Handcuffs & Silk started out as a sweet romance. A simple one night stand
between a lady cop and a lawyer sounded easy but somewhere along the line the characters
took over the story and sexed it up.
Bring out the leather and restraints...I was off to write about something
I had no idea about.
So what did I do?
What any good author does... RESEARCH. Here's where hubby has that Cheshire Cat
grin. No, really... I poured over books (fiction & non-fiction), interviewing various Doms and subs then let my imagination go.
According to Wikipedia:
BDSM is a consensual lifestyle
choice, or type of adult role-play between two or more individuals. The
compound acronym, BDSM, is derived from the terms bondage
and discipline (B&D), dominance and
submission (D&S), and sadism and
masochism (S&M). BDSM includes a wide spectrum of activities,
forms of interpersonal relationships, and distinct subcultures.
I found the best help on the
subject (other than personal interviews) turned out to be the online site Seekers. This site states, "D/s is a lifestyle choice, Domination and
submission, where people live their lives opting by nature to be either
Dominant or submissive. In a relationship the one complements the other and is
based on the gift of submission, and absolute trust."
I
must say this sight was not only helpful with my work, but I thought the owners
handled the subject in a fundamental and kindly manner.

Writing Handcuffs & Silk became a whole
new experience for me and opened a door I always thought was best kept
closed. Not only am I becoming a better
writer because of my research but I've also developed a sincere respect for my new friends who delve into this world. Hubby and I won't be visiting a dungeon any time soon, but he certainly enjoys being my "research assistant."
Never be afraid to ask questions,
the answers may amaze you.