The Future of Taboo, Forbidden, Ultra-Smut, and Other Controversial Erotica

Will Incest Erotica Survive the Purge?

A short time ago the Lot’s Cave Newsletter published its thoughts about the future of controversial erotica on Smashwords. Mark Coker, the CEO of Smashwords responded by fiercely denying any censorship. (See back issues online for the transcripts). Today, Smashwords is stepping up its efforts to silence taboo and controversial erotica. It’s not your imagination; it’s happening right now. Smashwords just banned a number of hard core eBooks this last month, essentially wiping them off the Internet if not for Lot’s Cave. The rest of all erotica authors are supposed to think that’s okay because of rude subject matter. The latest victims consist of authors who write non-consent erotica.

Censors of rape and non-consent erotica assume all sexual violence committed is done by men and that men are by nature sexually violent to women. It has been proven time and again that it is women who most enjoy rape fantasy’s and rape erotica. Indeed, at Lot’s Cave, nearly all rape erotica is purchased by women. Censoring rape erotica actually hinders conversations regarding sexual fantasies and sexual responsibility. Hindering such conversations are actually detrimental to women’s health and sexually open relationships and reinforces the concept that women can only be victims. Does banning rape erotica reinforce toxic adherence to certain strictly enforced gender roles?

You are not delusional in thinking publishing platforms like Smashwords are discriminating against UltraSmut Authors and that they are gaslighting us by claiming ‘no policies have changed; they are just enforcing existing policies under stricter new criteria.’ Hey, we call that a policy change! When caught silencing controversial authors. The chilling effect that occurs every time a new round of “enhancements” is that it keeps most erotica authors far from the boundaries; it keeps them from writing anything that might be controversial in any way for any reason. Because these policy rules are largely unwritten, constantly evolving, being made up all the time, and enforcement is changing, they make a mockery of the concept of a self-publishing platform where all authors are treated equally and that book readers/buyers do not know what they want to read.

First Amazon, then Barnes & Noble, and now Smashwords are controlling the direction the entire publishing market, defining exactly what erotica consumers are allowed to read. If you control the terms, then you can control the outcome of social direction. UltraSmut authors are ignoring this at peril. You will lose every publishing platform going forward, including Lot’s Cave, if authors do not put a stop to this. Some ill-informed authors might agree with Publishing Platform claims that this is just “competition” this is just “free market”; if you do not like Amazon, if you do not like Smashwords, go make your own publishing platform. These authors have never started their own companies and don’t know what it means to start a business. These companies, including Smashwords now, have all built themselves up to the point of monopoly power on the back of protectionist government regulations.

Small companies like Lot’s Cave need large companies like Smashwords to plow the path ahead, without which it’s difficult to survive. We desperately want and need Smashwords to provide taboo authors an uncensored publishing platform. If Smashwords caves in to the vocal few complainers and discontinues publishing ultra-smut, it will make life extremely difficult for us by requiring Lot’s Cave to justify its existence.

Now that Smashwords has ‘arrived’; and in doing so, joined the ranks of all major publishing platforms in crowding out the last bastions of controversial erotica, they are changing the rules on us. On Sept 15, 2017 Smashwords published a table on their blog stating that ‘“rape for titillation” was allowed but discouraged and they would retain the right of refusal—but never provided any discernable “discouraging enforcement”’. Suddenly with no warning they are simply snuffing out authors completely and removing other titles this month. Yes, it’s true they are snuffing out authors and titles from authors that you and I do not necessarily hang out with, read, or enjoy; that’s not the point. They are testing the waters: so nobody protested when it was rape erotica, pretty soon it will be authors and content that are closer to what you and I enjoy writing. Remember a few months back when Mark Coker wrote to Lot’s Cave that “And FWIW, dubcon is considered taboo”?

With Smashwords and Lot’s Cave remaining as the two main platforms for publishing taboo erotica, we want to take a moment to ask some tough questions. The market has changed dramatically, both in what content authors are providing and how stores respond to customer feedback. Examining how to best maximize these market trends is vital… but so is paying attention to the established rules.

Lot’s Cave originally raised its concern when Smashwords implemented a new classification system for content deemed controversial. At the time, Mark Coker stressed the importance of doing so stating:

“Our new approach empowers those who know their content best – the author or publisher – to directly categorize and certify the erotic themes of their books. This will give our sales channels greater confidence to receive the erotica they want while avoiding the titles they don’t want.

The new Smashwords classification system is built on trust. We trust our authors and publishers to accurately categorize their books, and we trust they recognize it’s in their best interest to do so. As is our practice, we will continue to monitor all Smashwords titles for compliance with the Smashwords Terms of Service. Those who jeopardize this trust through deliberate misclassification will face account closure.”

Note here that Mark Coker stresses trusting authors to know and mark their content accordingly while also claiming that doing so is in their best interest. But is it really? What is Smashwords really incentivizing authors to produce? The answer isn’t clear cut. And in this murky water, how is an author to know what is in the mind of Smashwords? Failure to know the mind of Smashwords in defining the meaning of “allowed but discouraged” means being cut off altogether.

Smashwords has gone to great efforts to define the content it deems controversial, and to their credit, they actively attempt to make the process easy for authors. However, there are quite a few problems in their current definitions. We want to take an honest look at these definitions, what they encourage authors to do, and how publish platforms treat such controversial content as a whole. As authors, it is always important to take into account the climate of public opinion, as we soon shall find out.

As mentioned previously, Smashwords makes is extremely easy to look up their content requirements and definitions. There’s the blog post discussing content, and their Terms of Service. In short, here are the definitions of content deemed necessary of further classification:

Age play – One or more consenting adult characters role playing, pretending to be babies or children. Most retailers will take this, but iBooks will not.

Bestiality – Sexual relations between humans and real-world animals (sex with Big Foot, dinosaurs, shape shifters and other imaginary creatures is not bestiality). Few retailers will take this.

Dubious Consent (dubcon) – A common and popular theme in mainstream fiction. Dubcon explores the gray area between consent and non-consent. Not clear if the receiver of the sexual act was fully on board or not at the time of the act. Most retailers will take this.

Incest or pseudo-incest – Sexual relations between family members, whether biologically or non-biologically related. Includes stepbrother, stepsister and step-anyone. Few retailers will take this.

Nonconsensual sexual slavery – Erotic depiction of a person captured or held against their will, such as kidnapping, imprisonment or human trafficking. Not to be confused with BDSM, which is predicated upon informed consent and negotiation between both parties before the act, and which provides safe words so either partner can end the act if it goes too far. If the book adheres to BDSM best practices, do not classify it as Nonconsensual sexual slavery. Few retailers will take nonconsensual sexual slavery.

Rape for titillation – The dominant theme of this book is rape — whether the rape is by one person or a character is raped by a group of people, i.e. a gang rape or nonconsensual “gang bang” — and it targets readers who are titillated by the fantasy of nonconsensual sexual relations. Few retailers will take this.

Out of these, Smashwords says that most retailers will accept Age Play and Dubious Consent (Dubcon). But what about Smashwords itself? Isn’t that what we really care about? Smashwords provides a graph in the blog post that says they will take Age Play, Bestiality, Dubious Consent, and Incest. What they will take but highly discourage is listed as Rape for Titillation and Nonconsensual Sexual Slavery. This shouldn’t be too shocking to authors, but things quickly get confusing. You see, if one wishes to double check this information in Smashwords’ Terms of Service, one finds vastly different information. According to Smashwords ‘Terms of Service’ under section 9f, we find the following information:

“Barely legal” erotica is strongly discouraged, and is subject to additional review and may be removed without notice at the sole determination of Smashwords, especially if characters are in situations – or have mannerisms – that suggest that the characters are actually underage.

Rape erotica and sexual slavery erotica, where the predominant theme is rape violence for titillation, is strongly discouraged, and is subject to additional review and may be removed at the sole determination of Smashwords. Note that erotic BDSM fiction that adheres to BDSM best practices, where all role-playing is consensual with safe words, is allowed and not to be confused with rape or sexual slavery erotica.

Bestiality erotica is allowed but not encouraged. A one-off title is more likely to be acceptable than if a publisher is publishing dozens or hundreds of such titles. At Smashwords discretion, such content may be removed or accounts closed.

Incest and pseudo-incest (sexual relations among non-biologically related relatives and siblings) erotica is allowed, but it will be blocked by most retailers and library aggregators.

Confused yet? Well, if not, why don’t we just go ahead and point out the immense problems here. The first glaringly obvious issue is the number of controversial categories we’re dealing with has changed. Do you notice Dubious Consent anywhere under Section 9f? It’s missing. Dubious Consent is not discussed anywhere in Section 9f. Not only that, but some of the category information has been changed. Note, for example, that Rape for Titillation and Sexual Slavery Erotica are now under the same exact category. There is also no Age Play, but if we assume a bit here, Barely Legal has taken its place. Also, what is encouraged and discouraged content has changed as well. The blog post originally said Smashwords took, but discouraged Rape for Titillation and Nonconsensual Sexual Slavery. But now, Smashwords has said it also discourages Barely Legal, Bestiality, and that original category of Rape for Titillation with the Sexual Slavery tacked onto it. But let’s take another look at Section 9f’s wording with a bit of emphasis…

“Barely legal” erotica is strongly discouraged, and is subject to additional review and may be removed without notice at the sole determination of Smashwords, especially if characters are in situations – or have mannerisms – that suggest that the characters are actually underage.

Rape erotica and sexual slavery erotica, where the predominant theme is rape violence for titillation, is strongly discouraged, and is subject to additional review and may be removed at the sole determination of Smashwords. Note that erotic BDSM fiction that adheres to BDSM best practices, where all role-playing is consensual with safe words, is allowed and not to be confused with rape or sexual slavery erotica.

Bestiality erotica is allowed but not encouraged. A one-off title is more likely to be acceptable than if a publisher is publishing dozens or hundreds of such titles. At Smashwords discretion, such content may be removed or accounts closed.

Incest and pseudo-incest (sexual relations among non-biologically related relatives and siblings) erotica is allowed, but it will be blocked by most retailers and library aggregators.

What is the difference between strongly discouraged and may be removed without notice and strongly discouraged and may be removed, besides a notification? Furthermore, what is the difference between strongly discouraged and allowed but not encouraged? Anyone? Would we be terribly in the wrong to think all is not as it appears to be? The fact of the matter is the language used within Section 9f is highly suspect. Not to mention, the language is extremely negative, just look again at the Incest category, “Incest Erotica is allowed, but it will be blocked by most retailers and library aggregators.” And that brings us to a very important point.

Remember when we said Smashwords’ definitions will impact what an author does, either intentionally or unintentionally? Well that’s the problem with wording with Section 9f. Smashwords is actually falling into a pit of problems, finding itself trapped in being both a publishing platform AND a distributor. They run their store and have their own content guidelines, but so do the platforms they distribute to. But the language quoted above is actually quite telling. Smashwords is encouraging authors to produce content that is highly distributable, and that can’t be articulated with set definitions. This is why there are glaringly obvious difficulties with the classification system among many others. But why is Smashwords encouraging highly distributable books, especially if we assume no ill intent toward controversial content?

The answer, if we’re allowed to speculate, is simply public opinion. While it might be a difficult subject for many, public opinion has a large and heavy influence on controversial content. After all, how does one even get controversial content without others finding it controversial? Smashwords, being the large platform that it is, has to walk to the tight rope between both allowing controversial content and keeping public opinion happy. This is not an easy undertaking in the least! And somehow, Smashwords’ actions are leaning more and more in favor of those who dislike controversial content… and they might not even realize it!

In short, controversial content becomes censored not because of orchestrated bans, but a dwindling ability and incentive to publish and sell such content. With the diminished platforms, it becomes more and more difficult for authors writing such content to make a living. But, on the more insidious side, it also allows public outcries against publishers that blaze a trail and continue to allow controversial content where others failed to. Smashwords, we assume, still very much wishes to be a platform for everyone. However, if that is the wish, it needs to better articulate their terms. Separation between what is able to be distributed and what the storefront will publish is a key step. Allow authors to help. This isn’t about trusting authors, but authors trusting Smashwords. The winds have changed, and with the change in winds comes a new need, the need to be upfront and honest about what content is or is not acceptable.

Again, part of this also gets down to being honest about defined content. Are Age Play and Barely Legal the same thing? What does Barely Legal mean, and why is it a problem? How many titles per catalog are authors allowed if they write Bestiality or Non-Consent? Does the intensity of the rape scenes matter in defining what is Dubious Consent or Rape for Titillation? Many of these questions are often determined by public opinion. For example, violence toward women is often linked to Rape for Titillation in the first often called out by more sensitive readers. One must always be mindful of promoting violence towards women. Sound familiar? Well, what about blackmail? Is sexual blackmail, especially without any violence whatsoever, Rape for Titillation? Authors are begging to know! And that leads me to my last point, that of proper categorization.

Properly categorizing content isn’t just on the author’s end of responsibility. Smashwords also has to recognize and rely on the filters in place. Given that authors are trusted to properly categorize their content and flag controversial subject matter, what is wrong with Smashwords’ own filters for customers? Right now, there are three filter settings available to customers. The first of these is outright exclusionary to erotic content. The second filter setting is one that allows only mainstream erotica. Lastly, we have the filter that allows all erotic content; or a controversial filter as it were. What is wrong with this? If Smashwords were to trust authors to truly label their content, and there are filters in place for the customer, does public opinion really matter?

Odds are the public opinion won’t matter as much as you may first think it does. And that’s really the heart of the issue. Does Smashwords really trust its customers and authors? We hope they do, because if not, there’s going to be very difficult standards to comply with in the future. As a distributor to Smashwords for our authors, we want to be in full compliance. We want to be the trusted source specializing in controversial content that continues thriving in an erotica market that allows for said boundary pushing content.

The Political Demonization of Incest

Is The Trump Family The New Borgia Dynasty?

In 1492, Rodrigo Borgia became Pope Alexander VI. And, at first glance, the legacy he would leave behind seems largely incorruptible. During his life, Pope Alexander VI, would contribute to the historical legacy many of us now take for granted including, the declaration of Ferdinand and Isabella (the reigning King and Queen of Spain) as Catholic sovereigns, granting Spain and Portugal rights to the New World, and, of course, commissioned building projects and artistic embellishments. Despite these moments, Pope Alexander VI is often remembered as one of the worst popes in history. Keep in mind, this is the same Pope Alexander VI whose son would go on to inspire Niccolo Machiavelli in his writing, The Prince.

But, with his religious conviction unquestionable by many, how did Pope Alexander VI become so mercilessly hated? After all, the insult of many people recognizing Pope Alexander VI not by his papal title, and instead as Rodrigo Borgia, is a historical insult that runs quite deep. The Borgia name itself has become a family name synonymous with incest where political scandal, murder plots, and love affairs were the inherited legacy. So, is the Borgia family really as bad as history remembers? What about the accusations on incest? To answer that question we have to start where all scandals seem to start, with a beautiful daughter… and her politically powerful father.

Incest In The Borgia Family

From the beginning, Pope Alexander VI’s reputation was somewhat questionable. His weakness, even as a then Cardinal, was beautiful women. Rodrigo Borgia had, in fact, taken a mistress, Vannozza Catanei, and subsequently fathered four children (later legitimized upon his becoming Pope Alexander VI). Included in these four children was a single daughter, Lucrezia Borgia. At the time, daughters were monetarily valued, by wealthy families, as a political tool. Weddings were political alliances, a way to ensure and strengthen political power. This meant Lucrezia Borgia was thrust into the political spotlight and all eyes were on her future marriage. Her wedding would become a major political affair: international gossip, and romance was simply not taken into account.

At first glance, Lucrezia Borgia was undoubtedly beautiful. She was often the inspiration for many artists and their paintings. Yes, Lucrezia Borgia, the soon to be topic of scandal, was described and painted as the embodiment of Christian piety and grace. Those privileged enough to be in her presence would often discover her charm went much deeper than outward beauty. Lucrezia Borgia was in fact, quite intelligent. Her education, at the behest of her ambitious father, was quite unusual for an ‘illegitimate’ child during the time period… especially for a female. As a child, Lucrezia had actually been taught by Adriana Orsini. The extent of her education included the Latin, Greek, Italian, and French languages as well as music, singing, and drawing. A combination of beauty and intelligence, Lucrezia was highly sought after, and her father used this to his every advantage.

In June, 1493, Giovanni Sforza married Lucrezia Borgia in all the pomp and circumstance possible. All seemed quite well, as Giovanni Sforza was the ‘perfect’ choice of a husband. His family gave Pope Alexander VI a much needed ally in Northern and Central Italy. The match may have been a little too perfect, as many now note the role of the Sforza family in the election of Pope Alexander VI. Whether or not the marriage was a political favor in turn for another, the joyous atmosphere was short lived. For in 1494, France invaded Italy. In a moment that can only be described as sheer stupidity, Giovanni’s uncle, with his nephew in Rome, decided to pledge his alliance to France. Pressured by Lucrezia’s brothers, Juan and Cesare, Giovanni simply couldn’t go against his uncle, and declared loyalty to France as well. This led to a painful mistake, one that put Giovanni’s life in jeopardy.

In a moment of imprudence, Cesare warned Lucrezia that her husband would need to be killed. Loyal to her husband, Lucrezia probably warned Giovanni, because he quickly fled to safety in Milan. Pope Alexander VI was not about to let the resource of his beautiful daughter go to waste, and soon sought an annulment to her marriage with Giovanni on the grounds of impotence. Insulted to say the least, Giovanni refused the annulment. This began all the scandals that would plague Lucrezia, and ultimately, the Borgia family. Giovanni in his refusal to accept an annulment, started rumors and speculations claiming Pope Alexander VI wanted Lucrezia for himself, adding in a jealous and lust crazed brother for good measure. Soon, everyone was discussing the incestuous scandal of the Pope, and his daughter.

Ultimately, with the promise of being able to keep the dowry, Giovanni accepted the annulment. In 1497, with her marriage annulled, Lucrezia retired to a convent. There she may have stayed if it hadn’t been for her brother Juan’s death. The death was a scandal of its own, one that deserves attention to detail all on its own. Juan Borgia, formerly known as Giovanni (because nothing shouts incestuous scandal quite like a husband and brother sharing a name), seems quite unremarkable to history, if not for his inherited love of women… particularly his younger brother’s (Gioffre) wife. This painting of him might be a bit unkind of history, but the circumstances surrounding his death have done nothing but increase the scandal.

On the night of June 14, 1947, deep in the heart of the ghetto of Rome, Juan Borgia left a feast in his honor, never to be seen again. The setting wasn’t strange to him, as the villa in question was his mother’s house. However, early the next morning, Juan’s horse returned without its rider. A search was sent out, only for his body to be discovered in the Tiber. Any doubts surrounding the circumstances of Juan’s death were soon put to rest. His throat had been slit and his body had received a total of nine stab wounds. None of the valuables he was carrying had been stolen. Pope Alexander VI was stricken with grief and quickly launched an investigation into finding the culprit. A week later, the investigation was halted.

The abrupt halt to find the murderer of Juan Borgia has led many to speculate that the culprit lay within the Borgia family itself. It’s worth noting that while the Orsini family was probably suspected by the Pope himself, nothing ever came of those suspicions, which would have been quite fortuitous. Instead, the murderer is often speculated to have been one of Juan’s brothers. Cesare and Gioffre both had ample motivation to kill Juan, but it is Gioffre that is the more likely. It was Gioffre who had married at the age of twelve, to a bride who was then sixteen. The interest of Sancha (Gioffre’s wife) in her brother-in-laws is well documented. Rumors of Sancha’s affair with both Juan and Cesare were widespread, which if true, classified as incestuous at the time. A general consensus of the issue now speculates that Cesare, at Gioffre’s request, murdered Juan. Sancha was suddenly a widow, one with inconvenient political ties to Naples.

Resigning from his vows as Cardinal, Cesare soon followed his brother footsteps and took a role in the papal armies. He was also in want of a wife. Hoping to wed Cesare to Carlotta of Naples, thus strengthening allegiances against France, Pope Alexander VI once again used his daughter’s marriage as a political tool. This time, Lucrezia married Alfonso of Aragon, the brother of Juan’s widow, in 1498. The match was actually a happy one, despite newfound rumors circulating prior to their wedding. In another moment of sheer brilliance, someone fathered a child within the Borgia household, an infant often referred to as Infans Romanus, but named Giovanni. A somewhat common occurrence, one that could have been solved quietly, suddenly turned into the scandal everyone was talking about. This time, it seems to have been the fault of Pope Alexander VI himself.

In a poorly executed political move, Pope Alexander issued a decree stating that the child, Giovanni, was fathered by Cesare and an unnamed woman. Unable to recognize the child as his own, Pope Alexander probably saw the wisdom in keeping the child within the family, soon entrusting his care to Lucrezia. However, Pope Alexander seemed concerned about Giovanni’s long term well-being, and issued a supplemental decree to the first one. Now, the waters became muddy, and Pope Alexander acknowledge that Giovanni was in fact his child, not that of his son Cesare. The scandal that ensued is the source of many incestuous rumors circulating today about the Borgia family. This was the atmosphere in which Alfonso of Aragon married Lucrezia. Despite the rumors, Lucrezia and Alfonso had their own child, Rodrigo, in 1499.

Lucrezia’s joyful marriage was once again to be interrupted by politics in 1500. The strategic arrangement of Cesare Borgia and Carlotta of Naples fell apart. Not to be without a wife, Cesare married Charlotte d’Albret in an unanticipated and politically strong move. Suddenly, the interests of the Borgia family were with France, their previous enemy, and against Naples. The swapping of alliances put Juan’s widow in a predicament that soon saw her imprisoned in Rome. For Lucrezia’s husband however, the fateful turn of alliances was devastating. Trouble first struck the newly married couple in June of that year, when Pope Alexander became injured by a falling chimney. Concerned for her father, Lucrezia nursed his wounds. Two weeks later, Lucrezia’s husband, Alfonso, was stabbed multiple times on the steps of the Vatican.

The attack left Alfonso trapped within the Vatican. Lucrezia was devastated and refused to leave his side. She took control over his nursing, ordering doctors to examine him, cooking her husband’s meals herself, and seeing to it her father issued guards to ensure his safety. Rumors of the attack on Alfonso made their way through the streets, and soon, Cesare was once again painted as murderer. Some speculation even went so far as to say Cesare wanted his sister for himself. A month later in August, as rumors began circulating full force in print, Alfonso was strangled to death. The culprit was well-known, a hired assassin of Cesare Borgia. Suddenly, Lucrezia was a widow, all at the ordering of her ambitious brother. This was devastating to the then twenty year old.

Forced to abandon her son, Rodrigo, to his godfather, Lucrezia remarried for the political advantage of her brother and father in 1501. With her new husband, Alfonso d’Este, living in Ferrara, Lucrezia soon left Rome to join him in 1502. For once in her life, Lucrezia seemed both happy and in a bout of good fortune. In 1503, while enjoying a passionate affair with her new brother-in-law, Lucrezia received news that her father had died. Once again, Lucrezia was forced to deal with the painful pieces of her family legacy, as her son, Rodrigo, remained trapped within the Vatican. Unable to take care of the child herself, Lucrezia entrusted the care of Rodrigo to Sancha, her son’s aunt.

For Sancha, the death of Pope Alexander VI in 1503 marked a turning point. She was suddenly free, and refused to stay in Rome any longer. Leaving her husband, Sancha took Rodrigo and left for Naples. Interestingly enough, not long after she did so, Cesare came to visit her. The meeting is one of speculation, with most people suggesting Cesare entrusted the care of Giovanni, the Pope’s illegitimate son, to Sancha’s care. There are plenty of reasons for this, as Cesare was facing problems of his own. With his father’s death, Cesare found papal backing tough to come by for his army. In 1506, after being taken prisoner and having his land confiscated, Cesare was sent to Spain. There he escaped and became a military commander for King John III of Navarre. But, in 1507, Cesare was ambushed and killed.

Lucrezia only seemed to thrive in her newfound environment. The people of Ferrara seemed quite in love with their Duchess. Both her and her husband enjoyed passionate affairs outside their marriage. Despite this, Lucrezia only became the embodiment of beauty and honesty. She would go on to have more children, but also showed signs of impending difficulties. Then, in June 1519, Lucrezia gave birth to a ninth child. The daughter was named after her husband’s sister, but died soon after birth. Lucrezia would not do much better, as close to two weeks later, she died of complications. The legacy she and her family would left behind was almost immediately tarnished by political rivals. It seems history was not kind, especially to the longest surviving of the Borgia siblings.

History has taught us that, more often than not, the legacy that survives someone is not the truth, but rather, an intricate web of fiction mixed with fact. We have also learned that tarnishing someone’s reputation often takes nothing more than patience and salacious gossip. The Borgia legacy seems plagued by both these things. Art and Literature no doubt played a huge role in the tarnishing of the Borgia name. But the problematic issue is how. It’s true that Cesare Borgia was a murderer who killed those unfortunate enough to get in his way. It’s also true that Pope Alexander VI was a politically ruthless individual. But, what about Lucrezia? Does she really deserve the rumors surrounding her incestuous sex life? No, not really.

Out of all the rumors surrounding the Borgia family, incest is the most scandalous. Both Netflix and Showtime capitalized on the incestuous love affair rumored to have occurred between Cesare and Lucrezia. For their efforts, fan bases of individuals now exist eager to see the rumors proven historically true. The political rivals of the Borgia would never have imagined this taking place, much less the Borgia family themselves. No, at the time, incest was the most sinful of behaviors. Only someone truly evil could commit the sin of incest, much less produce offspring from such a union. Incest was quite equatable to sleeping with the devil himself, all in an effort to sell your soul. So, what changed? Why are people suddenly rooting for the incestuous love affair to succeed? Well, because incest is the last taboo, and the last demonization that still exists politically.

Incest In The Trump Family?

Want to see this scenario play out in real life? You need look no further than Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka and the 2016 Presidential Election. But to get a clear picture, you need to go all the way back to 2006. At the time, Ivanka Trump appeared with her father on The View to promote her role on The Apprentice. Then twenty-five, Ivanka Trump had a background as a teen model and was just getting her business feet wet. The interview seemed to be going well, right until Donald Trump was asked to comment on his daughter’s modelling. Asked for his thoughts on if his daughter were to pose in Playboy, Trump answered a little too honestly. Remarking on his daughter’s ‘beautiful figure’ Trump joked, “If Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.” That was all it took to lay the ground work for future scandal.

Flash forward to May, 2017, the Presidential Election is going strong, when all of a sudden, Bill Maher does the unthinkable. Probably remembering the old interview, Maher decides to make an incest joke, insinuating Ivanka can bribe her father with sexual favors. The joke doesn’t go over well with the media, but for a certain subset of people, the comment is too good to ignore. Suddenly pictures resurface of Donald Trump and Ivanka in questionable poses with people calling attention to their ‘special relationship’. The rumors start to become more common, and while people may not admit it, they can’t stop talking about the latest celebrity gossip. Once again, incest is at the center of a political scandal, and for modern society, it’s a hit.

Then in September 2017, just when things look like they might die down, Ivanka makes the mistake of referring to her father as ‘Daddy’. The comment adds fuel to the fire, and suddenly, there’s nothing to quelch it. While people were quick to remark on the tasteless joke by Bill Maher, this time around, they can’t resist. Trump’s history of awkward comments, pictures with his daughter, and the close father-daughter bond is too much for the gossiping public to ignore. Articles start popping up in common news feeds, and people are consuming the latest version of the printed pamphlets all too common in the Borgia time period. But this time, the material is cheap and the exposure vast.

When Donald Trump becomes President-Elect Trump, well, the rumors resurface. When it comes out Melania Trump will not be joining her husband for the first few months in the White House, people are quick to insinuate Ivanka will be the ‘fill in First Lady’. The political smearing of Donald Trump, on the topic of incest, seems complete. Not only are people talking about it, but Ivanka herself has to deny the rumors calling them inappropriate. When Donald Trump is sworn in as President, things seem to calm down… for a while. Ivanka is still in the spotlight, the rumors echo down the halls of the White House, but for the most part, people stop adding to the gossip. Suddenly, there’s enough to draw attention to now without involving the President’s daughter.

But then, just when everyone thought there might be some peace to the incestuous gossip, Ivanka started to appear at political functions instead of the First Lady. This could have easily been explained by interviews of Melania Trump stating she wanted to focus on raising her son. The rumors simply wouldn’t have it. Ivanka Trump’s place in the political world of her father was somehow proof the pair couldn’t be separated. They simply ‘had’ to be having an incestuous love affair if not sexually, then by proxy. Yes, there were even speculations surrounding how much alike Melania Trump’s father looked like her husband, Donald Trump. Nothing was off limits, and everything was suddenly a free for all. That is, until suddenly, things calmed down about a year into Trump’s presidency.

The political world had moved on, the incestuous gossip suddenly old news. Yet, that didn’t stop Michael Wolff from taking the rumors just a tad further in his book Fire and Fury. Only time will tell if readers of the book will go on to add yet another layer to the incest rumors. The author claims that Ivanka Trump is actually a ‘wife’ to her father, and Hope Hicks, Communications Director, a ‘daughter’. Now, if that doesn’t just exemplify the height of incestuous gossip, I don’t know what does. Suddenly, the President has a daughter for a wife and a daughter by proxy in his communications director. Somehow, I think we ended up back in 1497. Then again, at least those rumors were only just beginning! Yes, the political smearing by incestuous passions is alive and well today.

Why Is That? Why Incest?

Well, the answer is simple: incest is the last taboo. If you truly want to demonize your political rival, you have to go for the throat, the worst of the worst. In today’s society, incest remains the last stronghold. We’ve seen the acceptance of unfaithful husbands, illegitimate children, same-sex affairs (and marriages), and even plural/open relationships are becoming ‘the norm’. When it comes to incest however, feelings are much different. Incest is still ‘disgusting’ and a ‘perversion of nature’. While incestuous relationships today are consented to by mature adults, that doesn’t stop people from labeling the behavior as unusual or unacceptable. Until incest becomes typical and loses its taboo status, well, we’ll always be treated to these incestuous rumors. But hey, that just might mean we have the affair between Ivanka and Donald Jr. to look forward to!

Taboo Data of Note

Last year, we decided to highlight noteworthy taboo themes. These were the categories specifically targeted by aggregators in the recent content restrictions. This year, Lot’s Cave would like to expand the way you look at taboo themes. For authors writing the taboo content readers want, there’s very little information out there. How do you predict what your customers will realistically want? Is there a way to best market your story regardless? These questions do indeed have answers, answers that are surprisingly simple. The best place to currently look for data regarding the taboo is… Pornhub.

10 Noteworthy Trends From Pornhub’s Year In Review

1. Top Categories Are Clear For Taboo Authors

If you take a look at the Pornhub survey, the top categories, overall, are quite clear. These consist of Lesbian, MILF, Ebony, Hentai, Japanese, Anal, Mature, Big Tits, Threesome,  and Big Dick. What do these top ten categories tell us? Well, quite a bit actually. If you’re writing taboo themes, your best bet is a Mother pairing of some sort. This is where it gets less clear. Who should your Mature Older Woman MILF be pairing with? The best options according to just these categories seem to be a daughter/younger woman, son/younger man, or a combination of the two! Also, take note, the more well-endowed or curvy your characters are… the better!

2. Sub-Categories Are Less Clear But Manageable

Added to the main categories are, of course, sub-categories. These turned out to be Cuckold, Japanese, Indian, Cosplay, Korean, Transgender, Creampie, Gangbang, French and Cartoon. Out of this odd assortment of options, we start to notice a few worthy kinks to work into the taboo content of our stories. Some of these sub-categories will depend on the overall category you choose, naturally. However, some kinks are also easily worked into an overall story idea. Consider the Cuckolding niche, again, with that main MILF/Mom category. How easy would it be to cuckold the husband or even son with the daughter or sister? This, when done correctly, can make your story appealing to multiple customer bases.

3. Consider Your Customer Base By Gender

Above all else, gender plays a large role in what kinks a person searches out. In terms of the data, women are more likely to search for Lesbian, Threesome, or Rough Sex categories. Men on the other hand are more likely to search for Mom, Sister, or Lesbian. Clearly the Lesbian kink is a crossover niche, but in terms of men, the numbers are vastly skewed. The number of men that enjoy the Lesbian kink are similar to the number of men that enjoy the Anal niche. This means that, if you’re writing Lesbian kinks, your audience is more than likely to be female. Prepare accordingly! Likewise, if your audience is male, consider Mother/Son/Daughter your ‘go-to’ niche.

4. Consider The Age Of Your Customer Base

While this may not seem as important, your catalog will thank you. When writing taboo themes for profit, authors often have to think long term. This means writing for the current market, while also investing in future niches. Age plays a role in these decisions. According to Pornhub’s survey, the kinks between age groups is quite startling. For example, those in their twenties are more interested in Double Penetration or Lesbian. Those in their forties are more interested in Anal or Transgender. Likewise, those in their sixties are more interested in Handjob or Mature kinks. Consider this when writing those sub-categories. You can make your book appealing to that growing audience, while still tapping into the vastly wider current market. The emphasis you place on the book will simply change over time.

5. Holiday Themes Aren’t Worth It

Lot’s Cave sees a lot of authors looking to maximize sales around certain holidays, mainly Christmas and Halloween. If the sales traffic matches that of porn traffic, well, then the investment simply isn’t worth it. According to Pornhub, its traffic dropped on Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, and Halloween (Lot’s Cave confirms that holiday themed erotica does not sell well). Likewise, there were a few increases in traffic on Black Friday, Valentine’s Day, and Good Friday. These days are probably best explained by the ‘days off’ they fall on in anticipation of a holiday. But, there isn’t a connection to a sudden kink filled frenzy. The one holiday that might be recommended to embrace is Valentine’s Day… but for taboo content… that’s a difficult sell. Although, we might like to see if any author can pull this off!

6. Lesbian Sex Is For Younger Women

Okay, this is kind of specific, but it is important. According to a Pornhub’s Women Searching for Women, the rate in which women are interested in Lesbian Sex goes down with age. Why is this important to you as an author? Well, it means your characters should fit certain criteria. Stories told from a younger woman perspective might speak better to a customer than stories featuring an older woman. Likewise, female readers might specifically relate more to college settings, new town settling in themes, or even returning home to their family for a little taboo twist. While this data doesn’t seem so important, it can, in fact, have a big impact on your sales in the long term.

7. Gay Themes Have Their Own Market

What we mean by this is well, look at this article. Gay porn has so much data to navigate that we could almost write a whole list just for this topic. If you’re a taboo author looking to write Gay themes exclusively, take time to invest in market research. While it might surprise many, 37% of Pornhub’s traffic for Gay porn was… women! This means there are vastly different kinks and customer bases within this category, making it more a distinct market in its own right. Likewise, Gay porn viewers can’t seem to agree on which kinks they enjoy best… at least by age. This makes it even more important to consider things like gender audience, age of customers, and corresponding kinks and sub-categories. Yes, the difference really is that vast!

8. Experimentation Seems To Increase With Age

This isn’t a data point we can show stated anywhere, but we couldn’t help but notice it. At least right now, the older you are… the more you like to experiment. However, this does seem to be a trend in men more than women. When writing a taboo themed story, especially one where experimentation is key, age really does matter. Stories that feature older characters should probably have them initiating the experimentation. Younger characters can wonder about it, watch porn about it, but are probably less likely to go out and try it. This probably has more to do with confidence with age, but who really knows. As an author, you can excuse it any way you like! Again though, watch out for that Lesbian and Gay market… this rule may not always ring true.

9. The Younger Generation Has Strange Interests

Yes, we’re calling the kettle black on this one, but hear us out. According to Pornhub’s survey, those in the 18-24 range tend to look up some odd porn. What does this mean for authors? Well, we’re not really sure. The younger generation seems intrigued by mixes of porn with popular trends. What do we mean? Well, one of the stranger categories watched by 18-24 year olds was fidget spinner porn. Could an author find a way to incorporate some of these odd trends in their books? Probably. The question is if it would pay off in the long run. It probably wouldn’t, but if you have that strange kink… you might try it if you have an audience that’s well… into fidget spinner porn. We’re intrigued, so let us know if this actually works for you!

10. Country Specific Niches Are A Thing

Alright, this one is last because it’s interesting but full of cautions. At times, certain countries seem to like their own country best. If you’re writing a book about Japanese women, you might consider highlighting it in the title. This doesn’t work for every country, and you will have to do your research, but it might be worth it for certain authors. Keep in mind, kinks do vary by country… as what is taboo varies by country. You may want to consider this before writing your book as there are plenty of smaller niche categories to highlight. Who knew the Japanese had such a fetish for piss play? Well, I guess if you read the survey…

To Conclude

Lot’s Cave likes to go through data, and we suspect some of you do as well. We recognize however that not every author likes to write ‘according to the data’. This is alright. There’s nothing wrong with writing for the enjoyment of writing. But, if you’re interested in boosting your book that little extra bit, why not try some of these options?

 

 

The Taboo Themes of Note

This year has certainly seen its share of market changes! We’ve seen slight changes in Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited system, B&N purging all controversial content, and a small uptick in popularity for taboo content. The latest change? Smashwords implementation of a classification system for taboo content. While this change already has authors talking, Lot’s Cave thought we’d add a new perspective to the mix! So, if you’re an author looking to get a little more out of the Smashwords classification system, this blog post is for you.

10 Incest Titles We Love

Lot’s Cave knows not every incestuous relationship is the same. When it comes to eBooks like ours, there’s a little something naughty for everyone. If you’re curious about exploring the many intriguing and controversial options within our online bookstore, now’s your chance. We’ve compiled a list of ten incestuous books you absolutely have to try.  Which kink is meant for you?

E.R.O. Scott – Trophy Mom

Ever wonder what would happen if a naughty mother decided to take an aphrodisiac potion designed just for women? In Trophy Mom, E.R.O. Scott explores the limitless boundaries of mother-son sex. With realistic characters, sexy and intelligent mothers, seductively naughty sons, and sex that leads to intense release, this book offers readers a great introduction into the world of consensual and pleasure filled incest. Interested in finding out more? You can find E.R.O. Scott’s author page and catalog here.

Steven Michaels – Colleen: Complete Collection

You know those family secrets we all keep hidden? Well, in Steven Michaels’ captivating eleven book series, Family Love Epic, readers can enjoy learning every dirty detail of one Irish-American family. Capturing incestuous relationships through generations, Colleen’s story overwhelms readers with alluring characters and lust inducing sex. This series perfectly depicts the American struggle to overcome the roughest of hardships, stay true to family traditions, and enjoy a little pleasure along the way. Find this one of a kind collection here.

Gerry Maxwell – Desperate Mothers

Tempted by the idea of losing control? Gerry Maxwell’s Desperate Mothers challenges us all to embrace motherhood in a whole new way. Mixing pop culture with gentle femdom, this book is sure to become an instant favorite with readers. While this conflicted mother warms our heart, she also manages to quicken our pulse. Readers will find Gerry Maxwell approaches writing steamy and romantic mother son sex in a brand new way sure to leave them breathless. You can dare to explore this intimate work and others by Gerry Maxwell here.

Kathy Andrews – Spying Mom

Looking for a raunchy read? Kathy Andrews may have written stories decades ago, but readers will find her vintage titles as hot as they are depraved. Focusing on mother-son sex, Spying Mom showcases a woman in control of her sexual nature. Kathy Andrews’ feminine characters celebrate sex, while likewise showcasing men all too willing to explore immoral boundaries. This story dares to gives readers exactly what they want, whether you’re willing to admit it or not. To satisfy those sexual urges demanding exploration, check out Kathy Andrews’ catalog  here.

Lily Weidner – Daddy’s Bride

Curious about what goes through a young woman’s mind? Lily Weidner answers that question and more in Daddy’s Bride. Unique in its approach to a sensitive topic, this book will both intrigue and excite you. While focusing on the perspective of a young woman in pursuit of her father, Lily Weidner will challenge your ideas of love and relationships. With a touch of the romantic, Daddy’s Bride is sure to be an Erotic Romance you just have to have. You find this title and more here.

R.M. Dexter – Educating Mom

Do you have a mother-son fantasy? Don’t worry, we won’t tell. If you’ve ever contemplated the idea of mother-son sex, R.M. Dexter’s Educating Mom is a must. The story perfectly highlights those son’s struggling with a mother too beautiful to resist. R.M. Dexter features attractive everyday women, and well-endowed men. Each character seems intent to enjoy the sexual yearnings awakened by their own family. A mix of erotic fantasy and realistic lust, Educating Mom will challenge your own sex driven curiosities. Be sure to find the latest from R.M. here.

Phaedrus T. Wolfe – The Truth

Why are we putting this book on the list? Because no other author tackles series issues quite this way. The Truth is filled with multilayered subject matter that both registers with readers and makes them incensed. Highlighting the questionable past of one young woman, The Truth deals with topics many are too embarrassed to asked. At its core, this story arouses readers by touching and pulling on nerves many would never admit to having. Those daring enough to explore this title can find it here.

Lady Calandra – Daddy’s Sleeping Partner

Ever wonder what a incestuous Romance would look like? Daddy’s Sleeping Partner is the perfect answer to that question. Readers expecting all the inner turmoil, relational struggles, and outright drama will enjoy Lady Calandra’s work. With the additional incestuous father-daughter twist, this book provides readers what they’re desperately seeking. Happy endings are possible for those craving a taboo relationship, if only on paper. To find Daddy’s Sleeping Partner check out Lady Calandra’s author page here.

Surely Wilder – I is for Insatiable

Too hot too handle? I is for Insatiable might overwhelm those unaccustomed to dirty sex. Surely Wilder is an author all too willing to challenge a reader’s concepts of what is actually taboo. His stories often feature entire families thrown into a world of hot and experimental sex. What makes I is for Insatiable a favorite with readers is how well Surely Wilder captures real life situations and realistic characters. You’ll easily lose yourself to an erotic society in which anything can happen, even the taboo! Don’t hesitate to explore this erotic tale here.

Vinod Nair – Indian Family Lust

Wonder what an incestuous culture would be like? Vinod Nair depicts just this in Indian Family Lust. Living in a culture that encourages incestuous relationships, Vinod Nair’s characters find all new ways to show love within their family. Daring to shed light on a culture that is torn between those sharing an incestuous bond and those finding a favorable marriage outside the family, Vinod Nair’s book is more than just an erotic read. Indian Family Lust challenges and introduces us to a whole new way of thinking about love and family. Be sure to discover Vinod Nair’s full catalog here.

Relatively Complicated: Examining The Story of Esther

^” And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.” 

-Esther 2:7-

The Bible has plenty of incestuous relationships within its pages. Indeed, the Bible is a veritable anthology of incest according to some. Blatant accounts of such relationships span all the way from Abraham to Jesus. In an effort to understand if the bible condones incest in today’s society, people are digging deeper into the historical accounts of these often familiar stories. At times, these brief new looks into biblical stories provides new historical context, cultural insights, and occasionally includes new theories into the moral lessons and religious laws. Today, the biblical account of Esther has become perhaps the greatest example of this.

Much of what people have come to understand about the story of Esther is taken from biblical accounts. Many readers would be surprised to find the biblical translations can vary immensely. Making matters more complicated, the Jewish version of the story has seen errors in translation. Additionally, the “gaps” in plot or historical accounts have various explanations accounted for in different midrash. This means that Christians can walk away with a different understanding of Esther’s story depending on how in-depth they wish to research or even the various accounts they chose to read. Surprisingly, one of these varying accounts puts an incestuous spin to Esther’s story making the context vastly different.

One version of Esther’s story suggests that Mordecai was not only Esther’s first cousin, but also her husband. This idea seems to stem even into Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible as they can be found in the Septuagint. According to this version, Mordecai took Esther to live  with him as his wife instead of an adopted daughter. Some historical sources indicate Esther would have been around the age of fourteen and therefore of marital age. Because other traditions see Mordecai only as an adoptive father however, Esther’s age is popularly stated to be around forty making her even more likely to be married. This idea makes Esther’s story vastly different and complicates the idea of her later being married off to the King of Persia.

If Esther was already married to Mordecai, then her relationship with the King could be seen as adulterous. This view though fails to take into account the Jewish laws of the time. Since Esther would have had no choice but to accept the King’s sexual advances and expectations, her actions would not have been considered adulterous. Mordecai was well within his right to view Esther as a loyal and respectable wife. In some Jewish traditions not only did Mordecai view Esther as such, but he continued to live with her despite the marriage to the King of Persia.

What changes Esther’s story, remains rooted in the concept of choice. Esther could only remain Mordecai’s wife if her sexual relationship with the King was viewed as forced. The moment Esther chose to go before the King herself, the dynamics of their relationship changed. Not only would Esther lose Mordecai as her husband, but she would be seen as adulterous. Supporting this version of the story, midrash states Esther lost the spirit of divine inspiration the moment she went to the King’s palace. This additional element to Esther’s story highlights yet another obstacle Esther must overcome to save her people.

Interestingly, Esther and Mordecai’s relationship to each other doesn’t seem to disappear after Esther does indeed save her people. In fact, Esther sees to it that Mordecai is given a high position within the King’s palace. This position is given to Mordecai after the King learned how Mordecai is related to Esther, and the new position allows Mordecai to enter the palace at his leisure. The not so subtle gesture continues to permit Mordecai to visit Esther, while maintaining a sense of propriety and sensibility. Whether or not Esther and Mordecai continue their relationship, or even how Esther handles the implications of her actions, remains unwritten.

What can be known from Esther’s story remains written down for all to read into the text. Suddenly the strange focus on Mordecai despite the book being Esther’s story makes more sense. The conflicting emotions Esther’s feels about going before the King are only added to making Esther all the more bold and daring. Esther’s story is not only about saving her people, but also about preserving her biblical marriage as long as possible. Whether this version of the story is accurate or not, it certainly has compelling implications.

Incestuous relationships may not be anything new to the bible, but viewing them as sanctified or divinely inspired is often  difficult. Many readers and Christians scoff at the idea of incest being permissible. When we take a closer look at the biblical stories however, incest continues to be a common theme. Not only are the incestuous relationships of the Old Testament almost too numerous to count, but we’re starting to see positive relationships carrying over to Christ and His message within the New Testament as well. If the bible portrays incest in a positive light, what implications does that present to society today?

The Amazon eBook Market

Authored By: Samantha Zacharda
Marketing Director & Promotion
Published By: Lot’s Cave

Special Note: Lot’s Cave would like to add a special thank you to Lily Weidner for participating in the Amazon publishing experiment. The transparency required has been quite eye opening and insightful. Please check out Lily Weidner’s followup post as well, found here.

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For the last year stories have abounded regarding authors getting rich with incomes of ten to a hundred thousand per month by writing short stories. Is this possible? How much can I really make?

Ever since Amazon changed their Kindle Unlimited program, authors have been trying to gauge the eBook market. Authors, particularly those writing short stories (3,000-5,000 words) have started to wonder if the market will even support their shorts, or if a shift into longer works is necessary to earn an income. Doing some initial research, I found answers couldn’t have been more conflicting.

Usually when conflicting answers exist, one finds in them a majority opinion. With enough backtracking the answer process becomes clear. In this case however, little data could be found with which to form a starting point. What I found is the entire industry consists conceptually of a clear divide most easily represented by factions we find in the initial Kindle Unlimited program (KU), and what authors have come to call the second Kindle Unlimited (KU2). Desperately wanting some numbers to work with however, I came up with a solution–I did a study of my own. The goal was to achieve $20.00 in profit.

With help from a Lot’s Cave author, I was able to create a test designed to take advantage of Amazon’s large eBook market size. Since Amazon’s KU program had been designed for short stories and the new KU2 program is now desgined for longer works, contrasting income performance between the KU and KU2 programs could simulate what it would be like for a new author specializing in short stories starting out with their first book. As an added byproduct–which is what this is about–I would also learn what authors face when trying to sell their eBooks on Amazon. After spending a couple of days to form the rules of this research project, I came up with the following:

Rules for KU2 Publishing Experiment

1. All stories are to be the minimum 3,000 words
2. eBooks must be enrolled in KU2
3. No additional marketing must take place
4. Stories must have a common kink
5. Prices start at $.99, and then after a week increase to $2.99
6. At minimum, author should publish two books a week (9 titles a month)
7. Titles should include subject matter metatags
8. Covers must fit their target audience’s particular style
9. After completing 9 titles, bundles must be published in varying forms
10. Stories must emphasize romance with intense but short sex scenes

First, an Amazon Author Page was created to begin the experiment. Starting our test off, progress seemed quite slow and uncertain. Week one saw a total of two sales and sixty-five page reads. Given Amazon’s current payout rate (.0005 a page) our author only made $1.02. To my surprise, discouragement over that insignificant amount was immensely high. Convincing the author to keep writing new titles wasn’t easy, but Amazon’s ninety day exclusivity trap helped. The author had already committed such a large investment to the test that persuading the author to continue for the remainder of the month was not difficult.

Thankfully, week two saw somewhat better results. Significantly, this result could only be due to the price increase from $.99 to $2.99. Page reads increased while sales increased dramatically. Taking a quick look at the numbers, week two tripled the previous week’s results. Seven sales and two hundred and thirty-six page reads increased the week’s total to $3.61. While the author remained apprehensive, I could detect a little more eagerness to move forward into week three.

To my dismay, the growth occurring in week three was quite minimal. Sales topped out for the week at nine purchases and page reads dropped to two hundred and ten. Thankfully, the author was still able to see an overall increase for the week’s profits at $4.17. By this point however, the author made it clear the process didn’t seem worth the effort. The author felt drained and expressed a feeling that writing wasn’t as enjoyable as it once had been.

Finishing up the month, our author completed the nine titles. Able to take a break from writing, the author decided to release an additional four bundles created from bundling various combinations of the nine titles. Interestingly, week four’s breakdown is rather surprising. Out of thirteen sales, only one of them came from a bundle and there were one hundred and thirty-one page reads. For the final week, the author made $8.28.

Summary of Author’s Income

• Week 1: $1.02
• Week 2: $3.61
• Week 3: $4.17
• Week 4: $8.28
• Total Month: $17.08

Before we examine the market figures, let’s examine what no other study gives… the author’s experience. Interestingly, our author became extremely discouraged. This occured despite nearly reaching the $20 personal income goal. What caused this? Well, the author felt the money didn’t merit the time and effort put into the process. Worse, the author began feeling readers didn’t enjoy the titles because some of them were no longer selling after the first week they were published.

Moving onto the numbers, the first month performance of $17.08 is nothing to shy away from. In fact, the amount is actually quite impressive for a new author starting from scratch. We can see the growth potential, after all, because no marketing was involved. What’s important to note though, remains the fact the author felt the eBook titles were worth more. Dividing the author’s income by the number of books released ($17.08/13), we find the author only made around $1.31 per book published. Sadly, this is nothing considering the figures reflect an entire month.

Worse, $1.31 per book title published isn’t even the right number when comparing income to actual sales. Lets look at the sheer number of eBooks the author sold. On the surface, we’re quick to assume the author sold thirty-one copies. However, we must calculate into this figure the number of page reads. With a total of six hundred and forty-two reads, we can figure out the real number of books this would be.

Given the average page count (according to Amazon) was twenty pages per book, that would equal an additional thirty-two eBook sales (642 pages/20 = 32 books). With a grand total of sixty-three eBooks (32+31=63), the payout rate becomes $.27 per each book sold. Can anyone blame the author for feeling their title is worth more than twenty-seven cents? Even if the author only spent three hours working on the book, minimum wage would make them $21.75. Chances are the author spent more time writing their book than just three hours, but the statistics remain quite dismal. After nine titles, there’s a potential twenty-seven hour investment. At a minimum wage job, the author could have made $195.75.

It’s interesting to note, there’s hope at the end of this bleak tunnel. The author that participated in our Amazon experiment also publishes novels with us at Lot’s Cave. These longer stories of 40,000 words each are priced out at $4.95 and distributed across multiple retail platforms. This fact allows us to compare the same amount of effort on longer titles, distributed across multiple websites. The results couldn’t be more eye opening.

Taking the author’s latest eBook alone–written during the previous month, we find the sales for that month coming in at a total of sixteen eBooks sold. While that number may seem small in comparison to their Amazon sales, this book was able to be sold at the $4.95 price. Assuming these websites payout at a consistent rate of 70%, this author made $55.44. Keep in mind, this is one book. While it may not be minimum wage, it more than doubles what the author made on Amazon.

Now it’s important to note that longer novels have a very unique distinction from short stories. Longer novels have staying power while sales on short titles drop off quite quickly. This means the most this author will ever make on Amazon from their titles is that initial $17.08. No future sales income can be expected. Yet this author’s longer novel will continue to earn sales for several years, adding to the $55.44 amount. While the author may have felt discouraged at their efforts from putting out nine titles, the author did not feel that way about publishing one full lenght novel with Lot’s Cave.

While not every novel will sell sixteen titles a month, the opportunity cost to other authors following in these footsteps is important to consider. Amazon authors are invested in their shorts taking off immediately, if they fail to perfom, there’s no back catalog to make up the difference. If the worst happens and a novel does not take off however, consider having the benefit of having a back catalog that still sells alongside the future new release. In order to make the $17.08 Amazon monthly figure, an entire back catalog of multiple novels would only need to sell five titles. With a full month’s time span, five additional sales seems entirely reasonable. The back catalog becomes an almost guaranteed source of income the author can depend on. So, what happens if an author wants to go down this path and shy away from Amazon’s market?

The very first thing an author should do if they wish to publish outside Amazon’s market is examine their short stories. Because of Amazon’s market size, we can see how many authors feel they run an output treadmill. This output treadmill has caused many authors to diminish the quality of their short stories. If this is the case, authors need to invest in revamping their stories. Before publishing elsewhere, consider doing a general read through for errors.

After revamping the story, formatting remains the most important issue with eBooks coming from Amazon. For authors formatting their own books, reading up on the latest formatting requirements is a time consuming investment. This is a necessary investment however, one readers highly notice and value. Taking time to add the appropriate formatting can really set an eBook apart from the rest.

Another important difference is pricing. Amazon authors choosing to list their eBooks on multiple websites often find pricing uncomfortable. When authors are accustomed to charging $.99, selling the same eBook later for $2.99 can be quite unnerving. With the new price point comes a new change for author’s accustomed to Amazon’s market, slow sales. Instead of selling a book every day, authors can wait two or three days before seeing a single book sell. The benefit of this however is the higher royalty rate balances out the sale’s rate.

Lastly, any author looking to publish across multiple websites should factor in time. On Amazon, the results of sales is immediate with a sixty day lag period for payout. When authors choose to list books across multiple websites, this can be a significantly longer progress. Payouts have been known to range from a month to six months, or longer. Keeping this in mind will help authors looking for immediate results; sometimes authors just need to set a time length and stick to it beforehand.

In closing, the Amazon experiment was a grand success. The marketing insight I gained for Lot’s Cave has been exceedingly helpful for both Lot’s Cave authors, and those coming in from Amazon. While each market has its own difficulties, it’s important to remember different systems work for different types of authors. The main thing to note however is this, authors can still make the same, if not more money, by skipping Amazon’s eBook market. There’s no need to feel trapped or held over a barrel.

Incest In Popular Culture

The taboo topic of incest continually makes its way into every day conversation—an interesting prominence for something so controversial. Yet the frequency of these taboo conversational occurrences continues to increase. In the majority of these discussions, incestuous relationships are depicted as a “reluctant sexual experience” or worse.

Could it be that the environment of sexual censorship on television during the 1940’s, ‘50s, 60’s, and 70s required all incest to be depicted in an immoral light? However, a surprising number of consenting relationships exist as well, and more recently, the way incest is being depicted in society has started raising questions as to the possibilities of incestuous relationships being consensually romantic. Examining the motivations of each represented incestuous coupling only furthers the acceptance of incest as a whole. Whether or not someone looks for incest, it’s readily stumbled upon. In fact, the topic of incest is so widely mentioned it’s guaranteed to show up at some point.

Schools generally require young adults to explore mythology at some point in their education. While we often find mythological gods and goddesses involved in relationships riddled with incest, often these relationships contain lessons of a significant cultural relevance in today’s modern society. The Oedipus Trilogy is often required reading at the high school level. No one objects to these stories being read, examined, and then reexamined as a culturally important work. For many, these Greek Tragedies raise questions on the acceptability and impact of incestuous relationships. And the Oedipus Trilogy isn’t the only group of stories that high schooled youth run into regarding the topic of incest. Recommended books such as The Mayfair Trilogy by Anne Rice, V.C. Andrews’ Flowers in the Attic, The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradely, and Aztec by Gary Jennings all contain incest at some level.

Incest permeates not only our everyday culture, but our pop culture as well. We easily see this in some of today’s most popular shows and movies. Witness Back To The Future and Star Wars. The currently popular Game of Thrones television series is certainly no stranger to incestuous sex. Likewise, the cult movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show features the beloved characters of Riff Raff and his sister Magenta who many debate maintain a sexual relationship. Lolita seems to be another cult move classic that captures the story of pseudo incest well enough to figure in a variety of film adaptations. The popular shows House, Numb3rs, Sons of Anarchy, and American Horror Story: Coven all touch on incestuous relationships in a variety of forms.

The topic of incestuous relationships between cousins can be tough to debate despite the ever growing list of its acceptance within pop culture and dramatized depictions. Sometimes movies portray cousin relationships as consensual and completely acceptable, while other times the topic is dealt with carefully to meet censorship sensibility standards. Nevertheless, many different stories touch on sexual relationships between cousins, such as, Mansfield Park and Jane Eyre, which have become great works of literature. One popular film series that touches on a cousin romance is the ever classic Godfather Trilogy. This romantic relationship is depicted in a better light, if not completely acceptable as well. More frequently today, cousin relationships are being depicted as consensual bordering on assumptions of social acceptance.

Today we find incest brought up in many different environments, in many different ways. Often we don’t even notice the presence of incest while taking the overall story as a whole. In movies and television shows, incest means guaranteed expansion and ever growing popularity with audiences. Today’s view is changing away from the established belief of forced sexual relationships. The realistic depictions of consented incestuous romances have us asking, “Just how taboo should incest be today?” Considering the controversy surrounding incest, the taboo is quite popular and embedded into our everyday culture. Just what the future holds regarding the legality of and social acceptance of incestuous relationships remains unclear. All Lot’s Cave knows is that incestuous erotica has never been so popular.

King Solomon Married His Mother

The Biblical kings through the line of David were required to sleep with their mother’s in order to prove their ability to fertilize the land. The entire book, The Song of Solomon is a celebration of such incest. What evidence exists to back up such claims?

The Bible claims the maiden Abishag was chosen for her beauty, to engender “heat” in the aged King David (1 Kings 1:2). This “heat” was not mere warmth, but the sacred fire of sexual potency, without which no king could be allowed to rule. If an impotent king were kept in office, his land would become barren. Hence, when David failed to “know” Abishag, a more virile prince (Adonijah) immediately prepared to assume the throne, and “exalted himself saying, I will be king” (1 Kings 1:5). David’s death occurred with suggestive promptness after his failure of the virility test.

Abishag’s name might be related to the Hindu Abhiseka ceremony, the anointing of kings with the sacred fluid of the Goddess Sarasvati.[1] Front China to the Mediterranean, ancient kings derived their legitimation from a mating with the Goddess through her priestess surrogate.[2] Mesopotamian kings and their deified souls, the gods, were constantly described as “beloved” of the Goddess known as creatress of the earth and “maker of fate, she who decrees the fate of men and gods.”[3] Like the eastern Goddess, Abishag represented the land in the same was as Solomon’s bride, whose mating was chronicled in the requisite intimate detail by the Song of Solomon.

After David’s death, the queen mother chose between rival candidates Solomon and Adonijah. She crowned Solomon with her own hands (Song of Solomon 3:11), after the custom of royal women whose business it was to enthrone or depose kings, as in India, Egypt, and the lands of the Fertile Crescent.[4] However, Adonijah still had designs on the throne, as shown by his request for the hand of Abishag in marriage. To prevent this symbolically and politically significant marriage from taking place, Solomon had Adonijah murdered (1 Kings 2:17-25). The Bible fails to explain Solomon’s strangely violent reaction to Adonijah’s request; but it can only have meant that the crown was at stake. This in turn shows that the sexual union with his mother, Abishag, was a prerequisite for royal office.

The Bible shows instance after instance of incest. Yes, all incest except between father and daughter appears to be banned by Mosaic Law, but I cannot find one example anywhere out of over 600 places in the Bible where incest is discussed that God in any way punishes it. In fact, as often as not, he seems to bless any offspring resulting from the union. What’s up with this?

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[1] Gaster, 514.

[2] Boulding, 191.

[3] Pritchard, A.N.E. 1,65; 2, 17, 21, 135, 202.

[4] Boulding, 210.

The Challenge of Erotic Writing

“The stigma to writing Erotica may seem easy to avoid. Truthfully, some people can…but many cannot.”

There are challenges every writer will face, no matter what genre they write for. At times, these challenges can be rather obvious, other times, the challenges have to be experienced firsthand. Writing Erotica will always be one of those genres that have a few challenges. While these challenges will be different depending on the writer, we can all at least relate to a few. Before going into detail about the difficulties, it’s important to remember that difficulties are just challenges. If there weren’t these challenges, then many of us wouldn’t feel as accomplished as we do. These challenges should in no way hinder or turn away potential authors. The purpose of listing these difficulties is to make them more manageable, and hopefully spark a better experience in the long-term for Erotica authors.

One of the major challenges facing Erotica authors is the stigma attached. This single challenge is actually the cause of many other initial drawbacks. At first, the stigma to writing Erotica may seem easy to avoid. Truthfully, some people can avoid this negative stigma, but many cannot. Authors have a difficult time promoting their new book, discussing their writing with friends, and celebrating personal achievements. Nothing can be more difficult for an author, than facing the reality of being published yet able to tell no one. In general, if it wasn’t for this stigma, there’d be an innumerable amount of authors discussing their latest book. Most of these drawbacks are personal, but the social stigma can have a greater impact on an author than most would admit. At times, authors can feel as if their writing is somehow less valid as, “it only gets people off.”

Another major challenge authors face is a saturated market. Erotica is a very popular market suddenly, and while an abundance of books is good for readers, it may not be so good for authors. Keeping material fresh, relevant, and exciting, all while staying unique is a tough demand. Ensuring that a particular book is ‘good’ simply doesn’t make it in the market any longer. Books have to be well put together as a whole, which means a good story, description, excerpt, cover, and title. Readers look for a combination of all factors, rarely settling on one or two. Because of this, the authors that do become successful know the market they’re in, and what they’re writing. Readers get better material, and authors often find their skills increasing. This challenge really is reflected on the time it takes to be reassured of a book’s success.

Perhaps the single most important challenge is the lack of feedback. Erotica is not commonly shared or discussed among readers. Many people are hesitant to share their new favorite erotic book with friends, much less family. Because of this, authors can feel extremely disappointed. Many writers have friends that are also writers, often enough in different genres. This means that many Erotica writers see other authors gaining reviews and feedback from readers. As an author, we all like to hear this feedback, and we worry when we don’t get it. Wanting to improve our writing, to know our readers enjoy our stories, and what readers would like in the future, all requires reviews and feedback. To be a successful author, and still not receive reviews, is a tough concept to accept.

Writing Erotica has its difficulties, but authors enjoy these challenges. Many times, we can take a step back, and embrace the challenge as an inspirational piece of motivation. The common assumption is that writing Erotica isn’t for everyone, and there is some truth to that. However, I believe more authors, knowing these challenges, can be more likely to succeed. Some of the challenges, while not applying to everyone, are seen as part of the genre. These challenges make writers into successful authors. While Erotica has gained popularity, authors seen an increase, and books being in high demand, many writers are new to these challenges.

Lot’s Cave is proud of our authors for overcoming those challenges, and we’re always eager to see others doing the same. For our authors, writing about such sensitive and taboo topics, difficulties are not a strange occurrence. Despite the lack of reviews, feedback, reader recommendation, and censorship, our authors truly make a name for themselves. Overcoming these challenges, our authors have really excelled in their skills as a writer. As a whole, our authors have a better grasp of the difficulties, and are eager to help new and upcoming writers. Continuing to face these challenges, despite the unrelenting difficulties each new book faces, our authors really do make us proud. Here at Lot’s Cave, we couldn’t be happier!