Tag Archives: 50 Shades of Grey

I’m Back!

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Hi Everyone. Yes, I’m still alive, but I haven’t been writing much of late. I’ve been working three jobs (not counting writing and promoting). My wonderful husband, Dana, needed to be working less, so I picked up more work. All of my jobs are part-time and I primarily get to work from home, which I love. Plus, I get to set my own schedule for the most part. However, it doesn’t leave a lot of time or energy for my creative endeavors. But… I’m hoping my jobs slow down a bit soon, so I can focus more on writing and connecting with my friends and readers.

I do have some exciting news to share. I got the rights back to the My Body Trilogy (My Body-His, My Body-His (Marcello) & My Body-Mind) and had to have new covers made for them. They will be ready soon and I’ll be putting them up for purchase. I fell in love with my cover artist, so we had two other covers redone as well: The Demarcation of Jack and The Second First Chance. Spoiler alert: The Second First Chance’s new cover is my favorite!!

While I sit here typing this blog, we are snowed in and have been for six days. Our grocery stash has dwindled but I can’t complain because we have kept our electricity and Wi-Fi the whole time minus a few short brownouts. I’m definitely experiencing cabin fever!

The snow is gorgeous and plentiful but because we live up in the hills northeast of Seattle, we tend to get way more snow than the city folk. The Hippie Dippy Weatherman says we are due for rain, so fingers crossed that it happens soon.

I plan to be posting more often and to be around more on social media. I’m even venturing into Instagram, even though I swore off adding any more social media to the docket. 😊

Life has been great, but I have been WAY busier with work than I like to be. Here’s to things slowing down enough so I have the energy and the will to finish Samantha’s Maze. Samantha is tired of living in limbo, at least that’s what she said to me yesterday. 😉

Stay tuned for new polls, giveaways, and connecting again online!

A special Happy Valentine’s day to my closest and most supportive readers, I hope we can reconnect. I miss the Blakely Bennett Babes!

Warmest hugs,

Blakely

Values and Standards

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Values and standards are an interesting topic to me because they express so many dimensions that can effect a person’s life. I think one of the biggest impacts happens when we allow other people’s standards or values to dictate how we see ourselves or worse how we choose to behave because of fear of rejection or other negative ramifications. Our personal choices are the most powerful attribute we have as humans so why do we give it away?

The timeliest example I can think of has to do with my novels.  When I first tried to find an agent back in early 2009, I still had a very hard time talking about my books.  I felt embarrassed by what I thought other people would think.  Would they think me a sex fiend or assume, as some have, that the story is about me?  Could their opinions of me be so changeable regarding the dream I had chosen?  I think the biggest internal conflict people face is the pull between what they deem as right and good and the pressure that comes from other people’s opinions or worse, judgments.

I believe that relationships can be the hardest arena to navigate these issues.   I’m certain you won’t find any two people who agree on everything. The worst thing you can do in a relationship is take the position that YOUR values and YOUR standards are better/higher than another’s values.  The truth is that a lot of what we buy into is a fundamental part of our upbringing and cultural and even time period. So one’s values are not better than another, just different.

I’m happy to report that my feelings regarding my own works of fiction have changed.  The change came prior to the 50 Shades phenomena but I’m certain that the door has been opened to allow greater acceptance of alternative erotica because of E L James.

In My Body-His, Jane battles this very issue and allows it to create a gulf between her and her best friends.  She assumes her friends will not understand her choices and will instead be judgmental.  Instead of going to them for much needed support, she struggles on her own which leaves her feeling isolated and confused.

I think the best course of action is to feel good about our own choices without worrying too much about what the rest of the world might think about the routes we have chosen.  No greatness has come from following the pathway already carved.

How do differing values and standards effect your life?  Please share with us.

Warm hugs,

Blakely www.amazon.com/author/blakelybennett
http://www.amazon.com/My-Body-His-Blakely-Bennett/dp/1603815236/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349791682&sr=8-1&keywords=My+Body-His
http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Body-His-series/359307324147300

A Day I Will Never Forget

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Today is a day I will not soon forget. I’m so excited to announce that My Body-His is available for pre-sale on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/My-Body-His-Blakely-Bennett/dp/1603815236/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349278898&sr=8-1&keywords=My+Body-His

Each step in the process is bringing me closer and closer to fulfilling a long standing dream. I remember writing stories and poetry in my early 20s and dreaming of having my novel chosen for Oprah’s book club. Gone is Oprah’s show but the dream has never faded. I still hope to get on a talk show, do book signings, and see my novels on the New York Best Seller’s Lists. My daughter’s pick is for me to get on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Still a long way for me to go, I know, but so much closer than I have ever been.  🙂

I feel emotional and elated today. People have told me they pre-ordered the book and it’s made me tear up. My husband and daughters are so excited as well.

Thanks to everyone who has supported me in becoming a published author.  Words of encouragement go a long way. Thank you!

Warm hugs,

Blakely
http://www.amazon.com/Blakely-Bennett/e/B009LB3420
http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Body-His-series/359307324147300

 

 

50 Shades of Grey

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I have heard all kinds of opinions regarding 50 Shades of Grey by E L James but I think what speaks the loudest is the voluminous book sales.  Whether the writing is on par with literature isn’t really the point.  People, most especially women, are eating it up.

I did read the first book just recently and enjoyed the tension she created between the main characters.  People have asked me how 50 Shades compares to my series and I respond by saying my novels are darker, have more tension, the characters are older, and there is more exploration regarding motivations.  The My Body Trilogy is erotic suspense and not erotic romance.

I recently read that since the 50 Shades phenomena hit, that rope sales have gone up nationwide.  I personally will champion anything that will support people to be less uptight about sex.   Since erotica is one of my favorite genres to read, I am hoping that the door the 50 Shades series has opened, remains open and we can be entertained by alternative relationships that until just recently were too taboo to be mainstream.  It would be nice for my series to walk through that open door as well.

Go E L James and 50 Shades!  Long live Mommy porn!

Hello World!

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I’m embarking on the next great adventure in my life, getting published. The first book in the My Body Trilogy will be available for purchase November 15th which is exciting and scary at the same time.  I started writing My Body-His over seven years ago and finished crafting the novel in 2008.  Work, motherhood, and life in general took over and MBH took a back seat.  Just recently my husband encouraged me to leave my stressful corporate job and really focus on writing and getting published.  Thank you, my love! Thank you, FannyPress!

Although I wrote my novel(s) before 50 Shades of Grey hit the stands and people might assume I wrote them after the fact, I’m grateful that 50 Shades has open the door for more racy mainstream erotica and more specifically (I’m hoping) my erotic suspense trilogy. Let Mommy porn thrive….

I find it very interesting that people who hear about my BDSM trilogy seem to assume that Jane, the main female character, is based on me.  I’m certain people don’t assume my husband is a time traveler since he is writing about one in his Geared to the Present series.  If he is, I’m not telling. 😉

The truth is that I have an active imagination and a fascination with the lifestyle but don’t personally live it.  I have done a lot of research online including reading a plethora of erotica and speaking to men who consider themselves full-time Doms.  In my mid 20s a girlfriend of mine and I interviewed a Dom/sub couple which planted the original seed for the series.

What intrigues me the most is exploring the conflict between how the body responds to stimulation and how our mind endeavors to sort out what is considered right and wrong. Jane struggles through the series not only to figure out who she really is but also accept what she has come to realize about herself.

I hope you will enjoy reading My Body-His when the first novel comes out November 15th.