It’s no secret that I am a huge Alison Tyler fan, so when Cleis Press offered me the chance to read and review her latest offering I all but jumped at the chance. I had no preconceived ideas of what this book was about and just as I would when I take a trip to my local Barnes and Noble, I read the title and the back page blur as my first introduction.
What that blurb told me was that this: Monogamy does not have to be monotony! So with my expectations peeked I settled down and is my custom began to read and soon discovered this was anything but your average sex help book.
This book will take you on a journey of discovery and is likely like any other erotic book you will read. A blend of Ms Tyler’s humor makes it an easy read when mixed with the delicious erotic exerts that she has selected to illustrate her point, that spicing things up in the bedroom don;t require much more than a little imagination. Each chapter deals with a new methord that could be employed by just about any couple to add that spice and take the monotony out of monogamy. Each ends with an erotic story that illustrates perfectly the points that have proceeded it.
This imaginative journey weaves down paths such as oral sex, bondage, menage a tois and just about everything you can think of between those two subjects. For me the beginning bondage chapter struck a real chord with me and especially this exract from Jenny Lyn’s story, “Confessions”
Cuffs of thick leather or strips of fragile lace. I honestly do not care. Rough hemp rope or sticky licorice whips. The material is immaterial sometimes. It’s not always about the marks, although i love to see those too. I don;t always need souvenirs. We all know what it’s really about: my acquiescence, your control. It’s about trust yours and mine. I won;t struggle, not if I’ a good girl. Your long strong fingers wrapped around both my wrists or simply words. Doesn’t really matter to me. You could tie me down with over cooked spaghetti noddles and I’d happily obey you.
I couldn’t help thinking as I read through the chapters of this book of the Master of horror Stephen King and not for the reasons that you maybe assuming. There is no horror in Never say never, only beauty but where Stephen King comes in was I found this book to be the erotic writers equivalent to Kings book, On Writing. I would strongly urge any aspiring erotic writer to read this book. It contains some great examples of how to write great erotica though it’s excepts and the story that encapsulates the subject that Alison is writing about.
I loved Sophia Valenti’s story tangled up in blue, that Alison used to illustrate her chapter entitled Crossing your T’s. In case you didn’t get the connection the chapter is about cross dressing, and once again hit a chord with me. Just as Alison details her introduction to the idea of a guy in lingerie was seeing Tim Curry in the Rocky Horror picture show, as was mine.
There are so many ideas hidden within the writing of this book, it would take me a book to detail them all here but I will tell you they are all worth reading.
Whether you are an aspiring erotic writer or simply looking for a way to stretch both your imagination and possibly your sex life then Never Say Never is well worth taking the time to read.
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