For months, weeks and days, the hype has been escalating. For those of us who write in the D/s, D/D, BDSM, erotic, romance genre, the success of this (ahem) novel, has been nothing short of eye-popping, head-scratching and gut-churning. We are haunted by the constant, endless, meandering question, “what the ???”
We all have something to say about it, the good, the bad and the everything in-between.
If it’s possible, let’s put the emotion aside for one minute. Step back from our opinion of what we actually think about the (ahem) novel, take a deep breath, and think about the question.
What does it really mean?
Over 100 million copies sold.
Over 250 million views of the trailer.
STOP. Read that again! (I know, it’s painful, but try.)
Wait a second, isn’t it wrong for a man to spank a woman? Isn’t it dreadful for a man to dare tell a woman what she must or must not do? Isn’t it cruel, depraved even, to blindfold a woman during sex? Bondage! Good Grief, Charlie Brown, how dare you tie Lucy to that bed. What is wrong with you? Are you morally corrupt? Have you taken leave of your senses? You’ll be arrested, and you should be, you decadent, licentious, nasty boy!
What does the crazy success of this (ahem) novel really mean?
It means, that for every five people who scoff, and frown, and claim to despise our delicious way of life, at least half of them are lying. It means that the scowling woman in the bookstore is probably wishing she had the courage to buy the book and take it home, but God Forbid someone might see it, and…judge her!!!
For several years I dated a vanilla man. The mere thought of tying me up was abhorrent. Why then, did I see him skulking around the FSOG book display just a few months ago? Idle curiosity? Perhaps, but what I felt when I scanned his face was shame. If I was right, how sad is that? Just the thought of engaging in some bits and pieces of BDSM is shameful? How does this relate to the question? Keep reading.
What does the crazy success of this (ahem) novel really mean?
It means this politically correct world in which we find ourselves, this world of frowns, and disparaging remarks for those of us brave enough to live our lives honestly, is one big fat lie!
Don’t go getting your knickers in a twist. Of course there are those that simply don’t understand the pleasure that can be found in pain, or the thrill of sensory deprivation, the intense gratification of kneeling before a man, (or, if you are so inclined, having a person, man or woman, kneeling before you), but the numbers are obviously, seriously, tragically skewed! The proof is in the pudding, or rather, the sales. There are FAR more people who are interested, enticed, and titillated by D/s and/or BDSM, than the powers in the world want us to believe.
That, IMHO, is what the crazy success of this (ahem) novel means, and it’s a very big deal.
Just my opinion, and I’m sure I’ll be hearing from many folks who will stamp their feet and raise their fist in disagreement, and they are allowed! (Of course, this begs the question, how many of those protestors have the book sitting on their iPad, having been read and discarded for a better, more compelling and interesting book in the same vein?)
They can protest, but the facts speak for themselves.
100 million copies sold,
250 million views of the trailer.
I rest my case.
https://www.amazon.com/author/maggiecarpenter