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
I listened to an interview with women from about 20 through 80 who saw it yesterday. All said it was “hot”, all had read the whole series and all loved the Red Room and can’t wait for the next book to come out in a film.
We all have our opinion about FSOG, but the point of this blog is not about whether or not, one likes or does not like the book.
Great post. I wasn’t a fan, but I loved what the books did for other people’s sexuality. I’ve been around the block of my own sexuality, but most people hadn’t even made it to the side walk of theirs. Not before reading a naughty bit of tantalization, that was so steeped in fantasy it made it safe for them to fantasize themselves.
I feel a little disheartened every time someone from the far left or right bashes the books, b/c it’s sending the message that what those ppl got off on, (the ones that don’t want to openly admit to their desires for fear of censure) is wrong, silly, and/or in poor taste.
So many ppl are angry it wasn’t written well, it didn’t represent real BDSM, etc. It wasn’t supposed to be though. It was the inner fantasies of a horny repressed woman. She snapped and had to get it all out on paper. Every dirty detail. And her fantasies resonated w/ millions of other ppl, causing mass masturbation. That’s why it’s brilliant.
And yes, now we all know as a society we’re all a bit more open minded than we’ve been letting on. The cat’s out of the bag. That makes me extremely happy, and I wish more people could be happy about that.
And there you have it. The cat is out of the bag! Once it’s out, you can’t stuff it back in, well not easily! That is my whole point, thank you, and thank you for such a comprehensive comment.
I too am happy for E.L. James. Her wildly successful books have thrown open the doors for all of us who write erotica. Sales have skyrocketed, a taboo subject has entered the national dialogue and scores of women can come out of the closet with what for years were their shameful secret desires.
Exactly! And that’s the point. Thank goodness!
I was married to a man for fifteen years who just wasn’t going to be kinky. I met him when I was 19 years old and he left me before the winter I turned 36 to be with a vanilla woman for more than the nine years of their marriage. Now he’s on the second girlfriend after his second wife. I’m sure they will go see the movie. I’m curious what will be going through his mind at the movie theatre. Nothing too live changing I’m sure.
It’s probably apples and oranges, and I shouldn’t draw a comparison to the vanilla man I was with, but there’s something familiar about this. The good news is, you’re free to be yourself now, and brave enough to do it. Perhaps this is harsh, but I suspect both these men lack the courage you and I share.
‘Life changing’. I’m can just imagine what the small minded people in that town think, and are doing that kink is becoming mainstream.
You never know what goes on behind closed doors. 🙂