All Comments on 'Emily's Story'

This was torture porn.

I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but get help.

Horrendous. I actually stopped reading it and skipped to the end. Vile. I didnt give it a rating as my dislike is about the content of the story, not the style or technical qualities of the writing and I didnt want to be unfair.

To Whackdoodle: Thank-you for commenting on my story and thinking of my welfare – it is much appreciated. Your definition is correct – my story does include “Torture Porn”, in both its mental and physical forms. It has been a catharsis to incorporate my real-life experiences and my fantasies into our story and I have found that the linkage between pain with pleasure is sometimes irresistible but also shameful and decadent. I hope my story did not upset you too much. Best wishes, Emily.

Dear Gortmundy, I'm sorry you did not like my story although it appears that it made a strong impression. Unfortunately, sometimes life is horrendous and vile, but it still needs to be experienced and described. At least you did not prolong your agony. Best wishes and I hope you find what you are looking for, Emily.

PS I will pass on your positive comments to Paul about the style and the technical qualities.

EmilyGrosvenor, I know all about life sometimes being horrendous and vile, but Im not sure about your contention that those aspects need described and experienced. Your story is in the non-consent tab, which I accept, but a sub-heading of that tab is "fantasies of control" etc. And I have used rape as a story-telling mechanism in a couple of chapters of one of my own stories (and now Im not so sure I needed it) so I do feel a little hypocritical. Still, your tale had a woman basically being raped to death and murdered, and i think that's moving beyond erotica and taking things into the realm of torture-porn, as Whakdoodle says. It basically goes too far, its no longer erotica if you will, its a description of a snuff-movie. Still, thanks for replying.

Dear Gortmundy – On your second comment you raise an interesting question regarding storytelling. I think you are saying that murder when it is connected to an erotic scenario is like a “snuff movie” situation which mercifully I have never witnessed. If that is the case, then surely much of modern crime fiction and some Film and TV falls into the same category? On a well-known streaming channel recently we witnessed a man being drugged and raped and god knows what else. This series is given wide coverage in the UK. Was this relevant to the plot – maybe yes – maybe no, but we believe Helen’s fate was very relevant to “Emily’s Story”. The preface of any such story or movie should warn of possible offence as did our story and the streaming channel programme.

Thank-you so much for continuing the debate and we look forward to checking out some of your own stories. Best wishes, Emily and Paul.

Well, I hope you enjoy my stories. If you are looking for more sex etc, with some non-con and bdsm elements then I would read "The Island". Though that was my first effort, and least developed. If you like fantasy, but with less sex then "The tattooed Woman" might be more appealing. But back to your comment: That wasnt really what I was saying. I have no problem with murder, rape etc in a story if it serves the story. But even then there is a difference between what is needed for the tale, even if its shocking, and what is gratuitious. A snuff movie distastefully glorifies the violence, and I think I personally found your story did the same, especially the ending. Now, I accept that's pretty much a matter of taste, but thats what comments are for. For what its worth, Ive never seen a snuff movie either. But I have seen death and suffering (no, Im not a psycho - it was work related) and there is a difference between servicing the narrative, and taking it too far. Where one ends and the other begins? Well, that might be hard to define.

Hi Gortmundy,

Much appreciate your suggestions regarding your own stories – we will certainly investigate.

Regarding the last scene, obviously we are biased as we wrote it, but it is undoubtedly strong. As we mentioned before we do think it is very relevant to the plot as the evil Helen is paid back “in kind” by the friends of her victim Emily.

Our intention was not to glorify the linkage between sexual arousal and violence. Emily is ashamed of her tendencies, and this is a recurring theme throughout the story. Christopher, Helen and Mokri and his sons, bar Azim, are clearly not nice people and that is made very clear.

Just to take apart the final scene:

1. Descriptions are deliberately vague and not too explicit.

2. The Reader knows that Helen is taken to the Digger Camp – she is gang raped – she is punished – she is placed in the compound – but then (spoiler alert) is she actually murdered? The story implies she is, but the reader does not witness that event – it is all a bit vague. Will Azim, having sated his revenge on her, feel guilt and find a way to get her out before the worst happens? Will he, for the love of Emily, convince her, via the video, that Helen is dead such that Emily will have peace knowing that the captivity cycle will not be repeated?

3. The benefit of this approach is to let the reader fill in the detail from their own imaginations – yes the context is deliberately shocking but, in this scene, there is no detail description/glorification of the sexual and BDSM mechanics as you may find in some other stories on “Lit.” As you say – this is one interpretation and it comes down, in the end, to taste.

4. To summarise – we as authors have given the context to enable the reader, in their imagination, to picture the awful detail. The reader can make it as shocking as he wishes it to be.

Gortmundy, we really appreciate our debate with you and would like to continue if you are willing. We tend to have a quick look at Lit after lunch, but our author comments seem to take up to around 20 hours to come through to our story. We are happy to move the debate on to the forum, or via Email from the author page, or continue on the Comments. You choose.

Best wishes and thanks again for your thoughts, Emily and Paul.

Dear Emily and Paul,

Unlike the other two critics, I have read the whole story and believe I understand the intended logic.

However, one serious flaw was made.

After burning all her underwear, how the next day was Emily able to seductively remove bra and knickers to incite her masseuse?

Dear Anonymous User,

Your comment has made us very happy!!

We are so pleased you have read and understood the whole story. We both believe that a little ambiguity, where the reader is encouraged to use their own imagination, is the key to good storytelling.

To address your impressive observation. I did burn all my expensive underwear after the Interview but it was several weeks before I met my lovely Eva. That was after my holiday in Formentera where I spoilt myself and bought a gorgeous bikini as Paul describes. I wore this for my first session with Eva because I was nervous and very unconfident. Paul’s description of my underwear was obviously TOO ambiguous!

Paul would be delighted if you could edit any future stories – just saying!

Best wishes, Emily and Paul.

Pleased to know you are happy.

My observation was a quick response (as is this) in order to balance what I would call unfair because neither of the other judgemental criticisms had bothered to read the whole story.

I shall endeavour to make time for an expanded communique with an identifiable name, rather than 'anonymous'.

[Underwear or swimwear, there should not be any item of clothing that covers vulva at anytime.]