My First Smut: “My teenage mind threatened to break under such rapture”

My First Smut is a recurring feature where we talk about our formative smut experiences. These short confessionals may include such details as: What book did you read? How old were you? Were there other people involved? What made the experience special? What role does smut play in your life?

This week, romance author Ashton Abbott talks about discovering romance novels AND reverse harem stories at the same time. And also about losing the shame of being sexually active. (Smut is amazing, y’all.)

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First romance novel you read:

Seduced by Moonlight by Laurell K Hamilton

How old were you?

16, just a dorky girl without a clue of what actual romance entailed.

How’d you get your hands on the book?

I found it in a bookstore I used to frequent. It was on display at an endcap. The cover with the crescent moon navel ring caught my eye.

What was the reading experience like?

So…. yeah. To say this book blew my mind would be an understatement. I was 16 and this was my first romance novel. It is a reverse harem with enough steam to power a locomotive across the country. Not only was I floored to learn about the ‘brooding/sexy type’ but also about the art of foreplay. (My teenage-self had yet to be acquainted with such magic). Oh and as if that weren’t enough, this lady has a treasure trove on men at her sexual disposal. My little teenage mind threatened to break under such rapture. Life was never the same after that first reading.

What made the experience special?

Well besides the glory of finding out that reverse harem existed… it would have to be the character connection and treatment of sex in general. Merry Gentry is very relatable in the sense that she is struggling and is looking for a way to overcome her problems while taking care of everyone else. I felt that. I was also introduced to the idea that one can be open about being sexually confident and sexually active while maintaining respect from others. At this point I wasn’t a virgin and had been somewhat ashamed of that fact. This ‘smut awakening’ taught me that I not only deserved respect… I didn’t have to be sorry about my carnal side.

What role does smut play in your life?

Well, I write paranormal romance and sexy-times-laden dark fantasy. I also inhale smut like expensive perfume on an even more expensive…. gah, I ran out of metaphors… I read a lot of smut, ok?

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Connect with Ashton: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website

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Thanks Ashton! We love hearing smut stories that are intertwined with self-respect and sexiness and all the good things.

If you’re interested in checking out Ashton’s work, her novella “Lovers Lost” is currently on sale for 99 cents (until Aug 30, 2020). AND her latest book, Drawn in Shadow just released on Aug 20. And finally, here’s Ingrid’s review of Ashton’s debut, Necromancer Rising.

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Have an early smut experience you’d like to share with us? If you’d like to see your story featured, send us an email or fill out our questionnaire and we’ll post it in an upcoming week.