Amusing to see my two fav classics mentioned here: O, and the Beauty series by Rocquelaire. I first read O when I was 16 and I burned with the excitement of self-discovery as I read it. I still find some of that feeling when I re-read it. I showed it to a friend of mine recently whose comment was 'O does not sound like a very smart girl'! Needless to say, not a relationship that I had much interest in continuing -grins-

I found the Rocquelaire series a little disappointing stylistically - after utter shame has been experienced for the first time, what do you do afterwards? Experience it again I suppose. The first half of the first book however is a jewel.

Pauline Reage, whoever she is (blessings to her) showed me how to write as a woman about the kind of bdsm sex I enjoy. I suppose I must be about the same age now as she was when she wrote it and my advice to her would be to let her feelings show through more. Masters... doncha luvvem!