RAW: Book Review

I hate to be obvious here. . .but this book was RAW!

Too obvious?

I don't think you all quite understand what I'm trying to say here.

This isn't a fairytale or your typical romance. It's something twisted and hard to swallow at times.

Am I making sense here?

Fuck it. 

Here's a scene from the book.

..........................................................

"There's only one way I fuck." (the dark hero says)

The words are so crude that my lips part and I huff in an unsteady breath.

He takes a step forward, his eyes never leaving mine. "Dirty."

Watching my reaction, he adds, "And this type of dirty. . ."  He breathes deep and says on an exhale, ". . .it doesn't wash off."

.....................................................

Well, I don't know about everyone else, but each time I took a break from reading the novel. . .I took a shower.

Am I clean?

Hell No!

I want more! Is there a next book? I haven't seen anything yet, but I swear this is karma on me for taking so long with sequels.

Aint that a bitch! :-(

But let's go deeper. . .

MEET THE HERO

Believe me?

Fine. I'm overexagerrating a bit. He's sexy, but on the inside. . .it's that guy up above in the gif.

OOOOOOOO I love wicked, but at times he might have pushed EVEN MY LIMITS!

And let me tell you something. When the SMEXY CAME. . .

We all might have CAMEEEEEEEEEEE!!

TMI???

Fine. 

I'll end here by giving it 4 STARS!

Rape Culture in Romance, good or bad?

I asked my husband to read the first 5 chapters of my work-in-progress. It's an Interracial Romance set in Tokyo. 

This is what he said, "Wow. You're writing improves with each book. It's like I'm in Tokyo. However, you should make the hero less Rapey."

I was blown away. "What the fuck? Rapey? Please explain this."

So he did. "You have this guy, invading the heroine's space upon meeting her, running his fingers through her hair, saying things that no rational male would say to any female he doesn't know, and. . .the guy is just creepy."


"No." I laughed. "That's romance."

"Hell no! That's rapey."

"Look. I've read tons of books where the Alpha Hero is a bit more than the typical guy."

"Then you've read a lot of romance novels with Rapey guys."

I'm a hard headed person so I made my darling husband act out the whole scene right there in our living room.

I was the heroine. He was the hero. 

Boom. 

We're in a Tokyo soapland (a brothel that bathes and provides sexual services to rich men). My hubby is a suspected yakuza gang leader. I'm a fast-talking fiction writer. 

We say the lines and do the actions.

The Results?

THE HERO IS RAPEY!!!

I'm totally creeped out.

What did I learn?

1- I need to re-write the freaking novel.

2- I should act out all scenes with my husband! 

What do I need to learn?

Dear god why did I find the hero so attractive. He was perfect when he lived in black and white on my laptop screen? Out in the real world, not acceptable.

but why was this jerk off acceptable in the story?

I have no idea. . .maybe I'm a sicko. . .maybe Rapey is in now. . .maybe I should change that. . .maybe I should not. . .

However, I'm not alone.

If you do a google search of the words "Rape. Hero. Novel" what you will get are TONS of goodreads lists and blog posts on many romance novels with rape in it.

Here's some of the lists with a link for all you naughty readers out there:

Romances with Forced Seduction or Rape by the Hero

Popular Rape by Hero Novels


...and we can't just let the guys have all the fun, can we? No way. Check out this great blog post by HeroesandHeartbreakers.com.

Waistcoat Rippers: Heroines that Rape the Heroes

So where am I going with discussion? 
I have no idea. 

I was just forced to realize that somewhere deep within my creative soul, I enjoy writing Rapey Heroes. I'm vowing to change this.

Why? 

I'm supposed to be a freaking feminist! Can feminists love Rapey Heroes? I doubt it.

but before I beat myself up, I need to understand why these novels are so popular and why have they captivated even me

I mean there are a whole bunch of women and men out there who enjoy a Rapey hero from time to time.

So now I'm asking you all to help me understand this fascination with Rapey Heroes. . 

Are you one of those readers that love a guy to go too far? 
Why or why not?  
How far is too far for a Rapey Hero?  
Would it be better if the Heroine raped the Hero?
Is Rape culture in romance, good or bad?

Good Feminist Non-fiction

I read this book for a Feminist Theory class in college and it changed my life.

Seriously.

It made me think differently about being a woman. I knocked down several of my traditional notions of gender, motherhood, and even society after this book.

It leans more on the academic side, but very fascinating. If you ever have the time and want to ponder gender roles in society, this is the book for you.

Top Five Art Installations

AMAZON

People who really love The Muse, tend to send me excited emails about the art installations showcased within in the mystery romance novel. The best part about writing the story was the art research.

For those who are saying, "What the hell is an art installation?" 

It's basically a big adult playground that people consider art. At least that is the unofficial Kenya Wright answer.

So today I will give you my 

Top Five Art Installations

Tomás Saraceno’s Biospheric Cloud Cities

I probably could spend half a day bouncing around in this installation!

Leandro Erlich’s Bâtiment

This is just a fun photo op waiting to happen. Have you figured out why the people appear to be hanging on the building?

Ernesto Neto’s Woven Installations

I think once I got over the initial part of being in the air, I would be running through these woven paths!

The Rain Room at The Barbican, London

I had a friend who went to this installation in New York. Apparently, you will never get wet in the rain room no matter how slow you move or wherever you go.



The aMAZEme Labyrinth by Marco Saboya & Gualter Pupo

Talk about finding innovative ways to recycle books and magazines!

Beyonce's Visual Album & What it may mean for the future

Beyoncé chose to release a visual album because she can see music.

What the hell is a visual album?

Apparently it is. . . 

Fourteen Songs with. . . 

Seventeen Videos

Believe it or not (especially with all these gifs of her), I'm not a hard core Beyonce fan. I do like some of her work and don't like the rest.

So...

At first I rolled my eyes at Beyonce's unique ability to. . .see music. But that was just hating. We all have a bit of hating fluid in us that flows through our veins when someone does something amazing. It's just what we choose to do once the hate fills us.

I decided to shake it off 

and truly look deeper into what she was saying. . .

Seeing Music

Do you see music?

I say sure. We must all see it at times. I have smells and complex memories triggered by a few notes from a song. If I play music while I sleep, vivid and elaborate dreams are birthed.

Music is a powerful thing. 

Many psychologist believe that music can alter your mood from happy to sad, depressed to empowered. Some therapist warn people about

choosing the type of music they play around themselves and their children.

Notes, lyrics, and rhythms can get in our head and breed many things.

It's why I try to stick with songs dealing with sex and positivity. . .because I like being nice and I LOVE SEX!

And this visual album appears to be a smörgåsbord on fun, fashion, art, confidence and sex. . .

But Visual Album. . .

The more I say it the more I'm getting excited about the possibilities. . .

Will more artists do this?

And how can a visual album translate in the literary world?

Whenever an artist does an innovative thing, I look at how I can steal and fix the idea for my own entertainment.

So what about a Visual Book?

Interactive novels exist, not many but a small amount. I've been playing with the idea of making the Santeria Habitat series interactive as well as creating a steamy interactive erotic romance. I just don't know how and believe the cost would be insane. . .

But this visual album is making me reconsider. . .

I think it would be amazing to read about a sex scene and visualize a sensual (done well) moment between the couple. . .

This world is moving forward with people who have stopped being afraid and simply dived into innovation without second guessing the disadvantages that can come their way.

I, myself, am beyond excited for Beyonce, her fans, the music world, and the possibilities for more

Here's a preview of one of her videos  from the visual album

An Inside Look into Chaos

***Dark Erotic Romance

Amazon      B&N

“Sometimes it’s okay to kill, if you’re saving someone else in the process, Rainbow.” Dad wiped my tears from my face with bloody hands. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Do it for Daddy. Pull the trigger.”


And I did.

This isn't your mother's romance.

It's a deranged adventure through twisted addictions that arouse the body and mind. . .

Swim at your own risk.

Rain: artist, mentally stable

Jude: future rock star, sober

Our bodies formed into one entwined link, one grinding sensual movement of skin upon skin. 

Laboring breath skimmed across shivering flesh. Sculpted muscle molded against stiff nipples. The area between my thighs knew no pleasure till that moment.

 We collided, and all I could do was hold on.

Jude dominated me, and he did it in the most delicate movements--tortuously slow. 

      
He took his time. 

The piano played, the notes mingling with the sweat of our sex, the crashing of the waves, and the sound of my cries. 

Dear God, he took his time, until flickers of an orgasm turned into a bomb of passion that detonated inside and exploded through me.

Big Giveaways and New Releases

Kenya Wright & Megan D. Martin are giving away all kinds of goodies in celebration of releasing their new novels including a $100 Amazon GC, over 35 different ebooks by some awesome authors, and a free cover design by J Sheats. 
(Rafflecopters are below)

ALIVE: New Adult Post-Apocalyptic Romance by Megan D. Martin


 Buy on Amazon Buy on Smashwords Add to Goodreads

Flesh-eating zombies, dirty sex, and a shattered past… What’s more dangerous—the man who broke her heart or those trying to eat it? 

Fighting to survive.

Eve finds herself alone in the world after the Crave—the only parallel of her former life. On the hunt for her sister, she runs into Gage—the first and only boy to have her heart and break it. It’s been four years and he isn’t a boy anymore, nor is he the same person he used to be. 

Against her better judgment, Eve agrees to stay with him when he divulges information on a safe haven near the small town they grew up in—but that doesn’t mean she has to like it… Returning home elicits a myriad of emotions that both Eve and Gage thought they had buried. The past and present collide and they are forced to the face bitter deceits that ruined them in the before and threaten to destroy them now…

ALIVE Book Trailer

THEIRS TO PLAY: New Adult Erotic Romance by Kenya Wright

Check out the first 5 chapters for FREE!

Buy on Amazon

  Add to Goodreads

Two billionaire brothers enjoy twisted games where women are the sport. They find a female, date her, and compete to see who can bed her first. 

 Too bad they picked the wrong one this time. 

Dawn's too smart for their verbal play and too quick to get trapped by clever ploys. The more the brothers work to capture her heart, the more they discover she might not be theirs to play.

**THEIRS TO PLAY is in the KDP program if you are looking for an epub copy, please contact Kenya and she will hook you up. wrigkenya@gmail.com

THEIRS TO PLAY Book Trailer

  Giveaways

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There will be Five different winners. One for each bundle. 

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