"Exquisitely Mindful and Seductive"

Rather than try to organize my life, thoughts, book tour—or any or all of the above—I've decided to post the reviews for The Big Book of Bondage as they come in. Won't that be more exciting, anyway? You'll never know exactly what to expect! The first review is by Donna George Storey of Vida Bailey's piece. Donna says:

I just loved Vida's "Life Drawing"--it had a delicate Japanese-style sensibility that fit beautifully with the shibari theme.

"Life Drawing" by Vida Bailey

Reviewed by Donna George Storey

For me, a good erotic story must be both well written and arousing. However, Vida Bailey’s “Life Drawing” in The Big Book of Bondage reminded me of another quality that the best stories invariably possess—they illuminate the experience of sexuality in a fresh and memorable way. Bailey’s tale of two artists who explore the aesthetic and sensual delights of shibari—Japanese rope bondage—succeeds beautifully by all measures.

Rosie and Arlo are college friends who meet up some years later as members of a casual drawing group. Rosie finds herself watching Arlo intently, first as he sketches and then when he poses as a model himself. Rosie’s heightened attention to sensual detail—through touch and sound as well as the gaze--drew me completely into the world of the story. By the time the roles reverse and she’s in Arlo’s art studio, artfully immobilized in crisscrosses of silky rope, I was right there with her, enjoying every mind-blowing sensation and discovery of the intimate power of seeing and being seen.

The language of the story as well is exquisitely mindful and seductive: “...His fingers followed the path they’d traced and soon her underwear was replaced with a girdle of rope that ran around her belling, biting into the soft skin there. It looped under her ass and framed her cunt and tied thickly around each thigh. She strained to close her legs, hide herself from his gaze, but he laid a firm hand on each knee and tsked softly, shook his head.”

Whew, and that’s just an appetizer! For the full feast of artistic and erotic self-discovery, the subtly Japanese flavors of “Life Drawing” await your pleasure.

Donna George Storey's (www.donnageorgestorey.com) latest releases include the ebook version of Amorous Woman, her semi-autobiographical and very steamy novel set in Japan, and Mammoth Book of Erotica Presents The Best of Donna George Storey.

More reviews to come shortly...

XXX,
Alison