So you want to write m?nage….

A few years back, I was still in scribbling phase of self-expression, not really planning on sending anything in for submission.? In fact, I’d never even read or heard of erotic romance.? I was just busy writing away on a fantasy about a pair of spies named Mouse and Diego.? Well, at some point in their story, they are separated; Diego vanishes on a mysterious mission, and Mouse is imprisoned and given over to the pleasure of another captive named Damiano.

Well, Damiano charmed her completely, and before long, Mouse began to fall for this man.? She still missed her lover Diego, but life is life. Right?? Then the curve ball came over the plate. Damiano and Diego were formerly lovers, and are still the best and closest of friends. When Diego shows up to rescue Dami, he finds Mouse in his best friend’s bed.

What was meant to be a heart-rending triangle suddenly took a strange turn. Mouse looked at one man, then the other, and said, “I don’t see a problem.”? Diego and Dami look at each other and shrug. They love her, they loved one another. Problem solved.

My goodness…when I saw what I’d written, I thought I was a freak. A woman with two men?? Sheesh! I mean, m?nage wasn’t even something I thought about, in spite of the fact that it had cropped up in my family more than once.

Aha!? You see, from the time I was a kid, I knew that my great-grandfather had 8 wives, which wasn’t unusual within his culture. (He was a Comanche leader)? But…his daughter had two husbands. Now that was odd within the culture. An English relative had a household with his wife and her sister, having children with both. But again, my family treated it normally.? Then there was my oh-so-strange Aunt Gloria, her husband and their “extras.”? (But we won’t go there….she truly wasn’t normal. LOL!)? Suffice it to say, that as a tiny kid, when I saw “Paint Your Wagon” and the heroine married both men, I didn’t see a problem with it.

After realizing what I’d written in that early m?nage, I went on a hunt for books about m?nage, and ran across Emma Holly’s Strange Attraction.? Whoa Nellie!? I read some Lora Leigh, I wasn’t crazy about everything she wrote, but the m?nage aspect still intrigued me.? Obviously, I wasn’t the only woman out there who liked that sort of thing.? That’s when it occurred to me that there might be a market for the type of writing that I was creating.

So nowadays, I really have to think about a story before sitting down to write, because I love m?nage!? Even stories that start off with a couple tend to wind up with three lovers in the picture.? Three separate love interests create so many potential conflicts and possibilities!? It’s a little tricky to write a m?nage in a novella, as that means three separate characters and relationships to develop.? It’s very easy to fall into the trap of glossing over one or more characters.

The genre of m?nage is hugely popular these days, even crossing over into NY mainstream with writers like Laurell K. Hamilton.? Now bear in mind, I’m talking m?nage, not threesomes or other variations of multiple partners.? As you read in an earlier post, m?nage translates to ‘household’ and implies a familial relationship. (At least to me.) I want a relationship between the three, not a third or fourth person visiting the bed for a one night stand.

So here are a few of my personal m?nage rules. These are Belinda’s Rules, and not written in stone.? Nor are they for everyone. It’s just what keeps me on track.

• As in real life, a m?nage in fiction has to give equal treatment to all characters.? All members of the relationship are important, and all characters should have separate relationships with one another.? See why it’s tricky to develop a m?nage in a novella?? In Imperative: Missing You, the developing relationship between three characters is the plot and the conflict of the story.? There are no villains, no evil outside forces keeping the lovers apart.? In Soul Keeper, the romance is between Dorian and Phaedre, but later in the book Dorian’s twin Kaine joins them in a temporary marriage. While he doesn’t stay with them permanently, and he isn’t the dominant male in the threesome, Kaine develops a completely separate relationship with Phaedre.? His relationship with his brother is changed as well. Which brings me to…
• Pay attention to blood relationships in a m?nage. I get very leery of writing relatives in a m?nage. Brothers, twins, cousins…I’ve used them but it’s a little squeachy for me.? A little too close to incest, and some readers are justifiably sensitive to that. In the Belle Starr universe, there is an alien race called Somians.? They are always born in same sex pairs that remain together for life. They always marry twins.? Somians have a very close link to their twin, even sharing sexual arousal and sensation.? But they don’t touch. They are not lovers. “But Belinda…aren’t Kaine and Dorian twins?” Yes, but those scenes were written very carefully, as Kaine himself is an abuse victim.? Dorian might “navigate” the sex, but he doesn’t touch.? Personally, I tend to write bisexual m?nage more than heterosexual, simply because with three people in a bed, those men are going to be touching bits of one another.? Its kind of fun to have a straight guy bumping bits with the other guy who is less inhibited that way!
• Who is the anchor of a love scene? This can be a POV character, or the character that the other lovers are focusing on.? Again…in Missing You, when I finally got the three of them in bed, most of their love scenes focused on Duncan.? Why?? Because both Marina and Con are dominant personalities, and bickered over who was doing what to whom.? It was fun seeing it through Duncan’s eyes.? Plus, they tended to tie Duncan to the bed and have leg wrestling contests to decide who got first crack at him!? An anchor character also helps you to keep track of all the arms and legs in the bed.
• Why a m?nage in the first place? Frankly, some stories just don’t want to be m?nages.? For example, in Imperative: Saving You, Jase should have ended up mated to Neil and Mari.? But doing that undermined the fragile and beautiful relationship that developed between the primary couple.??? It was one of the few times that I intended to write a m?nage, but dropped the third side of the romance.? Believe me, you darn well better have a good reason for putting three or more people together.? In Soul Keeper, Kaine was a messed up, tormented character who was unable to function sexually without the security of his brother’s presence.? That was the real reason he came to their bedroom. To appease Equis culture, Dorian and Phaedre invoked an ancient tradition that allowed a female to take a second husband in times of danger. Of course, Kaine knew they did it to begin him on the road to recovery, yet they allowed him to hang onto his pride.
• Beware of gimmicks. My personal pet peeve?? Bringing a threesome together by magic or some other mystical means.? And of course, since I hate that gimmick so much, I used it in the Imperative series.? O course, I did it my way.? Just because the couples/threesomes are bound by outside forces doesn’t mean that it’s all happily-ever-after. I really like to think that falling in love creates enough magic that my lovers don’t need some mystical binding to hold them together. They love, they hurt, they work and eventually prevail.? They earn their happily-ever-after. Another gimmick I’ve used is the tri-mating.? In Belle Starr, to ensure the likelihood that sex will lead to pregnancy, a second male penetrates the primary male, leading to a tie.? It was really an excuse to get Thorn Greywolf into bed with the primary couple.? It was also a way to inject some humor into the scene when the threesome goes awry.? From the way its going, Thorn’s going to be in their bed for quite some time…But back to gimmicks…why bother?? Just…
• Create your own reality. If you don’t want to write about a real culture or society that practices polyamory, or don’t feel that you can fit a m?nage into a contemporary story, then think outside the box.? You can create your own mythos where alternate sexuality is normal and accepted, or even encouraged.? You can write sci fi or fantasy, or an alternate version of the here and now.? You can even create a fictional subculture in your own town.? I have a great time making up my rules.? For example, in Soul Keeper, the Equis rarely take a mate, but when they do, it’s a life-long commitment, and they are fiercely possessive of their mate.? I have a great time breaking my rules as well.? Dorian remembers that in the far past, during times of danger, an extra husband often entered the marriage to protect the female and her children. That allowed me to insert Kaine into the relationship.? In Belle Starr, males always form a deep, life-long friendship with another male who will eventually service him during the tri-mating.? That ritual binds the second male to the children that he ushers into existence.? He’s more than a godfather or an uncle.? Thorn Greywolf is very possessive of Armand’s children.? To a degree, he perceives of them as being his own.? Among the AmWere culture, homosexuality really doesn’t exist, but the tri-mating knocks down that taboo, and Thorn is suddenly Armand’s lover as well as beta.
• Have fun! Don’t do it if you can’t connect to the genre.? Don’t do it if it makes you uncomfortable. Don’t do it just because of the market. If it’s one of your favorite fantasies, if you read it a lot, then give it a shot!? I have to tell you, I am a prude.? Really.? But in my family, polyamory wasn’t considered odd, so it’s a comfortable genre for me to write.? I have an impossible time writing about casual sex or cheating.? But multiple, committed lovers going at it like bunnies?? Bring it on!

Coming soon to Loose Id: BELLE STARR!

Marshal Annabelle “Cowgirl” Oakley is the best law enforcement officer in Interstellar Coalition Enforcement.? With her wolf Tucker at her side, Belle is clearly the best man for the job.? Unfortunately, the job comes with hazards, and one of those hazards comes in the shape of tall, mysterious Armand.

Armand de le Croix is a werewolf with amnesia.?? He has no idea how he came to be living in Coalition space, he doesn’t know where his people are, or why his inky black hair is now snowy white.? He just knows that the tall, dangerous redhead is all that he wants, and he means to have her.

When they meet, it’s magic.? When they part, its mayhem.

EXCERPT:

Belle was the first freed from the extended tie; she flopped gracelessly off her mate, making a feeble attempt to escape to the bathroom.? Armand grabbed her wrist and held her fast.? Long minutes later, Thorn slipped free of Armand’s body, both men cursed and moaned as they separated, Thorn splayed out prone on top of his Alpha.

“God, I’m sorry, Armand.? I swear, I didn’t see that happening…”? He rolled to the side, his long hair spread over his face.? “I can’t move.? My hair is in my face, and I swear, I can’t move.”? Belle giggled again, tugging weakly at Armand’s hand.? He released her suddenly, and she slipped off the bed with a thud.

“I’m okay.”

Her muffled voice floated up from somewhere on the floor.? He thought maybe she’d landed face down.

Armand rolled his eyes.

“What exactly did she do to you?”

Thorn dragged a heavy hand over his face, clearing a bit of hair from his eyes.

“Just as I was about to come, she uh…”

“She put a finger up your ass.”

“Mmmmhmmm.? Sorry, Mon Ami.”

He lay there quietly for a moment.? “By God, Armand, I hope you two decide to have lots of children.? Dozens would be good.”

“Fuck you, Thorn.”

“Oh, please….”

All three broke into giddy laughter.

“Belle, this was supposed to be a solemn, meaningful moment.”

Armand saw her hand reach up to the bedside table, fishing around till she found the tissue box.? The tri-mating was a messy business.

“Well, it’s still a profound moment.? It’s….”? Her head come up, followed by her weary body.? “It was the sacred covenant between the Alpha and his second-in-command.”

Armand’s big hand came down over her head, pushing her back to the floor, and she started giggling again.? “God, Armand, I wish I could have seen your face when he knotted you!”

Thorn pushed himself wearily to his elbow.? “I did, it wasn’t pretty.? His eyes rolled up into his head.”

“That good, huh?”

Armand grimaced.? “I thought I had a bowling ball up my ass.”

She was crawling back onto the bed, this time into welcoming arms.

“You loved it.? Admit it, Armand.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever come so fucking hard in my life.”? His grin was reluctant.

Thorn scooted up to the pillows, laying back, arms behind his head.

“Obviously, I’d have wished my first tie to be with a woman, but god.? Maybe I should take those chocolates back, Belle.? Maybe I need to look more seriously for a mate.”

“Well, you need to find someone like me then.”

“God forbid.”

She smacked Armand’s ribs at that.

“Someone who’ll do that for fun.? Lordie, what a waste to only do that for breeding!”? She stretched languorously.? “It’s worth not being able to move afterwards.”

She glanced over at Armand; his eyelids were half-mast and dropping.? Thorn had an arm resting over his face, he was a goner.

She sighed, groaned a bit as she rose and headed for the shower.? Inside, she let the hot water pelt the sweat and the semen from her body; she soaped well and repeated, letting the heat melt her aches away.

She returned quietly to the bed, gently washed both men with warm cloths, smiling as they moaned; their normally active cocks were flaccid and quiet.? She tossed the cloths into a sanitizer, grimaced slightly at the soiled sheets and pulled them off the bed, pushing and pulling around the heavily sleeping men.? Belle found a clean duvet and tossed it over their bodies, and then climbed into the big bed, opting to sleep in the middle.? If there were any blanket wars, she figured she’d be on the winning side.

She tucked her head into Armand’s side, smiling as his arm automatically pulled her closer.? The smile stayed long after she fell asleep.

http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Belle_Star-934.aspx

Other Menages by Belinda McBride:

In the future, we don’t choose our mates; Nature chooses for us. Nature doesn’t make mistakes. And if you don’t pay attention to Nature’s Imperative, you suffer.

Aquamarine Davis has an exciting future. The up and coming young choreographer is leaving town for a new job when she feels the unwelcome call of the Imperative. Hounded by an intense, biological compulsion to find her mate, Marina reluctantly attends the local mating assembly.

Artist Con Montgomery is thrilled that the Imperative finally called! At 32, he believed his time had passed. For years, he’s been haunted by visions of blue which he knew symbolized his mate. The Imperative leads him to Duncan Sinclair, and Con immediately recognizes his future in the smiling blue eyes of this man.

When Con and Duncan walk out of the Assembly together, they leave something behind: Marina. Their mate.

Buy Link:

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=927

*

He was the most beautiful creature she’d ever seen.

Prompted by visions of her late husband, Phaedre Goode seeks out the elusive Soul Keeper Dorian Blue. The haunted Equis shelters the soul of Steven Goode, and with it, Phaedre’s hopes for a child with her late husband.

The mysterious woman mesmerizes Dorian. How did she know to find him? How can she so clearly read his pain? With just a smile, she rouses his passion and wakes his dead heart.

Phaedre must convince the centaur to leave the forest and accompany her on a journey that will change his very existence.

Because Phaedre is keeping a secret. And Phaedre’s secret will rock the world.

Buy Link:

http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/soulkeeper.htm

For More about Belinda McBride check out her Website at: www.belindamcbride.com

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