to read it again and take notes. One of the biggest misconceptions about the book, is masochism. I'm not sure how to better phrase it... what modern day people see as a masochist, might only be seen as a facet of true masochism based on this book. Most of the masochism isn't physical, but emotional, which I found fascinating.

Depending on who you are, there could be some downsides to this book. If you're picking up a paperback version, I'd suggest being familiar with archaic words, or have the internet close by for quick googles of different things. I still haven't seen an effective image for the styles of furs that he finds so fascinating. Also, the way I've seen some of these movie posters and all that such... it looks a lot different from what was written.

I don't think that Wanda was a cougar, if I'm not mistaken, she was twenty-four at the start of the story, and even back then, that wasn't super old. And well, I don't want to give anything else away, so I'll try to steer clear of any further information.

There's just one curious thing I've noticed since just finishing the story... it hasn't technically loosened the bonds of my fingers. That's very curious indeed. I'll just continue to read some more fantastic literature and see where I'm led to next time.

Themes in Writing

I've realized stuff in my writing when I study literature and find themes in other literature.

With my stuff, it's usually themes of sexual deviancy, different cultures and ethnic backgrounds, and the healing power of marijuana.

It seems like everything I write, be it with creatures from the past, humans of the present or faeries of the future, those themes are apparent.

I don't know write the things that I do. Maybe it has something to do with the books that I read as a child that I could possibly blame for my choice of topics. I can't do something that would be considered truly young adult literature (Twilight) because it doesn't come to my mind.

If Twilight was my story, it would have had brutal sex in the beginning, Bella cutting the top of her breasts as she allowed the Cullen clan to suckle. There would have been at least one case of a Cullen orgy, and all those people with lovers would have had fantastic scenes of love. The girl that had Edward kill her lover, would have had him head popped off and burnt while he was laying in their bed basking in the afterglow with a ancient bong.

See, that's a perfect example of me as a writer.

I'm watching a fabulous movie called After Fall, Winter. It was absolutely beautiful. It's such a beautiful movie. So very beautiful. Totally made me cry just now, and I'm not a sap