When Do You Start Reading Christmas Stories?

By Katherine Kingston

I confess to being one of those curmudgeonly types who hates seeing Christmas decorations popping up in stores even before Halloween. I have mixed feelings about seeing them before Thanksgiving, but I do start my shopping and preparations pretty early. I have a reason, of course. Some of my family lives overseas and I have to get packages off pretty early.

But I do kind of like getting in the spirit early. Having my shopping done well in advance actually gives me time to relax and get in the joyful and thoughtful feel of the time of year. But I do hate when the commercial frenzy of Christmas encroaches on the beautiful celebration of Thanksgiving.

Black Friday is bad enough but I can live with it, by which I mean that I will never, ever go near any retail establishment on that day, but if you want to…well, happy hunting. However I strenuously object to having the commercial nightmare encroaching on what should be an occasion for focusing on family, friends, and gratitude for all the blessings we’ve been given.

Okay, that part of the rant is over now.  My reading life is a completely different thing. I love, love, love Christmas stories, and I'll read them almost any time of year. But somewhere around the first of November, I start looking for them. They help get me in the right frame of mind for the holidays, both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

When do you start reading Christmas stories?  Or do you?

And since we're on the subject, may I suggest a Christmas story to you - but only if you're into BDSM.

When Maggie gets a note from a very unofficial Secret Santa during the office’s holiday gift exchange, she’s surprised to be tempted by it. This Secret Santa offers to help fulfill her wilder sexual fantasies, those fantasies she’s never admitted to anyone else. Normally the very professional, uptight Maggie wouldn’t consider doing anything so risky. She wants a husband and family, but she also has kinky sexual fantasies and no man has ever moved her.

Maggie agrees to Santa’s proposal, and her first few anonymous encounters with him are a revelation, showing her levels of sensuality she’s never experienced before. But when she meets the man behind the gifts and the glorious kisses, her life gets seriously complicated.

As Maggie begins to fall in love with him, she faces two choices—longing for husband and family, and continuing a relationship that fulfills her in ways she never believed possible.

Order at Amazon    B&N    Kobo    ITunes    Inktera

From the Past to the Future

by Katherine Kingston

I’ve just finished releasing the Passions series of Medieval historical stories. I love the period and it’s been great revisiting it as I got these books ready for their re-release. But now it’s time to move onto something different. Something really different.

I’m jumping from the past to the future for my next re-release. This novella was so much fun to write! It was an assignment from my publisher at the time to write a novella to be included in an anthology of stories about space pirates. I set my imagination free to roam the universe and brainstorm the most out-there story I could come up with.

I think it worked. The story, Checkmate, has a hero and heroine who are both space pirates, though for very different reasons. They meet and fall in love, then are parted when a significant secret comes to light. But when they cross paths with the Sangari, they get trapped into competing as a team in a series of bizarre “games” that include various sorts of gladiatorial type of combat scenarios, but also some other contests that include odd sexual tests among other things.

A quick taste of one of the contests:

************

“I’ll worry about today’s problem today. I hate to ask, but…have they assigned me something to wear?”

The two men looked at each other. “I fear so.”

She sighed. “Just hand it over. I’ll do what I have to.”

He handed her a pile of fluffy, gauzy stuff that would obviously cover nothing. “You put this over it,” he added, passing something of a heavier material.

Devonne shook out the lighter fabric to find harem pants, tied together with ribbons at hips and ankles, and a tunic top also fastened with ribbons at shoulders and sides. It was all in shades of pale pink and green. “Yech. Somebody’s got really terrible taste. And pink is not my color at all. I hope it doesn’t put Raje off.”

The lawyers looked at each with a shade of relief lightening each face. They really had been worried about her reaction. Then his attorney grinned. “I don’t think you need to worry about that.”

“Well I hope not. He’s got the tougher job today. I can hardly wait to see how they’ve outfitted him.”

“It’s…interesting,” Whetlock said. “I think he may be more embarrassed about it than you are.”

************

Want to know what Raje is wearing?

Checkmate releases on August 1 and is now available for pre-order.

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0735WJ4Q4
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/checkmate-katherine-kingston/1020150183
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1252141121
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/checkmate-71

Blurb: Devonne and Raje are space pirates who were once also lovers, until the revelation of secrets in his past drove them apart. But when they’re kidnapped and forced to compete in a drastic and devastating series of contests, they need to find a way to work together, or they’ll each end up with a one-way ticket to a slave labor camp.

Playing with History

There’s always a risk when setting your story in a real historical background that you can later find out events or people of the day might actually have a real history that contradicts what you’re trying to do.

When I wrote my Passions series of books back in the early years of this millennium (and doesn’t that feel weird?), I did a lot of research on England in the fourteenth century, including major events and the main historical characters of importance. Because I’d studied Medieval literature fairly extensively in college, I had a fair grasp of the events of the period, but I tried to double-check details.

I put a date on the first book in the series but not on the subsequent ones because I didn’t want to be tied to a particular year.  There was a lot going in 14^th century England and I didn’t want to have to account for everything that might’ve happened in a year and how it would impact the characters and events. For the most part I’ve steered clear of using actual historical events and personages.

In my most recent release, Healing Passion, however, there are references to battle happening on the continent and a prince who is in charge. And there is a scene toward the end where the hero and heroine go to court and meet the king and prince.  I don’t name the king, though it’s not hard to figure out he’s meant to be Edward III, because I do allude to the prince present with him as the Black Prince.

Edward, the Black Prince, is granted Aquitaine by his father King Edward III. Initial letter "E" of miniature, 1390; British Library, shelfmark: Cotton MS Nero D VI, f.31
This picture is in the public domain.

And right there I take a couple of historical liberties.  First of all Edward of Woodstock, later Prince of Wales and Prince of Aquitaine, was not (as far as we know) ever referred to as the Black Prince while he was alive. The first written use of that name for him comes almost two centuries later. But I figured that there was likely a tradition that gave him that sobriquet well before that, possibly even during his lifetime.

The second was that from a young age, Edward spent most of his time on the continent, leading the English forces in what must have seemed like an unending war.  He was rarely in England until near the time of his death and even then he spent most of that time at his own estates, separate from the king’s.

If you’re interested, I have more interesting facts about The Black Prince at my website here:http://katherinekingston.com/playing-with-his…the-black-prince/

Meanwhile, Healing Passion, the last of the Passions series of Medieval Historical Erotic Romances is now available at all major outlets.

HEALING PASSION
Re-release date June 1, 2017
Genre: Medieval historical, domestic discipline, BDSM
Length: Novel
Order eBook from:  Amazon    B&N    Kobo    iTunes
More info

The king has charged Sir Thomas Carlwick with learning what became of Baron Groswick. No one has seen or heard from the man for more than a year. Thomas’ inquiries have so far turned up no sign of the Baron. When he goes to Groswick Keep, he gets a mixed reception. Young, lovely Lady Juliana welcomes him graciously, but that evening someone tries to kill him by firing a crossbow at him. Juliana apologizes and tends his injury. She also tells him she has no idea what happened to her husband, but she’s beginning to accept that he’s dead.

Thomas is attracted to Juliana, finding in her everything he’s wanted in a woman. Despite a past that was nearly destroyed by a woman’s lies, Thomas is ready to settle down again, and he believes Juliana is exactly what he’s looking for. As soon as he can prove Baron Groswick is dead, Juliana will be free to marry him.

But he may not want her anymore when he learns what really happened to Baron Groswick.

Research for Binding Passion

The third of my Passions series of Medieval historical stories (and the second full-length novel) has just released. Like its predecessors, Daring Passion and Ruling Passion, Binding Passion features some BDSM, spanking, and domestic discipline. In that I think they are more true to their time than some recent novels set in the time period would have us believe.

In college I was fascinated by the Medieval period, so even though History wasn’t my major I took several courses about those times. And I’ve continued to read and study the period. I have an entire shelf of books on the period, focused particularly on the high middle ages, the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries, in England.

Because my son lives in England, I’ve had a number of opportunities to visit there. One of favorite things to do is tour castle ruins, restored castles, and museums attached or related to them. Most of them spend plenty of time relating the battles and sieges the castle or its residents took part in, the strategic importance of the place, and how it was defended.

But I find myself more interested in the small details of daily life. What people ate and drank, how the food and beverages were prepared, what they wore and how the fabric was made, the entertainment, stories, festivities, and how they spent most of their time are the things I try to learn from each visit.

Recreated kitchen at Dover Castle

One of the most fun bits of research I did for Binding Passion was to learn about Christmas festivities in the fourteenth century. That required extensive dips into books and searching through websites for the details to bring those alive. What I found was fascinating because the celebrations of the time were so different from today.

No Christmas trees, greeting cards, Santa Claus and reindeer, or striped candy canes permeated the Medieval Christmas celebration. And Christmas Day was just the beginning of the twelve days of celebrations back then. (Yes, that song has its origins in the celebrations of the Middle Ages.) Unlike today when it sometimes seems like it builds up to December 25^th and is all over on the 26^th.

Christmas was more rooted in religious rituals in fourteenth-century England. Most towns were built around a church and religion played a central part in the lives of the people of the times. It wasn’t something they did; it was who they were. Christmas was still a fundamentally religious celebration of Christ’s birth and the beginning of salvation. Celebration was in order, but that often meant activities meant educate and remind people of Biblical stories and songs and verses memorializing the events of the Savior’s birth.

But some things we have in common with them. Special foods were a particular treat during the Christmas season. Sweets, uncommon during much of the year other than the natural ones in fruits, were more widely consumed. And drinking alcoholic beverages formed a very large part of the festivities. Charity toward the less fortunate was encouraged particularly during the dark days of mid-winter. Music, dancing, plays, and gatherings of friends and families helped brighten the days and nights. Deeply religious they might have been, but they still loved a good party!

My First Published Novel is Now Available Again

The second in my Passions series of erotic Medieval historical romances is now available! Ruling Passion is a full-length novel that features handsome knights, a lady in distress who manages to get herself rescued, then has to face the consequences, and a story of two people kept apart by circumstances but drawn together by love for each other.

This was my very first published full-length novel. I’d had a number of short stories published in various magazines before then, but in 2001 an editor from Ellora’s Cave contacted me to ask if I had any novels I might consider publishing with them. I did, in fact, thought it wasn’t finished.  I emailed what I had to the editor and she sent back an enthusiastic, “Yes, I want it.”

I set to work, but that January, my father died and for a couple of months I couldn’t even think about writing. The editor was sympathetic and told me to take whatever time I needed. A couple of months later I was finally ready to get back to writing and it seemed like the story just flowed out of me at that point. I finished it within a month and we began a whirlwind round of back and forth edits that lasted another month or so. The book released in June, 2002.

It was put into print a few years later and had had numerous different covers since its first release. I haven’t tried to count how many, but I can remember at least four right off-hand. Despite that, it was my best-selling book for EC.

EC is now gone and I have rights back to all my stories. I’ve never been entirely happy with the way my stories were edited or some of the changes I was asked to make, so I’m going back and re-editing all of them. It’s a lot of work, but worth it to shape them into the stories I’ve always wanted them to be.

Coming Soon - the Passions Series!

By Katherine Kingston

 The Passions stories are a series of loosely related Medieval historical romances that include strong BDSM and Domestic Discipline themes. The heroes are alpha and dominant but the heroines are also strong women in their own right.

The first in the series is a romantic short story. The others are full-length novels.

I've always loved the Medieval period, particularly in England. It was a fluid, dynamic time, a romantic time when knights and ladies ruled and the ideal of courtly love flourished but was always rubbing against the harsh realities of daily life.

 All of these stories were formerly published by a now-defunct epublisher.  I’ve re-edited them to take out some gratuitous language and scenes, and to improve the grammar.

The first one, Daring Passion, a short story, is now available for pre-order at Amazon and elsewhere. It will release on March 1st.

I hope to release the next three on the first of each month following that. I wanted covers that would share some of the branding from my contemporary novels, but would have their own distinct look as well, something that would suggest historical with hints of BDSM and Domestic Discipline.  I think my cover designer outdid herself with these.

Blurb for Daring Passion: What’s a lady to do when her father and the suitor she favors can’t get together on the terms of the dowry, and neither is willing to give an inch? Take matters into her own hands, of course. Even if it means taking a risk with her intended, her reputation, and her future…

Looking a Lot Like Christmas

by Katherine Kingston

It’s my favorite time of year – holiday season, especially December. I celebrate Christmas as both a religious and a secular holiday, though I know not everyone does both and some do neither. Whatever your beliefs, I think it’s healthy to have a specific time of year devoted to celebrating life and our relationships with each other.

Christmas inspires me and I’ve written several Christmas stories, including a few that were first published by Ellora’s Cave, and are now unavailable. Rights to those stories have reverted to me and I plan to re-release all of them. The re-releases are taking time because I’m essentially rewriting everything.

But two of my Christmas stories have just hit the market, one a re-release and one brand new.

Secret Santa Sir, the sixth and currently final story in my Suburban Dominants series released on December 5^th. I had a blast writing this story, since it involved a different take on the idea of Secret Santa gift exchanges, plus a fun take-off on a popular Christmas song. A BDSM Christmas story just has all sorts of possibilities. This line from the book gives you the flavor of it:

“On the first day of Christmas, my Master gave to me: an adventure for the holidays.”

And I have a story in the Naughty Literati's winter anthology, NaughtyFlames, which released on December 1^st. It’s another of my Christmas gargoyle stories.  Sometime in the near future I plan to put together a book with all of them. There are currently three: a novella that was released by EC a few years ago but is currently unavailable, this story, and the one that appeared in last year’s NL winter anthology, Naughty Chances. In the meantime, though, I hope you’ll enjoy Her Gargoyle Guardian in the NaughtyFlames anthology, along with all the other excellent stories it includes

Red Tape - Bondage in the White House - A #BDSM Thriller #Eroticromance

Authors are asked all the time - "Where do you get your ideas?" For me, a spark for a story can come from anywhere. An image of a character, a setting, an overheard conversation, a scene from a movie or another book, a song, a dream, a trip to an exotic place, or just a random idea from nowhere. In RED TAPE, Book 1 in the FLC Case Files series, I know exactly where the idea came from. I heard one line: “Bondage in the White House.”

Dh and I were sitting in our local restaurant/bar having dinner and I told him I was trying to come up with some ideas for a new book and series. I wanted something edgy and wanted to write a BDSM romance, but didn’t want to write about a BDSM/lifestyle club.

Dh thought for a moment, had a sip of wine, and said. “If you want it edgy how about, Bondage in the White House. There’s lots of scandal you could write there.” We were watching the TV series Scandal at the time and Fifty Shades of Grey hadn’t been released yet.

I considered that for a moment. And the warped, kinky mind of mine started turning that phrase over. “I think I can work with that.” Red Tape was created and the First Ladies Club, a secret organization that the first lady runs and past first ladies have run since President Lincoln.

When normal negotiation fail between political powers, the FLC steps in and uses sex scandal, murder and more to manipulate foreign or domestic policies. In Red Tape, sex scandals are used to manipulate a sadistic leader from a foreign country. But he discovers their plan and devises a dangerous game of his own. And the heroine is caught in the middle.

Buy Red Tape:

Amazon    BN   iBooks    Kobo  ARe

Genre/Theme: Erotic romance, romance suspense, BDSM, Erotic Thriller, Espionage

Sample Reviews:

“This was such a different take on BDSM romance! It had a bit of everything, suspense, intrigue, romance and hot steamy sex scenes. I would love for this to be a TV show! It reminds me of Scandal with a BDSM element. The characters are strong and likable, the plot will have you wondering what's next and the sex will have you blushing. The story has a wonderful build up to a fast paced ending that suits the main characters well. If you are looking for suspense with a bit of a twist, this is your book!” ~Amazon reviewer

“I definitely enjoyed Red Tape, Zoe was a strong, self-sufficient agent and the suspense element was great especially the ending. It was suspense with a touch of National Treasure (the movie)bits with a side of BDSM.” ~Goodreads reviewer.

Excerpt: (Intro to the following excerpt: Ex-CIA agent Zoe, starts her new job in the White House. Her office is in an old storeroom in the basement of the West Wing. Security concerns and old CIA habits brings her to another room down the hall late one night. There she runs into Jason, ex-lover and ex-partner when she was in the CIA. He’s hired to train her for a new undercover position. But the room she’s in, is off limits and about to be used for an ops.)

Footsteps approached down the hall. “Shit, too late,” he said as he closed the inside door. The room swallowed them in utter blackness. Zoe held up her cell phone for light. Jason flicked on a penlight.

“Which way?”

“In here,” he ordered. He grabbed her arm and shoved her into a small storage closet, then closed the door. Her cell buzzed. “Phone off.”

Zoe glanced at her phone and let out a sigh as she turned it off. “Thank God.”

“What?” Jason asked.

“It’s Damien.” Zoe let out a breath. She hated when her brother was late, even when he was beating the crap out of her in the Words With Friends game.

Jason’s expression softened. “Iran?”

She nodded, her eyes adjusting to the dim lighting.

“Turn it off. Now.”

“Okay. What’s happening?” As much as she wanted to be angry at him, her stomach fluttered with excitement and her sex throbbed. He always managed to turn her on, especially when they were in danger. He smelled so good, too. A new shampoo, body wash? Whatever it was, it made her remember so many scorching-hot nights, breathless from hours of fucking. She wanted him again, wanted him now.

He took the phone, made sure it was off and stuffed it in his pocket. His penlight was still on. “Now listen to me. We cannot leave this closet or make a sound until it’s over, under any circumstances. Do you understand?” His frown grew fierce and his eyes wild.

“Yes.”

He cupped her chin with his hand. His mouth was close to hers as he whispered, “I’m sorry, Zoe. I should’ve called, should’ve explained.” He squeezed his eyes closed then looked at her again.

“Please, trust me.”

“Trust you? But I don’t know what the hell is going on.”

“Zoe, please.”

She knew that tone, knew him well enough not to argue. Trust wasn’t always easy for her.

“No sound.” He turned off the penlight.

She leaned against the wall, listening. A rush of adrenaline surged through her. The sound of her heartbeat pounded in her ears. Like old times on a mission together. The doorknob to the room rattled. Then the door squeaked open, and a sharp click of the light switch sent a shudder of excitement through her. The sound of people entered the room. Zoe tried to estimate the number. At least three, maybe more. Women and men by the voices and heeled shoes. She gasped but only a whisper. He placed a hand over her mouth, and she nodded. She held her breath.

“Anything you need before the room is sealed?” a male’s voice asked.

“No, we’re good. Seal it.” Was that the first lady? Slowly, Zoe’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, and a sliver of light appeared beneath the door. Another sliver of light cut through the door and frame where the old wood had warped. Angling her head just so, she squinted through the crack, trying to get a fix on the outside room. As they moved around, four people came into view, two men and two women.

Good, God, one woman wore leather fetish wear—a corset, thigh-high boots and stockings. And the other with blond hair wore a black scholar robe. Beneath the robe she wore five-inch heels. Their faces were covered with elaborately decorated Mardi Gras masks. Two men were also present. One young guy with a muscular build was dressed in a black T-shirt, tight pants and wore a leather face mask. Between the robes and the guy all in black, the scene had a Gothic, macabre feel. What kind of rendezvous was this?

The older man wore business clothes. He was the only one without a mask. When he turned, Zoe thought he looked familiar. He was a small man, middle-aged and not very attractive. By his smile, he appeared to be enjoying the encounter. Zoe studied the furnishings now that the room was lit. Shit. This wasn’t an interrogation room. It was a kinky-sex dungeon. Under normal circumstances she’d have been laughing. This wasn’t funny. This was the White House.

Suburban Dominants is Finally Complete

Whew!  It’s taken more time than I anticipated, but I’ve finally got the rest of the Suburban Dominants series re-edited and formatted for ebook release.  Kyle’sBargain, number four in the series, was out as of November 1 and Cilla’sMaster, number five, is now available for pre-order. Its scheduled release date is November 20^th.

I’m still waiting for the cover for Secret Santa Sir, the last one in the series. Since it’s a Christmas story, I’m hoping to have it in time for a December 5^th release.

Between getting those ready and the Naughty Literati stories, plus some family things, I’ve stayed really busy this year!

I do plan to release more of my backlist next year. I especially want to get my Passions series of medieval historicals out again, but I also have a couple of new things in process, including a novel, tentatively titled, Judith’s Challenge. A prequel to that story was in the Naughty Reunions anthology titled “Renovating the Relationship.”

If you want to be sure to keep up with my releases, sign up for my occasional, irregular newsletter at my website, http://www.katherinekingston.com.

  

  

Waxing Poetic...

When I was a kid I was fascinated by candles. The way they flickered in the darkness. The way the wax pooled around the wick. I used to run my finger into the hot wax then watch while it hardened on my fingertip. I'd dip my finger again and again watch, fascinated, while the wax went from liquid to solid. The sting and heat held an appeal all their own. Well, I didn't know it, but I'd discovered a budding interest in wax play. 

Because you're literally playing with fire, you have to be very careful when you indulge in wax play. First, and most obviously--the flame itself. In order to not burn your house down, anyone indulging in this kind of BDSM play has to plan for fire control - not just orgasm control. Have a fire extinguisher handy. Second, wax is hot stuff - some waxes are hotter than others. Make sure you have ice and burn ointment handy. Remember, safety is a good thing. After you've handled the basics you can move on to setting the scene.

Wax sticks to everything. And it doesn't come out of fabric or hair very well. To protect fabric get a vinyl shower curtain from a local discount store and spread it over your play area. The sub's hair should get pulled back and tucked away.

In researching this I've discovered one important thing. No matter how nice it smells, don't use beeswax. It just burns too hot and while you want to feel the burn...you don't want to experience burn. There is a distinction, however fine it might be.

Preferred waxes - parafin and/or soy based. Both have a fairly low melting point and are therefore less likely to cause burns. Parafin is easy to get and is pretty inexpensive.



In fact, you can go into the grocery story (to the canning section) and pick up a nice block of parafin, if pouring will be involved. There are wax heaters available for therapeutic parafin baths/dips. You can even use a crock pot IF it has a variety of settings. Look for a simmer setting. And ALWAYS...but ALWAYS test the wax on yourself before you start your pour/drip/play. If candles are your thing then use votives, pillars and taper candles for different...effects.

Avoid scents. The oils used to add the scent to the candle will make the wax melt at a higher temperature, so burns become possible. Colors also affect the melting point. Red candles burn hotter than white ones. Players can adjust the heat of the wax by how high above the sub the top begins the drip/pour process.



Be sure to avoid puddles because they can cause the drippee to be burned. Spots like the belly button or the vagina need special care. Removing the wax after play can be a bit tricky. A plastic spatula...or if the top wants to inject some mindgame into the play, a dull knife can be used to scrape the hardened wax off the bottom.



The heat. The impact of the drips. The mindgame of the flame and the blade. All of these combine to create an intensely intimate experience between the participants. Sigh. Off to write a really hot love/sex scene now. I'm inspired.

What do you think? Would you be the dripper or the drippee? Are you fascinated by flame and wax which combine to provide a truly exciting experience for adventurous lovers?