Blog - Page 42

It’s been a weekend, for sure.

No Comments
Her Client Trilogy front cover
Janet, my maggical, with love

Janet, my maggical, with love 11″ x 14″ charcoal on 80# matte paper

This being Valentine’s weekend, I made plans to spend it with my wonderful, delicious lady. She’s fantastic and to me, very beautiful. With Sunday being Valentines Day, I spent the entire day with her. Even though we live together and share time, meals, drinks and shopping together, Sunday we spent it hanging out and enjoying each other’s company.

Saturday, we also spent lots of time together, though not the full day. There is work to be done, shopping (done together) booze to buy (also done together) and other stuff (done together and separately).

Monday, I had the day off and she had to work. Bummer. We missed each other constantly and texted back and forth. We can’t wait for the day when we retire and share time together 24×7.

Now, to be honest, when we retire, I don’t know how I’ll deal with being with her 24×7. I’m sure she will struggle too but I trust we will figure it out. Each of us had years of alone time to do whatever we wanted, without kids, pets, etc. Mind you, some days being along sucked, big time. Now, I worry that I won’t have the private time my psyche requires. I’m sure I will figure it out. But I digress.

Her Client Trilogy book cover 3D

Her Client Trilogy

The real reason I am writing this is that I discovered something last Friday and I am working hard to correct it. Apparently, editing of my Trilogy missed a lot of problems with my writing. My editor explained it to me that she had a hard time editing this series. Apparently, the story rang too close to home. Since it deals with brutal, sexual assault and an eventual entry into the world of human trafficking, I am not surprised. I wrote it to be horrendous and disturbing.

Be that as it may, I’ve spent every working hour since Friday, working with a new editor to fix the problems. I hope it will be much better as a result.

In the meantime, I will be pulling all original versions of the books from the marketplace until I can get them revised. When re-released, I will make them free for anyone who has already purchased the books. I apologize to anyone who had to suffer with an inferior product. I only have to wait until Amazon releases these books from ‘review’ so I can do this. (See below as to why I am delayed.) It was not my intention to release an inferior product and I accept the responsibility.

The following is not as an excuse but as explanation of another issue that recently surfaced.

Recently I’ve lived with Amazon changing my product pages without authorization. This includes pricing and product descriptions. Pricing I have since figured out. It’s the inexplicit changing product descriptions which is most frustrating. It seems that I will fix the description, verify that it appears as I want hours later, only to find that the next day, the description has changed to something I did not authorize. ‘Arrggghhhhh’. They even mixed descriptions from one book to another. Double ‘Arrggghhhhh’.

Something is going on that I don’t pretend to understand. I am working daily on figuring it out and I have working theory. I will admit. I am frustrated but I am working it through. My Amazon customer support requests seem to fix the description. Yet, a day or two later, the issue returns. I apologize again and all I can do is ask for your patience.

This really has been a challenge for someone who also works a full-time job, maintains a household and handles other day-to-day needs. I can’t dedicate a full day, every day, on this shit! So, please, I ask, can you be patient?

However, one piece of feedback has me confused. One commentator mentioned that I misspelled the word ‘Prolog’. According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, this is a viable alternative spelling to ‘Prologue’ from which it is based. I chose ‘Prolog’ and ‘Epilog’ and will probably continue to do so as it has a special meaning to me after watching all those 70’s shows that prominently played a ‘Prolog’ and ‘Epilog’ with them. To me, ‘Prologue’ and ‘Epilogue’ are way too formal and not appropriate to my books. If I ever write a historical drama, textbook or other such book, I will be sure to use the spelling ‘Prologue’. In the meantime, I hope this person will learn to deal with it.

Enough for today and this weekend. I hope you will check out my other books, ‘The Taste of Honey’ and ‘Broken Steele’. Be sure to look for my third book in the series, ‘Lucky Bitch’, due out in the months to come.

Have a great day and a better tomorrow.

Categories: Editing Her Client Trilogy

Tags:

The other day

No Comments
Typing furiously

A few days ago, I posted that I had a terrific idea for scenes and dialog for my next book, ‘Lucky Bitch’. As a result, I decided to take a couple of days off from posting updates to this site and concentrate on writing these scenes.

I am pleased to report that, despite working a full-time job and other responsibilities at home, I was able to write 13,000 words over three days. For me, that’s an awesome accomplishment. Normally, I average about 2,000 words at a sitting and if I can get 7,000 in a week, that’s a good week. So, this is just another way to think that numbers count.

Typing furiouslyNot to be too self-absorbed but I’m patting myself on the back. After, congratulations for these mini-accomplishments are few and far between. Whoo hoo!

When you get to read these scenes, you’ll realize that Mona is in for some awesome fun instead of the strife and terrorism she’s been dealing with in this third book. I can’t wait to finish it so that you can all read it.

Thank you, everyone, for your patience. It’s been a good day and I hope it was a good one for you too. Till next time, this is Richard Verry, reporting from my desk with some tired but eager fingers on the keyboard.

Categories: Lucky Bitch Mona Bendarova Adventures Richard Verry Writing

Tags:

You’ll forgive me

No Comments
Night moon

Silhouette of nude girlI woke up this morning at 4 am with scenes and dialog coursing throughout my brain. Ok, I was half asleep at the time but my mind was certainly active. Instead of rolling over, I got up and started writing.

And writing.

And writing.

I’m not sure when I’ll get to writing decent reviews but I will. I am just asking for a bit of time, maybe a couple of days so that I can get it all down. Good thing the first thing I did was take voluminous notes. Man, is Mona gonna have some fun in these new scenes in my book ‘Lucky Bitch’ which is getting oh so close to finishing. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

In the meantime, have a great couple of days. I’ll touch base when I can. Thanks.

Categories: Books Lucky Bitch Mona Bendarova Adventures Writing

Tags:

Skinning a cat!

No Comments
Concentration

They say that there are many ways of skinning a cat. Before I go on, let me just say this. I have no idea why or where this saying came from, nor do I care. However, I believe I understand what the saying is trying to convey. The imagery of the saying popped into my head the moment the following happened.

This morning, on my FB page, I saw an inspirational post that went something like this.

Elementary Nine6 + 3  = 9

but so does 5 + 4 = 9

By extension, so does (8 + 1), (7 + 2), (9 + 0), (3 * 3), (9 * 1), (27 / 3) and so on.

They all equal 9.

Classroom pop quizSo what?

Unless you’re in school and you are doing a test, it’s not the answer that is important. It’s how you got to the answer. It’s the journey. That’s all that matters. The journey starts with the first step.

It’s the journey.

This is Richard Verry, taking his first steps in rewriting a chapter or two for my new book ‘Lucky Bitch’ based upon an inspiration I had last night while I was half asleep.

Categories: Analytics growth

Tags:

Why does Mona love coffee so much?

No Comments
coffee beans closeup

heart of coffee beansFirst off, Mona just doesn’t love coffee, she adores it. She can never get enough of it, though there is nothing like the first cup of the day, prepared just right. For her, the first cup is more than a delicious drink. For her, it’s an experience. It’s sensual, even erotic. When that first few drops touch her tongue, all else around her disappears. She tends to leave the aphrodisiac liquid sit on her tongue, pressed against the roof of her mouth for as long as she can before allowing the coffee flow down her throat. Even then, the flavor is left behind, coating her tongue, her mouth, and her throat. There is nothing quite like it and only her lovers deposits rank higher on her pleasure scale.

coffee latteBut it’s not just any coffee either. Her preferred cup is a skinny free vanilla latte, which translates to a light blended coffee, topped off with steamed skim milk and dosed with a shot of sugar-free vanilla extract.

It’s a complicated recipe and it starts with the right kind of coffee bean. Not to dark or rich, it has just the right amount of flavor without assaulting the palette. To do it right takes a bit of time and generally, she likes to make it herself. However, being a senior member of her house, others have taken up the challenge to learn how to make it for her and generally they do a fine job of it.

What’s even more impressive, is watching her take that first cup of the day. Charles comments upon his impressions of her coffee experience many times throughout the books. He loves to watch her disappear inside herself, divorcing herself of everyone and everything around her as she savors the erotic experience. To him, it’s as if she is experiencing an orgasm in that moment. He should know, he has enticed many an orgasm from her in the years together. He knows exactly she expresses her pleasure. He would swear that they are too similar to be anything else than an orgasm.

spilled coffee beansNow, the question remains. Does she love coffee for the orgasmic experience, or does she love it for how it makes her feel or does she love it simply for what it really is, just coffee?

We each have our likes and dislikes. We each prefer some kinds of food and drink over another. We certainly like some people better than others. Mona prefers coffee over tea, red wine over white, bedmates who are male over female ones. The list can go on and on. The thing that makes her and her community special is that it is alright to prefer one over another. It’s a matter of preferred choices.

That doesn’t mean she won’t indulge in these other experiences. She regularly sleeps with female partners, drinks tea on occasion and drinks hard liquor over wine. The variety is what offers her the ‘spice of life’. Upon returning to her preferred tastes, the experience is enhanced and the love affair is renewed.

To Mona and her friends and community, there is no right nor wrong in any opinion or feeling. They just are and that is okay.

That my friends is a world I would love to live in.

Categories: Books Erotic Mona Mona Bendarova Adventures

Tags:

What is your favorite aspect of Mona?

No Comments
woman with two floggers

Reflections BWMona is a fascinating character. I love her. There are many attributes that I could say about her but no matter how many I list, many will be missed. She’s smart, attractive, intelligent and loyal. She will do anything for her house and her Master. She loves coffee, high-heel shoes and red wine.

On top of all of her attributes, she is particularly skilled in giving pleasure as much as in receiving it. She excelled in her training during her formative years. She’d be thought of as a black belt in the sexual arts if there were such a ranking. She doesn’t even recognize it herself, but she can read the emotions and body language of her partner and respond accordingly. As a result, her talents both upright and horizontal are always in demand.

As a submissive, she defers to the wishes of her Master. She would do anything for him. He doesn’t even need to ask at times and she is there to answer his desire. However, she also expects to have her needs met by Charles. Just like the bulk of her community, she is a highly charged, sexual woman. She needs him to satisfy her just as she does for him.

woman silhouette striped stockingsBut the question is: ‘what is my favorite aspect of Mona?’ For me, that has to be her masochism.

Mona is not just a masochist, she is an extreme masochist. She not only enjoys sessions in the dungeon getting her ass whipped, she craves it. She lives for it and can’t wait for the next session, even if she is still recovering from the last session.

She is what some might call a ‘pain slut’. Physical pain is an aphrodisiac and when tormented, the endorphins in her body flood her every cell with pleasure beyond compare. Fortunately for her, she has Master Charles, a skilled sadist who enjoys tormenting her almost as much as she enjoys being tormented.

And just to be clear, I’m not referring to abuse here. There is a concept of good pain versus bad pain. Snapped bones, twisted ankles, and sprained knees are examples of bad pain. Beaten to within an inch of your life, bloody and bruised could also be considered bad pain. Bad pain is not something Mona enjoys and she would be the first to say that this was abuse. However, being beaten because you enjoy it, ask for it and negotiate a power exchange would be an example of good pain and something to be desired.

Most people won’t be able to understand the difference but I hope you will trust me when I say that ‘yes’ there is a difference. I’m not sure I understand it either but I have met and played with ‘pain sluts’ before and I have come to appreciate them. They are real, feeling people too.

woman with two floggersWhat makes her character even more complex is that she is more than a submissive. Throughout book two, she is learning that there is more to her than she understands. She is also learning that she is a dominant and at some level, a sadist. She understands just how pleasurable pain can be and is starting to realize that giving pain is just as satisfying as receiving it can be. She doesn’t understand it yet, but she really is a sadomasochist.

She begins exploring this new aspect of herself in the third book in the series, currently under development. When you read it, you’ll begin to see this other side of her psyche for yourself. Of course, I need to get off my ass and finish writing.

So, until next time, this is Richard Verry reporting to you from my computer keyboard.

Categories: Mona Mona Bendarova Adventures

Tags:

Do I have fun writing about my characters?

No Comments
Reflections BW

I was asked recently “Do you have fun writing about the characters?” The very first thought that came to mind was an ’emphatic yes’. I did and I do.

Take Honey in ‘The Taste of Honey’ for example. I knew from the get-go how her story would turn out, especially when I had decided on a title for the novel. I wanted to get inside her head and relate to the reader exactly what it was like to go through what she wanted to do Sorry, I’m not going to reveal any spoilers.

Taste of Honey book cover small

I had to most fun writing her scenes and my fingers flew by as I recounted her story. When I had finished, I was so proud of myself and I remember years later how I felt when I had put the final period on her tale. I felt I had captured her feelings, her pain, and joys. Today as then, I can almost put myself into her situation and follow along with her as she embraces her plan and puts it into action.

Mona, although she is the focal point of my stories in the ‘Mona Bendarova Adventures’, the stories are really about the entire community she lives in. It’s really about everyone else and Mona is the glue that holds it all together. However, I must admit, that I love writing about Mona’s story as well, especially her sex and play scenes. As I did with Honey, I put myself inside her head, feeling what she feels and expressing it as best as I can. Of course, there are some things I cannot feel since I don’t have the equipment to do so but I can imagine quite nicely.

Her Client Trilogy book cover 3DWith my villains, such as Kristin in ‘The Taste of Honey’, or Jeremy and Jon in the ‘Her Client Trilogy’, I find it kind of cool to go outside myself and pretend to be the villain. I just don’t have it in me to hurt someone the way they do but again, I can imagine pretty well what it is like to inflict pain and suffering upon another person.

Then, there are their victims. Thinking back, I really enjoy getting in their heads. Honey as well as Jolene in ‘Her Client Trilogy’, they each suffer in ways that make people cringe. Recounting their pain and suffering, imagining what it would be like, I find interesting and intriguing. Somehow, throughout the writing process, I find pleasure dreaming up ways to hurt them and at the same time, feel their pain. What am I? A sadist or a masochist? Both perhaps? Only my friends know for sure.

Broken SteeleThen there are the characters that are both victim and villain. Braxton Steele in ‘Broken Steele’ is one of those. I had fun dreaming up both sides of his character. He was a flawed character beset with unknown forces encouraging him to become a greater villain only to be reduced to a victim, supposedly by one of his relatives but in reality, by many of his victims. Cover-ups and conspiracies are just so much fun to write about.

Do you want to know what is really fun? Dreaming up all these scenarios. Most just appear magically in my mind, often at really inconvenient times. That imagery I wrote about some weeks back describes that process. But, if I am able to right down just enough to recall the scene, then you can rest assured, it will be in a future book someday. I hope you will look for them.

So, that’s my story on stories. What is yours? Do you have fun dreaming up your characters, stories, music, canvases or other works of art? Do you get lost in the moment the way I do? Do you emerge minutes or hours later only to realize you’ve living outside yourself?  I love that feeling and I love it whenever I enter it.

Fortunately, I have many avenues available to me to enter that state but that is a story for another day.

This is Richard Verry, recounting some of my pleasure at dreaming up my characters and what they will be doing.

Categories: Books

Muses

No Comments
Stream of consciousness eye

Who is your muse?

As part of the series of interview questions, I was asked these questions. “Who is your muse?” and “Who do you turn to for ideas when you get stuck?”

Stream of consciousness eyeThe answer is complicated but isn’t it always? For me, it depends upon the time frame of my life. Overall, there have been three muses in my life. Two I still use today.

The first was Darlene or Dar for short. Everyone called her Dar. Over a decade ago, Dar helped me learn the techniques to express myself in the visual arts. She started out as a mentor, showing me how to properly put pencil to paper and to put paint to canvas. Over time, we became more than that and we shared much of ourselves with each other. We would bounce ideas off each other, share our artwork and spend other more relaxing activities together. We could communicate on many levels. Over time, I had yet another upheaval in my life and I lost touch with her. There are days when I miss her presence in my life and think of her.

For a long while, I didn’t really have a muse I could turn to ideas from. I did have a girlfriend who thought I did a really could job capturing the human form but in the end, she didn’t help inspire me. I got more ideas from the internet than I did from her. Need I say more?

lips with luscious red lipstickThen I met my current girlfriend who is now my committed partner in life. We share everything, including honesty in our beliefs. I love that about her. I can tell her anything about me. I can tell her my deepest, sometimes darkest, thoughts and feelings. Sometimes she can’t stand to hear some of the stuff that bounces around in my head. However, she is a smart, intelligent lady who can deal with my shit. Most importantly, she allows me the freedom to share and I love that about her. Of course, she can share herself with me in the same way and I strive hard to give her the same satisfaction as she gives me.

The other person whom I look to as my muse is really a good friend. We’ve never shared a bed, nor been more than a good friend to each other. She is in a committed relationship with her husband and I am very happy for her. We have a lot in common. We are both trying to get our individual businesses off the ground. Our problems in that regard are similar but also different. Her business is mostly local and she can directly interact with her customers. Mine is global and I have no idea who most of my customers are.

Yet, when we need to confer, exchange ideas and ask opinions of each other, she is one I will look towards. She thinks like me and we share many of the same interests. My girlfriend is very vanilla and until she met me, had little knowledge of the lifestyle I am close to. My other muse is in the same lifestyle as I am. She appreciates the subtleties of my characters and their development. She understands my characters and what motivates them.

So, when I need to bounce ideas for an entire storyline, I turn to my girlfriend. When I need to confer the subtleties of my characters and their motivations, I turn to my other muse.

Coffee in front of steamy windowLast night, for example, we met for coffee just to catch up. As much as I tried to avoid talking about my next book we somehow migrated to it. I expressed that I thought my main character was too much of a wuss and that she was acting out of character. She helped me with ideas to strengthen her character and bring her back in line with what the storylines expect.

Between the two of them, I have found a happy place. Each have their own perspectives, each offers me great ideas and each stimulate me in ways that neither could image.

Who do you use as a muse as you exercise your talents? I’ve shared with you and I hope you’ll return the favor.

Have a great day and a better tomorrow!

Categories: Books creativity growth Writer

Tags:

When I was a child

No Comments
Typing furiously

boy typingWhen I was a child, I remember going to school, learning my “A, B, C’s”, reading, writing and arithmetic. I remember dinner with Mom, Dad, and my sisters. I remember Saturday mornings hanging out by myself. I remember coming home from school and playing, watching TV, hanging out and doing homework. How much I dreaded homework.

The other day, I had a revelation. I realized that what I learned back then, I’m applying each and every time I write an article posted on this blog. I realized I am writing a 300-600 word essay, each time I write a post.

This revelation brought me back to my childhood when I dreaded writing similar essays in school. I remember the basic structure and objective of the essay writing process. Back in those days, I had zero intention of doing this on a regular basis. Even after the internet came along followed by social media, I never intended on doing this, let alone every day.

Yet, here I am, writing a new essay each day, day after day. Huh? How did I ever get here. Well, if you will indulge me, let me tell you.

A couple of years ago, out of a desire to get this story idea I had in my head out of my head, I wrote a book. That book, ‘The Taste of Honey’, eventually got published. The Taste of HoneyThat started the ball rolling and now I have six published books, another in editing and another in development. I also have at least a dozen storylines written out waiting for free slices of time in my day to pump them out. I’ve hired a publicist to help me expand my exposure.

Whoa? A publicist? Yup, that’s right. I’ve hired a publicist and slowly, I’m going from being in the red to being in the black. Ink that is. To expand my brand. Oops, my brand? My ‘name’ is my brand? Apparently so but I digress. I’m told that if I am to expand my brand, I need to talk about it, my books and things that are of interest to me but more importantly, of interest to my followers. And yes, I now have followers. A lot in fact but she tells me that I need more. To get more, I need to blog, daily.

At first, when she told me that, I thought it would be easy. What’s 300 to 600 words? That’s nothing, compared to my novels which number in the tens or hundreds of thousands of words.

Now, after doing this for several months, it’s not so simple. To come up with a fresh thought or idea that would be of interest to others each and every day. That’s hard. This is work. Hard work and I have to think outside the box. I have to come up with original ideas and work them down to just a few hundred words.

Documenting facts and figures.I’m not composing an article of random thoughts, flushing incoherent crap from my brain. I’m composing an essay, focusing on a single subject with an objective supported by facts, informed opinion or data. Essays that I learned how to write in school decades ago are now articles posted on my blog. In some ways, I feel like I’m a reporter for a newspaper. Techniques that I learned a long time ago and went unused, unexercised and unpracticed for more than forty years are now being forced into use. Ouch.

I can tell I’m getting better at writing these articles. I’ve made mistakes and I’ll make more. They say ‘practice makes perfect’. Well, I’ll never be perfect but that doesn’t mean I won’t try. I’m more determined than ever to work hard and perfect my skills. My novels are what drive me and I want them to be successful.

As I finish this essay, I would like to close with this thought. Here I am, writing another one and I am very curious.

How am I doing? Am I meeting your needs or couldn’t you care less?  I would love feedback and constructive criticism. I look forward to reading your comments. Thank you in advance for your precious time in reading this article.

This is Richard Verry, writing to you live from Rochester, NY. I trust you will have an awesome day.

Categories: adult Books The Taste of Honey Writing

Tags:

Found a Great Plugin for WP

No Comments
Google Analytics Dashboard for WP

Found a great Word Press plugin. Google Analytics Dashboard for WP. When you this, you will easily see what your customers are doing when they come to your site and from where they come from.

Google Analytics Dashboard for WPI’ve had a Google Analytics Code for some time now. After getting my ducks in a row, so to speak, with getting the framework of my business up, I am now starting to focus on my overall web presence.

Google Analytics is a premier tool to research how your customers are getting to your site and what they do when they get there.

While I’ve had my code a long time, I’ve not been able to figure out how to use it effectively. Enter Google Analytics Dashboard for WP. This plug-in for my site allows me to look at the analytics data collects and displays it in a usable format. It effectively converts data into information.

This information has already opened my eyes to the patterns my visitors behaviors. Such as ‘Bounce Rate’. Mine is way too high over overtime, I can see that I must be doing something right. It’s coming down, slowly but noticeably. Google even offers suggestions on how to tweak my analytics settings to account for my heavy use of blogs etc. They also help with suggestions to reorganize my site to improve the bounce rate.

The plug-in inserts a panel on my admin page that allows me to reorganize the data in a number of different ways. Reviewing this data will take me weeks in order to figure out what I need to do. In between writing new stories, writing a chapter or two, or simply thinking up a new idea for down the road.

Try it out and let me know what you think. I look forward to reading your comments.

Categories: Analytics Books growth

Tags:

UA-69616211-1