A word about content warnings…

My books are intended for mature audiences and contain adult themes, including sexually explicit scenes and profanity. All characters involved in any sexual acts are able to ask for and provide consent. That means they’re over eighteen, have the legal ability to give and accept consent, and are not under the influence of intoxicating substances or otherwise impaired.

I will offer one caveat on consent because some of my books skirt the edge.

In a book, we can split hairs and try to define dubious consent, in which a partner may or may not say no, yet in their thoughts at least, they agree. In fiction, we may also say nonconsent happens when a partner has said no, but enjoys what is happening even when they won’t admit it to themselves.

Books are not real life. Please repeat after me. Books. Are. Not. Real. Life. As much as authors love it when readers think they are, characters in books are not real people. They’re constructs living in an author’s head who we put on a page in an effort to make them pay the rent.

In real life, if someone says no, it is, at the very least, assault. Except where participants have prior negotiation and agreement (often referred to as consensual nonconsent or CNC), dubcon and noncon do not exist in real life. In real life, that is called rape and/or sexual assault.

That being said, it’s not an uncommon fantasy for some readers. Dark romance with those elements allows readers to live that fantasy vicariously in a safe environment. The people who read such works do NOT want to be assaulted. Many of them would cheerfully, and with an unholy amount of glee, castrate anyone who tried it. That doesn’t mean their fantasies are invalid.

For more on this topic, I highly recommend this article.

Moving on before I digress.

Please play responsibly. The author is not responsible for readers’ actions, and no work of fiction should ever be used as an instruction manual. The acts in my books are not meant to depict an actual dynamic and can be dangerous if done incorrectly.

Handcuffs can and do cause permanent nerve damage. Fire and wax play can… you guessed it—burn people. Canes, floggers and other impact implements can and do cause cuts and/or tissue damage. Many Shibari artists practice their craft for years before they suspend their first model. In a similar fashion, a piercing artist will practice diligently before setting a needle to a partner’s skin.

As a final note on responsible play, I encourage people to think about what they’d say to an attending physician when they seek emergency medical care for injuries received during sex play gone wrong. Imagine it. Internalize it. Now, throw away those handcuffs, buy a good pair of emergency shears, and research safer methods of bondage from reputable sources.

All disclaimers aside, let’s move on to the important part. Content warnings.

I try to craft my sales descriptions in such a way that the reader has some idea what the book will contain. For example, if I write a Daddy Dom, the word Daddy will appear in the description or in the sample available on most retailers. I might write a dark mafia romance with an anti-hero, in which case there might be a mention of a reluctant bride.

Aside from sales descriptions, sample chapters and reviews from other readers are also an excellent resource for learning more about a book.

Authors do NOT want to damage anyone’s mental well-being. We want to write the stories trying to crawl out of our heads, but not at the expense of anyone’s peace of mind.

That being said, not every book is for every person. One reader’s yuck might be another reader’s yum. It might not be for you, but that doesn’t mean someone else won’t love it. Everyone’s tastes are different, and yours are just as valid as anyone else’s.

I will be using Book Trigger Warnings to add keywords to my book descriptions on my website so my readers can choose books safely. Please bear with me. This is a work in progress, and even with the help of my lovely webmistress, it’s going to take some time to implement in a way that’s easy to navigate and keep updated. Also, keep in mind this list is not exhaustive. I don’t think it’s possible for a single list to contain every possible content warning, and this resource is continually evolving.

If, at any time, you want more information about any of my books, please email me at [email protected], or [email protected], with the subject line Content Warnings: <Book Title>, and I will be delighted to answer your questions.

All my best, and happy reading!

Raisa/Minette