We've got the spice level set to scorching to get this roast week off to an extra-hot start. Amorous Woman is erotica at its finest: literary fiction with a solid story to tell that just happens to include the kind of sex scenes your mother never told you about.
Before Donna started writing steamy books, she taught Japanese literature. For those of us who've sat in class wondering if the professor had a naughty secret life, Donna assures us the answer is yes!
Amorous Woman is the story of an American woman’s love affair with Japan and her intimate encounters with the many men and women she meets along the way. Given the price of airline tickets these days, it’s a bargain way to take a vacation to Kyoto and get a glimpse into a hidden side of the city few tourists ever see. If you're at least 18, check out Donna's provocative book trailer, "An Erotic Trip to Japan," with lots of pretty (and pretty racy) Japanese art and some mildly embarrassing photos of her when she was in Japan.
Before Donna started writing steamy books, she taught Japanese literature. For those of us who've sat in class wondering if the professor had a naughty secret life, Donna assures us the answer is yes!Amorous Woman is the story of an American woman’s love affair with Japan and her intimate encounters with the many men and women she meets along the way. Given the price of airline tickets these days, it’s a bargain way to take a vacation to Kyoto and get a glimpse into a hidden side of the city few tourists ever see. If you're at least 18, check out Donna's provocative book trailer, "An Erotic Trip to Japan," with lots of pretty (and pretty racy) Japanese art and some mildly embarrassing photos of her when she was in Japan.
Amorous Woman has garnered a number of saucy reviews such as:
"A work of elegant eroticism …with a very special perspective on elements of Japanese culture … a blend of humor, social critique, and literary skill that is impressive from beginning to end.”- Margaret Lane, Midwest Book Review
"Vivid sexual scenes abound, encompassing a vast range of pleasures … this book is hard to put down.”- Romantic Times Book Review Magazine
Read the excerpt (it's mild -- no need to send the kids out of the room!) then answer the questions for a chance to win your own Amorous Woman. For a spicier taste of this and other stories, visit Donna's Website.
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To set the scene:
Lydia, the Amorous Woman, has just left an unsatisfying marriage and taken a job in a hostess club in Kyoto’s famous entertainment district of Gion ...
Some days later, the mama-san leaned into the small side room next to the bar that we used to dress and touch up our makeup before the night’s work began.
“Megu-chan? Mr. Kimura asked for you tonight. He’ll be arriving shortly.”
Marie and Aimée exchanged a quick glance.
“This is a good sign,” Marie said brightly. “By the way, if he asks you to dinner, it’s okay to say yes. Kimura-san is a special friend of the Mama and if he likes you, your level goes up.” She held her palm out flat and lifted it several inches.
“But aren’t we supposed to avoid seeing the customers outside of the club?”
“Dinner is okay,” Aimée broke in, adding a final coating of mascara to her eyelashes. Of our threesome, she clearly offered the charms of the traditional Japanese beauty with her oval face, prim mouth and slanting almond eyes. “Then afterwards, you bring him to the club for a drink. It’s like a warm-up for work.”
How did Japanese always manage to make any job a twenty-four hour commitment?
“But I am allowed to turn him down, aren’t I?”
Aimée turned and gave me a stern look. “Yes, of course, but Kimura-san will take you to a very nice restaurant. It is a good chance to study Japanese culture for your research, I think.”
The story I’d given them was that I was working to save money to go back to graduate school in Japanese -- with a specialty in the seventeenth-century literature of the pleasure quarters in the golden age of the courtesan. So far, everyone seemed to buy it.
“Can I bring you along to the restaurant, Marie?” I said, hugging myself. “To make sure I don’t do anything wrong?”
Marie laughed into her hand, Japanese-style. “Megu-chan is very funny. Go out front, now. It’s is best to greet Kimura-san when he arrives.”
As I walked out to the salon, I took a deep breath and willed my body to soften and relax. My days as a proper housewife were over, probably for good. As smooth as water flowing, I had joined the night side of Japan, where you said “Good morning” at 9 pm, and pleasure always came before duty. A world where it was not only okay to tell lies, it was expected. So what if “the water trade” was based on the commodification of women? I’d turn the tables, let them come to me, fall at my feet, pay fortunes to squire me to dinner with no hope of repayment. Besides, I had a regular customer already. My charming, cultured company was in demand. It seemed like a long time since I had succeeded at something.
Maybe I’d finally found the one place in the world where I belonged.
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Questions:
1) When the narrator, Lydia, goes to dinner with Kimura-san, what does she order?
2) What does Donna do to warm up for work?
3) What was the last lie Donna told?
To set the scene:
Lydia, the Amorous Woman, has just left an unsatisfying marriage and taken a job in a hostess club in Kyoto’s famous entertainment district of Gion ...
Some days later, the mama-san leaned into the small side room next to the bar that we used to dress and touch up our makeup before the night’s work began.
“Megu-chan? Mr. Kimura asked for you tonight. He’ll be arriving shortly.”
Marie and Aimée exchanged a quick glance.
“This is a good sign,” Marie said brightly. “By the way, if he asks you to dinner, it’s okay to say yes. Kimura-san is a special friend of the Mama and if he likes you, your level goes up.” She held her palm out flat and lifted it several inches.
“But aren’t we supposed to avoid seeing the customers outside of the club?”
“Dinner is okay,” Aimée broke in, adding a final coating of mascara to her eyelashes. Of our threesome, she clearly offered the charms of the traditional Japanese beauty with her oval face, prim mouth and slanting almond eyes. “Then afterwards, you bring him to the club for a drink. It’s like a warm-up for work.”
How did Japanese always manage to make any job a twenty-four hour commitment?
“But I am allowed to turn him down, aren’t I?”
Aimée turned and gave me a stern look. “Yes, of course, but Kimura-san will take you to a very nice restaurant. It is a good chance to study Japanese culture for your research, I think.”
The story I’d given them was that I was working to save money to go back to graduate school in Japanese -- with a specialty in the seventeenth-century literature of the pleasure quarters in the golden age of the courtesan. So far, everyone seemed to buy it.
“Can I bring you along to the restaurant, Marie?” I said, hugging myself. “To make sure I don’t do anything wrong?”
Marie laughed into her hand, Japanese-style. “Megu-chan is very funny. Go out front, now. It’s is best to greet Kimura-san when he arrives.”
As I walked out to the salon, I took a deep breath and willed my body to soften and relax. My days as a proper housewife were over, probably for good. As smooth as water flowing, I had joined the night side of Japan, where you said “Good morning” at 9 pm, and pleasure always came before duty. A world where it was not only okay to tell lies, it was expected. So what if “the water trade” was based on the commodification of women? I’d turn the tables, let them come to me, fall at my feet, pay fortunes to squire me to dinner with no hope of repayment. Besides, I had a regular customer already. My charming, cultured company was in demand. It seemed like a long time since I had succeeded at something.
Maybe I’d finally found the one place in the world where I belonged.
------------
Questions:
1) When the narrator, Lydia, goes to dinner with Kimura-san, what does she order?
2) What does Donna do to warm up for work?
3) What was the last lie Donna told?
71 comments:
Whoa, 6 am comes really early -- especially when it's not 6 am YOUR time. So let's get started early!
Welcome, Donna! Brace yourself, I have a feeling the answers you'll be getting might just singe a bit. Our patrons here can deliver some real biting humor. ;o)
Hello!
Just popped in to say hi!
Will come back later and read the excerpt--been looking forward to this one!!
:-)
Good morning! I'm getting ready for a hot and spicy breakfast...bring it on!
'Morning Donna! Congratulations on the book -- it looks intriguing.
I guess we'll have to slather on some wasabi today, huh?
I already own this treasure of a novel, so rather than compete for a book I'll answer questions 2 and 3 just for the fun of it!
2) To limber up for work, Donna undresses from the neck up and recites the Kama Sutra backwards (Position #15A, Typewriter on the Telephone).
3) The last lie Donna told was "I'm getting ready for a hot and spicy breakfast." The truth is that she was getting ready for a spicy and hot breakfast, but she was a little shy about saying so.
Jeremy, somehow your answer to the second question makes me feel...naked (from the neck up only). I can only imagine how you warm up for a writing session!
Yes, I think wasabi is in order for today's feast. Have you ever had it fresh? Probably too mild for this party....
Let's talk fashion! I understand, Donna, that you like wearing kimonos. Do Japanese women still wear kimonos? And, if so, on what occasions would they? And is there traditional footware that goes with a kimono? (Sorry, I'm a total rube when it comes to Japanese culture, so anything you tell me will be educational for me!)
Fascinating snip. I desperately want to know how/why a housewife decides to go into the "water trade"...and whether that kind of companionship industry means the same thing it does in the US.
1) When the narrator, Lydia, goes to dinner with Kimura-san, what does she order?
Considering her position, I say she doesn't order anything...she asks Kimura-san to order for her.
2) What does Donna do to warm up for work?
She does a few lunges and stomach crunches, practices splits, and then types out her favorite poem.
3) What was the last lie Donna told?
Jeremy took my answer...but I think she really had oatmeal for breakfast. ;)
I just now read that excerpt--it's really really good!! I don't know what I was expecting, but this felt different. It captured the setting and character beautifully!! I'm intrigued to learn more...
I hope to see more of your book!
:-)
Like Jeremy, I also own a copy of this outstanding novel.
However, I'd still like to take a shot at the answers:
1) What does Lydia order?
Big Mac and fries - but she doesn't supersize. She's a classy heroine.
2) What does Donna do to warm up for work?
As a writer, when I need to warm up, I just throw copies of disdainful reviews onto the fire. However, because she doesn't receive bad reviews, Donna doesn't have that facility at her disposal.
3) What was the last lie Donna told?
Donna is a writer. I suspect,like all writers, the last lie she told was, "Your cheque is in the post..."
1) When the narrator, Lydia, goes to dinner with Kimura-san, what does she order?
Answer: Something she can eat in small delicate bites with chop sticks.
2) What does Donna do to warm up for work?
Answer: I'm afraid I don't know Donna that well. But I can always make assumptions.
3) What was the last lie Donna told?
Answer: That depends. When was the last time she was talking?
(sorry about that. It is a roast after all though.)
Hi Donna! Have fun here. I'll drop by later again - have to run now.
Hi Donna,
1- Surely not sushi. Please say it's something different!
2- Read a small collection of your favorite passages, already written, to get your voice warmed up and flowing.
3-Hmmmmm. Last lie. Well, how about the age-old lie... Of course, honey, you really are the best in show. Ever.
Hi Donna. 22 Amazon reviews, and they're all five stars. I'm impressed.
Somebody (I think at RWA) told me forty percent of ER readership was male. I have a hard time believing that. What do you estimate your male readership to be?
I get the sense that Lydia is dipping her toe into a warm ocean of experience. Wow.
As an erotic writer, do you find yourself trying to break down barriers? To bring a healthy acceptance to a vital, intense, yet repressed part of our existence? I think that's fighting the good fight.
(And welcome to Book Roast, BTW!)
Gee, we get to read it and answer questions. Where have you hidden Sister Mary Hildagard and her pop quizzes?
1) When the narrator, Lydia, goes to dinner with Kimura-san, what does she order?
Order, my stars and garters! Kimura-san is such an important personality that wen he enters, he merely snaps his fingers and the waiters serve him without asking.
2) What does Donna do to warm up for work?
(Be good Dave! Be good!) The best I can do uner PG circumstances is "reads the Vagina Monologues out loud"
3) What was the last lie Donna told?
It's all a lie, everything is a lie in the business, nothing is as it seems and all those cliches. This is entertainment and it is all fantasy. The very sights and sounds are lies, appearances are lies...
And the spoken word? It stands the least truthful of all things.
(PS - I'm stealing my own words for/from a story I'm writing)
1) Order:
The most erotic, er, I mean exotic, thing on the menu.
2) Work Warm-up:
Selects an accessory and a lipstick color for inspiration (choices for today might be a lacy black apron and Chanel’s Fire)
3) Last lie:
Why, yes, I’d love to be roasted for an entire day!
Wow, so many juicy comments to answer. Sorry I was away for a while, position #15A of The Kama Sutra requires some interesting stretching, not to say contortion ;-)
Okay, first, kimono. As you might expect, Japanese women don't wear them as much as they used to (which was all the time!), but I was surprised how often I still saw them this April when I was back there. Wedding guests often wear them, girls graduating from college or attending the "adult ceremony," cute kids attending the 3-5-7 year old festivals, wealthy ladies having tea in Ginza, geisha at work, and most appropriate for today, Mama-san in hostess clubs. Btw, silk kimono are expensive--thousands of dollars or more. As for footwear, you wear these fancy zori sandals with white cotton "split-toe" socks so you can slip your foot right in. I have a pair right here from my days studying Japanese dance!
cute kids attending the 3-5-7 year old festivals
No festivals for even-number-aged children? How ... odd.
[Just joshing around—no cultural disrespect intended.]
So, Precie, Lydia is not your typical housewife. She has an insatiable desire for adventure...especially of the amorous sort, and well, her husband was neglecting her, so she has a lot of catching up to do. Sex-for-sale in Japan is a fascinating topic and I've written about it a bit at on Susie Bright’s blog (http://susiebright.blogs.com/susie_brights_journal_/2008/08/blowjobs-among-the-blossoms-the-floating-world-revisited.html), but hostessing is actually a bit different from the "water" they tend to sell here. A hostess officially does nothing more than flirt over drinks. She lubricates the conversation and while she may decide to take a customer as a lover (which of course Lydia does) it is not part of the official job description....
Oh, Jeremy, next thing I know you'll be wearing your shoes in the house! Bad boy!
Hey Chris,
Yes, people do tell me they're surprised they learn so much about Japan from an erotic novel. Sex and culture--a two-for-one bargain! I describe the book as an American woman's love affair with Japan, but in a lot of ways it's about my love affair with the country. I lived there for three years, visited many times, and studied the culture and language for about five trillion hours (actually 5,024,678,925,942.6 hours), so I share lots of my insider tidbits from my experience there.
Capt. Hammer, Charles, Robin, David and Grin...you're all warm, very warm with your answers. I'll tell "the truth" later today, but I will let you know that I sprinkled some pepper flakes and wasabi on my oatmeal this morning....
Hey Stephen,
My estimate of my male readership? Good question! I know for sure it's a lot higher than it would be for my quilting memoir, should I ever write a quilting memoir (no plans as of yet, as I don't quilt, but you never know). Men don't tend to read as much fiction, I'm told, but the topic of sex does seem to ignite a flicker of interest in the eyes of potential male readers. And my book not only has a lot of sex, I tried to make it honest and real, so that a man could actually learn a lot about what women (me and my friends, anyway) think and feel during sex, what they want. I think all erotic romance is a kind of handbook for what women really want. So that forty percent of guys might be savvy market researchers?
Jason, you hit the target! I do write erotica, but my goal is quite different from, say, most of our advertising which uses our libidos against us, teasing but never delivering. I want my readers to be very satisfied on many levels: physical, emotional, aesthetic, intellectual. It's a huge project and who can say if I will succeed, but it keeps me very involved and dedicated to writing the smartest, juiciest, truest sex scenes I can manage. The process of writing erotica has definitely helped me break down some personal barriers. Often it does feel like a fight, but a very good, very sweaty one!
1) When the narrator, Lydia, goes to dinner with Kimura-san, what does she order?
Nanny Ogg's Banana Surprise. Bananas are meant to be aphrodisiacs and they certainly look as if they are. They can be eaten subtly - or not.
2) What does Donna do to warm up for work?
Nude yoga.
3) What was the last lie Donna told?
Donna would never, ever lie. She might prevaricate, fib, be economical with the truth, use weasel words or massage the figures but she would not be caught lying.
That 3-5-7 thing confused me, too, especially since at first I thought it was some kind of Haiku variant. Don't the even-aged children march in the streets protesting?
Are odd numbers considered lucky?
I think in the Chinese culture 8 is special... Maybe the Chinese have the even numbers and the Japanese the odd ones. They've worked it out.
fairyhedgehog, you are right! I would never lie. But I do embroider (not to be confused with quilting....)
1.
She asks for egg foo yung — followed swiftly by a pen and paper for her suicide note and a loaded revolver.
2.
Leaps into an ice cold bath.
3.
Whatever it was, there's been a whole load since the Book Roast first floated the question, every one a whopper.
Odd numbers are considered auspicious in Japan, but I know that in both China and Japan, the number four is bad luck because it's a homonym for "death." That got me wondering if there is any reason for "sweet sixteen" or quinceaneras as the coming of age for girls.
Whirlochre, you just crack me up with that bunch of answers, :oD
Greetings! It's neat to see so many who are new to
Donna's novel here. I'd really like to offer that Amorous Woman easily went on my "Most Incredible Books I've Ever Read" list, and I highly, highly recommend it.
Since that makes it fairly obvious that I too have already read Amorous Woman, I will skip question number one and take a shot at two and three:
2) Judging from a certain picture I happen to have seen, I'm going to guess that she organizes -- or at least gives a glance to the already meticulous organization of -- her "story research" drawer to warm up for work.
3) I would say Donna's last lie was to the mystery individual wrote her bio here when she told that person to claim that the photos of her in her book trailer were "mildly embarrassing" -- since they are in fact so lovely and beautiful that I can see nothing that would be embarrassing about them! ;)
Xoxo,
Emerald
For those of you who'd like to see a photo of that drawer Emerald is talking about check it out here:
http://pantyparade.blogspot.com/
2008/05/donnas-panties.html
1) When the narrator, Lydia, goes to dinner with Kimura-san, what does she order?
A whiskey and water. She's gonna need it to be genki, kawaii, and chyamingu on her Dohan.
2) What does Donna do to warm up for work?
Pretends to be someone else.
3) What was the last lie Donna told?
Does she tells lies? I'm shocked! :D
Has she learned nothing in Japan? Lies aren't told, the truth is stretched.
I don't need to be put into the give away pool, I've read this really hot and exceptionally well written book and loved it.
I love that the history is woven with the story....
This is definitely going on my TBR list!!
But. But. That model on the cover needs some meat on her bones.
heheh
:-)
Thanks for stopping by, Madame Butterfly. I know you know Lydia's Japan very well ;-)
So it's lunch time in California, close to dinner on the original thirteen colonies side of the country and I thought it might be time for a confession.
Amorous Woman is about Japan and sex, but it's also about Japan and food. The dinner with Kimura--egg foo young, Big Mac and all, is very lovingly described as are many other feasts. I love Japanese food, especially the breakfasts (rice, miso soup, pickles, grilled fish, seaweed and other delicacies). Actually I love good food of all kinds and have managed to get myself a column on sex, food and writing at the Erotica Readers and Writers Smutters Lounge (http://www.erotica-readers.com/
ERA/SL/Smutters_Lounge.htm). Don't let the name throw you off--it's a class act all the way. And really, I'm not lying!
Speaking of food, Chris, that photo was taken before the model ate the nine-course kaiseki meal, the okonomi-yaki pancakes, the blowfish feast, the somen noodles, the....actually that model has NOTHING to do with the story, but maybe you should take that up with my publisher, lol.
Yeah, that photograph should be of a NON-Japanese woman, preferably someone who suggests the protagonist, Lydia. Who knows why the publisher made that choice.
Donna George Storey's work is the furthest thing from smut there is. Her writing is exquisite, whether it's about sex, food, writing -- whatever. It's a feast of riches and sensual delights -- all the senses!
(I read that as "semen" noodles, by the way!)
Thanks, ER. I know it's called a "Freudian slip" if you say something suggestive, but how about a suggestive misreading? It sounds like an interesting dish anyway!
The story I heard was that the model Donna liked for the cover was disqualified because she was an even-numbered age at the time they went into production.
Well, this is a steamy way to start the morning (7.30am in Oz). I think I'll skip the spicy additives to breakfast, though.
Donna, do you think your friends and family look at you differently after reading some of your erotica?!
Somen noodles, of course, are thus called (in English) because the sauce they come in is just "so men." (Hmm ... perhaps EllaRegina was right, after all.)
Confession time, ellaregina. I read "somen" noodles that way, too, at first.
Donna, what is your favorite dish? You know, when you're faced with the green mile, what one thing would you consider "to die for" before you, well, die?
And is there a secret aphrodisiac that you could whisper in our ears?
Hi Everyone, I just want to say I own a signed copy of the book and it is really good! Donna is a talented writer and the book is both entertaining and literary.
Donna, can you talk a bit about what coming and going mean in Japan? You mentioned it on Susie Bright's blog and I'd love to hear more, especially while I sit here enjoying my semen noodles.
(That's my deleted comment, btw -- I forgot to add the question mark so I reposted.)
Jeremy, that's true. I was so disappointed when they axed my favorite cover because of the 7-5-3 requirement :-)
Hi Shona,
Yeah, hot pepper in oatmeal isn't something I'm going to recommend to others--but I felt honor-bound to be spicy today!
My family is used to my erotica by now, although I suppose they were a bit surprised when I first wandered off the straight and narrow path ;-)
I use my own name, but I haven't spread the word far and wide until the publication of Amorous Woman and yes, some of my friends and acquaintances raised an eyebrow. But fortunately they've all been supportive and I think relieved that the book does offer more than just smut. Now, my mother-in-law usually likes to talk about books in detail but she merely said she thought my book was "very interesting and she learned a lot about Japan."
A nice, polite lady she is.
Hey Phoenix,
That is a tough one because there is so much yummy stuff in Japan. Actually the dinner Kimura and Lydia have in my novel is a pretty amazing meal. I was treated to such a dinner in Japan and approached it with trepidation (I will explain why at the end of the roast) but ended up loving it and it is definitely up there among the best meals I've ever eaten.
There's a restaurant by the Kamo River in Kyoto called Chimoto--it's three hundred years old--and the dinner I had there back in 1984 was so amazing. It wasn't one dish in particular, it was the whole presentation, like the sashimi was offered in a lovely container made of ice. I would love to eat there one more time before I die.
But in the more affordable range, I really like a good okonomiyaki (translation "fried as you like it") a pancake with egg, flour, chopped cabbage, ginger, mountain potato and toppings--shrimp, squid or whatever with a spicy Worcestershire/soy sauce. The perfect winter comfort food. Okay, I'd better stop before I drool on my keyboard!
P.S. I'll tell you about the aphrodisiac at the end of the roast--stay tuned!
And speaking of aphrodisiacs EllaRegina, yes, I've always found it interesting that the Japanese say "I'm going" for "I'm coming" as if an orgasm is a trip to a land beyond the ordinary rather than crossing the finish line as it is for us.
I think it says something about cultural differences. I still don't have it all quite worked out...
Okay, I don't want to do all the talking here.
What is YOUR favorite Japanese food and or restaurant?
Norikonoko in Berkeley, CA is the most nostalgic for me. Just like my friends' moms used to make....
I think going makes MUCH more sense.
OK. I'm boring. Every time the same thing: salmon teriyaki, sauce on side, brown rice, salad/dressing on side. A Japanese beer (or two). Maybe some ice cream: ginger, red bean, green tea -- I usually have them give me a little of each.
Here I am, late to the party as usual.
Donna, I have a weakness for a good Beef Negimaki, but sometimes just a simple bento box makes me quite happy.
But I still love good ol' sushi - especially yellowtail. Yum!
Oh, and ER:
Red Bean ice cream! Love it!
Not as much as I love Donna's excellent book (which I am already the proud owner of, by the way.)
Red bean ice cream--the best!
I also like Kaki-gori in the summer. A big parfait glass of shaved ice with green tea powder, condensed milk, some sweet red beans and chewy mochi balls.
It gives me a headache, but it's delicious!
I wonder why the headache?
Hey, didn't I just see you a minute ago, flying over the UK in a hot air balloon? ;-)
Sushi and more sushi.
The ice cold in my mouth on a hot day gives me the headache and sushi, oh yes. I was a big sea urchin fan back in the day. I'm more of a vegetarian now, but so plum/shiso is my favorite pick at the sushi bar.
Well, guys, that about wraps it for today. A loonng day for Donna, and we thank her heartily for being the bit of non-sushi on the grill. I know I'm going home with an appetite -- for two of the finer things in life ;o)
Donna, if you will choose a winner and post who and why, please. And I think you promised us a couple more tasty tidbits to boot! We'll be checking back in for those last surprises...
Yay, Donna!
Great roast! Can wait for those after-dinner tidbit.
So, sorry to be a bit late here--but I wanted first of all to let you know what Kimura and Lydia actually did eat on their dinner date--fugu or blowfish/pufferfish. It's supposed to be an aphrodisiac, but the arousing effect could be due to the frisson of knowing that it is possible to die from eating it if the fish is handled by an inexperienced chef!
I was once treated to a blowfish dinner in Japan and was expecting to find that it did not live up to its reputation as a delicacy. But in fact it was really delicious--and Lydia is won over by it, too. It is expensive--$80 for a plate of sashimi last time I checked, but can we put a price on pleasure?
So, now I'm going to explain how I'll choose the lucky winner who will take home his/her own Amorous Woman. This, too, is rooted in personal history. You see, back when I was an eligible bachelorette, it just so happened that six men proposed marriage to me during the very same week. All were equally worthy, so I decided I'd choose by assigning each one a number and rolling dice. That's how I ended up with my husband and after twenty-three years together we are still very happy.
So, I'm going to sort through the comment list, toss away roast masters and those lucky folk who already have their own Amorous Woman, then assign the remaining suitors a number and let Lady Luck decide!
Be back soon with the winner....
So, thank you so much everyone for stopping by and for your wonderful answers and insults :-) I actually roast vegetables rather frequently at my house and finally those poor vegetables had there chance at proper revenge.
Now for the envelope to announce the results of today's roast.
And the winner is....
dave f.!
You can contact me through my website (which will lead you right to donna@donnageorgestorey.com)and your Amorous Woman will be on her way.
Woo-hoo! Congratulations, Dave!
Oh my, Donna - gambling like that on your husband. That's just too, too rich. Hehe. So glad it turned up aces for you.
As for blowfish preparation, I wouldn't trust that dish to any of your Book Roast chefs. Well, maybe Stephen. But only when he's in a good mood.
You've been a truly delightful roastee, Donna. Thanks for spending the time with us and teaching us a little something about the art of seduction, dining, and living in Japan!
Congratulations Dave!!!!
WOOOHOOO!!
:-)
A date too late! :) But I love the descriptions and the dynamics. I'm writing a scene about a brothel in war-time Singapore. Maybe you can give me a few pointers.
Congrats Dave! I have been away and missed my chance for this fascinating book: I guess I'll just have to buy it instead.
hi donna, sorry i forgot all about the roast til today :(
grats dave!
Okay, a late answer for Ray, or a sort of answer or actually more of a suggestion, because I don't have any direct experiences of brothels in Singapore. And of course, you may be doing this already....
But I'd say just be sure to get in touch with the individuality of the prostitutes, their humanity. I think no other "type" has been so trapped in stereotypes and it's always so refreshing when that mold is broken. I think we all wonder why a woman becomes a prostitute and how this influences her behavior as a "professional" lover, and if that story is believable and thought-provoking, even only if suggested, the reader is really intrigued and moved.
Just my two yen, or should I say Singapore dollars?
I'm just back from a book tour to LA, a reading, radio show and book fair. Very tiring, but fun!
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