Nia Dark and Lovely, a Black Escort in London

Mandy says What's a broke-but-fully-employed girl to do? Why, start selling her services, of course. Can it be done without losing husband, self-respect, etc? Only time will tell.

What is the first weblog you came across?

I came late to All-About-Me Revolution. I had a couple of friends with LiveJournals, and I first started reading Go Fug Yourself when my friend Power Girl told me it was hilarious. It is.

Why did you start blogging?

I had a Myspace, the usual this-is-what-I-think-about-the-world, here's-what-I-did-today, oh-wow-dryer-lint, no reason for anyone who did not know me personally to read it. I started exchanging views with a Myspace Friend (whom I still have not met) about sex and relationships, started whoring a bit around that time, and writing publicly was the natural place to go.

Right now, I am struggling with the relationship between writing and whoring – I am more prolific (and better) than I have ever creatively been before, and there is a worry that whoring is the necessary overall context in which to write. But there are emotional repercussions to sex work, and that is challenging.

Which blogs do you read?

I do not put anyone on my blogroll unless I read them regularly so those 27 are the ones I scan every other morning. My corner of the neighborhood is Tom Paine, La Fille Mariee and Gillette. For sheer style and consistency, the Fug Girls, Postsecret and Dan Savage are amazing, but I do not know if the latter two really count as "blogs".

What appeals to you about the blogs you read?

Funny and clever and something to say beyond who they shagged and when. I wrote (Mandy pronounces with great judgementalism )about reading through the Sugasm (a weekly list of posts from sex bloggers) and avoiding blogs that are only sex acts and their lead-up – I want power exchange or discovery or relationship, and a sexy story may be the way to tell that, but not another wank story with no context. I like it when an article makes me think enough to go write.

Whose writing do you particularly admire?

Edith Wharton – my husband was driving while I read House of Mirth in the car, and it startled him that I was weeping as I finished the book. She describes the actions, rather than the emotions of the characters, which involves the reader in experiencing the emotional life instead of being told about it. Malcom Gladwell is another favorite – Blink and The Tipping Point, the way he assembles thought about social activity. English mystery writers, especially Dorothy Sayers, the way a mystery must be constructed from the first page to inevitably lead to one conclusion. Terry Pratchett's social satire disguised as fantasy, brilliantly funny and devastatingly clever.

In your reading do you seek out different points of view?

Yes and no – I want to know what the enemy is up to, but I do not have the time and energy in my life to spend on agonizing about disagreeing. It has been hard for me to learn to accept that other people have diametrically opposed viewpoints, and it is not because they just do not understand. It is not my mission to correct them, or absorb their views. But I do like to get new angles and have my thoughts challenged on issues I am thinking about.

How do you choose items to link?

I have a blogroll that is only blogs I read often, that update often, and that have a quality of writing I can honestly recommend. I link to articles (on and off my roll) in the context of my posts if they inspired me or they have a different take.

What is your policy on comments?

So far un-moderated and delete the occasional spammer. I sometimes step in and request civility, but my readers are generally smart and well-mannered.

Do you ever receive abusive comments , how do you handle it?

I have not yet – there are those who advise, or disagree with a course of action, but no-one (knock wood) has been nasty or abusive. Things like that hurt me, though, so I am sure when it does happen I will delete, then go lie down. The illusion is that people know me by what I write, and I am extremely personal, but when it comes right down to it, they really do not know me personally, and how wounding can blind spite really be? God has already punished them; they have to be themselves.

Where do you find interesting links?

In the other blogs I read, by listening to public radio, and that my friends and readers send along.

Do you ever write to provoke a reaction, how do you do that ?

My sweet post about rediscovering my relationship with Lover drew no comments, but the piece that agonized about saying no to a particular client drew many comments and a personal conversation with a reader with strong advice, as well as chat with Lover in real life. So trauma draws people online as well as off. That said, I can only write what really happens – sometimes it stirs something in people wrestling with a similar issue, compels them to respond. I am not deliberately "stirring things up" but I am dramatically constructing my narratives to evoke the strongest possible response.

How much traffic do you get?

Over eighty-three thousand unique hits since February 2007.

What is your rank on Technorati?

Around twenty-two thousand.

Has your writing changed since you started blogging?

Yes – more often, more of it, and the style is shaping itself. Non-fiction is definitely my favorite.

How many hours do you spend online a day?

Far too many! I try for about three but it is often five to seven. Research, email, and blogging start to add up. I am thankful to have friends to go to the gym with and an active "real life" job.

How much time do you spend on your site a day?

Not more than an hour – scan the blogs on the roll, post something, that is about it. Sometimes add some buttons or join a blogging resource. I write in a notebook that carries with me, transcribe and refine in Word and copy-paste.

How many blogs do you read?

I scan 30-50 and I care about 5.

How do you find new blogs?

Recommendations from others I read, links, and Googling on topics of interest.

How much reader email do you get?

Enough to make me feel special but not overwhelmed!

What do you think makes a successful blog?

Foremost, a unique style that suits, supports and enhances the material. It is how, not what is told. Frequent, well-written content relating to a subject of greater interest than just "this is my life," and an awareness of context. Like academic writing, you must demonstrate a grasp of the existing views and beliefs for your challenges or expansions to be taken seriously. As an example of a light-hearted blog that is nonetheless rigorous in background and research, The Fug Girls are not just writing catty opinions, they know what is going on in the socialite, entertainment and music worlds, they know what the fashions of the season are, they have an overall grasp of historical standards of taste and decency, and that's what makes them hilariously clever instead of just a couple of bitches badmouthing things they personally do not like.

What is your advice for a new blogger?

Write about things you really care about. But to make your personal crappy-crap relevant to the readers, take in information from your favorite sources and make notes about how to use it to round out your own ideas or as a starter for your own responses to a topic or idea. Connect your family life or your sex life or your creative life to ideas about the world, so that your personal experience becomes the illustration rather than the point.

Audit a creative writing class at your local college to experience reading and listening to other writers and thinking critically about what works. It is easier to pick out a problem and say, "Ohhh! That is why that does not work and here is how to fix it!" on early-career writers than with published, successful material. It is also good to get feedback on your own writing style and abilities. Sometimes the criticism is useful in unexpected ways – my pieces always got marked up by other students who thought I wrote run-on sentences. I do. On purpose. And hearing their feedback helped me realize that and use long phrasings better and more deliberately as a stylistic choice.

Write more than one draft – do not write directly to your blog or it will be sloppy and possibly a poor choice. Unless it is your style to use poor spelling and grammar (and very few people can pull that off), use good English and look up words you cannot spell. It distracts the reader from your point and diminishes the authority of your words every time there is an error of language. Use a Thesaurus to expand your vocabulary and give variety to your work, as long as they still sound like your words! Which is a larger point – the more you expand your own knowledge and understanding, the more range your writing will have while still being genuinely "you."

How has blogging changed your life?

Writing a really good post makes me feel good, and especially when I save up to write later in the day, it is something to look forward to. I have also met some very interesting people, on and off line. The biggest element is that I now am often writing my life in my head as I experience it, and that is sometimes great and sometimes a little terrifying.

What blogs do you think deserve wider recognition and why?

Mine. Because I am a fucking brilliant writer on my good days and not a waste of time on the bad days.

(This is where I'm supposed to be all sweet and link to my friends – check them out at my blogroll).

Personal favorite posts on How About Now? are water-water-everywhere,

whore-sex-vs-not-whore-sex, and first-client.

What are your hobbies?

Reading, languages, and I adore cooking very traditional meat-and-two-veg meals. You should see me in my pearls and apron…

How has your blog changed over the years?

It has only been 6 months, but I got distinctly more literary around the middle of February, and have since tried to balance reportage and writing. My best posts are when a metaphor that I can really play with pops into the writing. It usually comes about a third of the way in and then I go back and revise with it in mind.

Are you fairly accurate in predicting which of your items will be widely linked?


I do not even think about it – I like submitting to Sugasm and that has brought me a lot of readers as well as turning me on to blogs I would not have come across, but I am more about the regular readers than big traffic to a single post.

Do you have a background in writing?

Yes. I have a terminal degree in my field and I am published in a couple of other genres. Until I was in high school, I hated the physical act of writing, it hurt my hand, though I won prizes for stories and essays. Then I got into poetry and fiction and started enjoying it. I did not discover non-fiction until graduate school, and it was a huge realization – oh, that is what my travel notebooks are! I continue to write professionally in addition to my other pursuits.

When do you blog?

Ideas get jotted in my constant notebook, or on the backs of receipts if I am(rarely) out without one. I tend to formulate phrasings and the scope of a piece in my head while driving or doing work around the house, and then I compose the pieces in the morning, sitting in my library in my jammies with unbrushed teeth (very important) or in the evenings on my porch seat, ducking moths as it gets darker. My husband does not read the blog, so it is important to not shove it down his throat when I am writing.

With regard to blogging what was your most memorable moment?

The first time I was with a client and I detached myself from the situation to write it in my head as it was happening.

Would you read your site?

Damn straight. One of my reasons for starting was that it is the kind of thing I like to read, and Belle de Jour does not post a lot lately.

Thank you – what thought-provoking questions, especially about the writing process!

Mandy

Labels: Belle de Jour, Bloggers on blogging, books, Dan Savage, Escorts, Ex-Courtesan in transition, Gofugyourself, How about now, Interviews, La fille Mariee, Malcolm Gladwell, Myspace, Perverselypoly, Postsecret, Sugasm

Caitie Mae is a 34 year old female adult escort (”provider”) living in the United States. She has been a provider for about 2 years. She is engaged to be married and her future husband, Cole, knows where her money comes from. He supports her choice of career fields. She started her blog to chronicle their life and the difficulties (and rewards) of her chosen lifestyle.

What is the first weblog you came across?

The first time I can recall a blog having any significant meaning to me was when I discovered indecentblogging.com. It was a social erotic blogging network that hosted some very enjoyable writers and personalities. Dirty Boys Dirty Thoughts was an instant favorite. Luckily, Roger transplanted his dirty thoughts successfully to a new host when Indecent Blogging was overrun with spam.

Why did you start blogging?

When I started my first blog, a Wordpress engine that I had styled myself and hosted on a free server, I was in my rookie year in the industry. I started blogging as an additional way to make contact with prospective clients without expanding my marketing campaign. In the almost two years since the launch of that first blog, the expansion of my marketing has been limited to a total of about four other sites, and not more than a dozen or so total ad listings, which I consider a successful contained campaign.

Which blogs do you read?

A great deal of the blogs I read are related to web design. The P4P blogs I read are Chevalier's, Blonde Bohemian,
Courtesean Connection, Misemployed in Minneapolis and I've recently added Nia Dark and Lovely to my regular reading. I was reading Compartments regularly, but since her professional direction has changed, I've been reading her less. One of my favorite blogs, Glengarry Leads, is no longer online, and I miss it. Another that I read until the author stopped posting is Experienced Girlfriend because she posted about being a sexworker involved in a personal relationship. I, too, have a very serious boyfriend; we are actually engaged. There was a couple (a provider and her client-turned-boyfriend) who each posted blogs about their relationship on wordpress but their romance quickly became a trainwreck that was painful to watch; their blogs have both been removed. There are also a few blogs I read that are more erotic fiction collections than blogs about escorts.

What appeals to you about the blogs you read?

There is a certain "aloneness" I feel from being in this line of work. I read the escort blogs that I read so that I can have a sense of "she feels the same way," or "he understands what I am feeling about (whatever)." I read escort blogs to feel more a part of than apart from.

Whose writing do you particularly admire?

I admire Chevalier's writing for the fact that he seems to "get it" more than most of the men entangled in this industry. I think I admire everyone I read regularly for either their insight or the way they turn a phrase. Hopefully I will be having lunch with (and meeting for the first time) one of my favorite writers on Monday; I cannot tell who she is, but I don't think there is a person I enjoy reading on the message boards more than I enjoy reading her comments.

In your reading do you seek out different points of view ?

Oh, I know I should seek out differing points of view, and sometimes I do, but I honestly like reading that I am right most of the time. I am so shallow. I have found that I enjoy reading people with whom I agree although our reasoning does not match.

How do you choose items to link?

I tend to add bloggers who link to my blog to my blogroll. Many in my list have many links in their blogrolls. If my readers click through my list, they find a wealth of blogs to view from those sites. with the exception of The Erotic Review, because they require a link on the first page, I don't link to my reviews or the message boards that publish them.

What is your policy on comments?

My comment policy is that I approve the first comment a person makes, after that, comments post instantly. I receive an email for each comment published, just to make sure that spam does not sneak in. So far, no one has posted or tried to post anything that I have needed to remove for the sake of "good press."

Do you ever receive abusive comments , how do you handle it ?

I have not received any "abusive" comments, my readers are generally (so-called) "fans" who send me a lot of praise and flattery. (I do love to be flattered...) I think that most of my readers would recognize anyone being abusive at face value, plus I do not want anyone to think that I will only publish what is favourable to me, so I think that I would let an abusive comment stand. Email I receive is a little different. When I receive an ignorant, graphic or abusive email, I do not respond to the sender. I do, however, publish those comments as an example for others.

Where do you find interesting links?

As I mentioned before, those I link to often have a wealth of great sites.

Do you ever write to provoke a reaction, how do you do that ?

Do I write to provoke a reaction? Absolutely! On the sixth of May I posted a one-line entry to provoke my guests into remembering that I appreciate it when they shower at my place. There is another reaction I have intended to provoke lately; for that purpose, I have been trying my hand at erotica (fiction and non-fiction). I would love your dark and lovely opinion on my three-part "The Librarian" and "SG42."

How much traffic do you get?

My fan-base is pretty modest. I can usually expect about 100 unique visitors daily. Double or even triple that number when a new review is posted on ASPD.

What is your rank on Technorati?

My technorati ranking is about 934k. At one time I had all the little buttons for technorati, digg, etc., but as much as I would like recognition for my blog, I realize the reality of my work and would rather stay somewhat "unknown."

Has your writing changed since you started blogging?

I do not know that blogging has really changed how I write. I am just as wordy as ever. hahaha.

How many hours do you spend online a day?

I am a certifiable internet junky. I am ashamed to say how many hours I spend online in a day... A close answer would be "most of them."

How much time do you spend on your site a day?

I used to spend several hours a day on my site... I was developing my own wordpress themes for a while. Now, other than checking comments or making posts, I do not spend much time at all actually on my site. It does help that my sweetheart is a web-designer who has relieved me of the development aspects of my site.

How many blogs do you read?


On any given day, I could read up to 10 blogs. I have about 50 listed in my news reader to which I commit any real amount of time.

How do you find new blogs?


Most of the blogs I read are design blogs. I find those blogs, usually, via PopURLs. I find new escort blogs through the blogs in my blogroll.


How much reader email do you get?

Almost all of the email I get is from my readers. I rarely hear from someone who has not read my blog.

What do you think makes a successful blog?

I wish I knew what makes a blog successful. I think I have been lucky to have the success I have had. Obviously, regular posts make a difference, as does knowing your audience.

What is your advice for a new blogger?


My advice to new bloggers is to blog, blog, blog. Even if you say nothing, say it! Lack of quantity is my greatest weakness in blogging. Give your readers something, anything, to read.

How has blogging changed your life?

Blogging has not really changed my life. It has made marketing my business easier, but I do not think it has changed me, personally... I take that back... Blogging has made me into something of a comment-whore... I love comments on my blog!

What blogs do you think deserve wider recognition and why?

I think if Chevalier was read more by more men (clients) involved in P4P a lot of things would be easier for them and for the ladies they "visit." Otherwise, I'm not sure I am crazy about more escort blogs becoming "mainstream."

What are your hobbies?

Hobbies? Did I mention I am an internet junkie? hahaha. Otherwise, "the hobby" is my hobby.

How has your blog changed over the years?

Over the time that I have been blogging, I have become less technical and more erotic in my choice of subject matter.

Are you fairly accurate in predicting which of your items will be widely linked?

I am fairly accurate in guessing that few of my entries will be linked at all. Of course, there's an entry that I made six months ago that is still linked to often. I do not think that particular post will ever lose it's appeal for my target audience.

Do you have a background in writing?

My writing background includes a jounalism and mass communications major. It also includes a life-long passion for the art.

When do you blog?

I blog when the mood strikes me... I cannot blog otherwise.

With regard to blogging what was your most memorable moment?


I think posting "My Oral Fixation" has done the most to secure my need to worry about outside marketing. That is the post everyone seems to remember.

Would you read your site?

Yes, probably, but I would have to find more frequent posts in order to be very loyal to the CMEBlog.

I am very thankful to you for considering my participation. Thank you.

Labels: Bloggers on blogging, Caitiemae, Chevalier, Compartments, Courtesan Connection, Dirtyboy, Escorts, Experienced Girlfriend, Friction, Indecent blogging, Interviews, Missemployed in minneapolis, Wordpress

Mercurial girl is an American ex pat making a home and creating her life in Paris.

What is the first weblog you came across?

Before I start Nia, I would like to thank you for inviting me to participate. It's been fun reading the answers of the preceding bloggers in this series.

I do not remember a specific blog. I became aware of blogs in college and began searching out those that discussed issues that I was concerned with. Most dealt with politics or social justice issues. Later I discovered introspective blogs and those have become the ones that I am most interested in.

Why did you start blogging?

At the suggestion of a therapist who felt that I would benefit from keeping a journal. A blog was a more interesting medium than paper, the exhibitionist in me liked the thought of readers

Which blogs do you read?


The blogs listed on my sidebar and about 50 more that I have bookmarked. It takes me 2-3 weeks to rotate through them all.

What appeals to you about the blogs you read?

I look for good writing, a point of view and a well told story.

Whose writing do you particularly admire?

Excepting present company, this varies from time to time, but one writer who I feel is really hitting her chops is Gillette at Ex-Courtesan in Transition and another is Mandy at How About Now. Tui is a writer who I might go down to the crossroads to strike a bargain if I could have her ability.

In your reading do you seek out different points of view ?

I am looking for a point of view expressed well, in thoughtful arguments. I can take something away from writers who are persuasive in their logic, particularly when I vehemently disagree.

How do you choose items to link?

More serendipity than analysis, if something strikes my fancy I wil bookmark it for future mention. What catches my attention is a post that is saying something important, either as an observation or the writer speaking of herself.

What is your policy on comments?

Excepting spam or at the writer’s request, I have never deleted a comment. Nor do I moderate them. My attitude is that if someone wants to make a jackass of themselves by making a comment that many would find offensive, so be it. The rest of us will recognize the writer for what he/she is and we will go on.

Do you ever receive abusive comments , how do you handle it ?

Not recently, but I have in the past. I typically ignore the comment but leave it up.

Where do you find interesting links?

Two places, among the links of other bloggers and when I see a well written comment by a writer who has a profile, I will check the profile to see if they have a blog and I will check it out.

Do you ever write to provoke a reaction, how do you do that ?

Not really. Occasionally I will make an allusion to something to see if anyone picks up on it.

How much traffic do you get?

When last I checked, about six months ago, Mercurial Girl averaged about 300 page views a day. I suspect that has dropped since I am not posting as often and the content of my posts has changed. Less smut.

What is your rank on technorati?

Technorati, I have no idea, but I did check The Truth Laid Bear, and Mercurial Girl is now a Crawley Amphibian, up from being a Slimy Mollusk.

Has your writing changed since you started blogging?

Yes, when I started it was pretty much stream of consciousness. Now I take care in composing my posts, often making significant edits before sending them up. Early on I wrote directly on Blogger, but after having several posts eaten by the internet, I decided to write off line so I could have a copy to repost if necessary. Writing off line is different, it certainly is less spontaneous and allows me to be more precise, but it does not make the posts perfect. Often I will re-read a post several days after it has gone up and I will wish I phrased something differently or find a typo. Unless I realize this immediately I usually leave the post as it is.

How many hours do you spend online a day?

I am constantly online, because that is how I run my business. It is how I communicate with my contractors, check on the status of projects and review the work. Recreationally, including communicating with friends, probably a couple of hours a day.

How much time do you spend on your site a day?

On days I post fifteen minutes to an hour, otherwise not at all. I pick up comments via email.

How many blogs do you read?

80 to 100, stretched out over a two to three week rotation. Some I read carefully, others I skim, looking for a nugget.

How do you find new blogs?

Pretty much the same place I find links, among the blogs listed in sidebars and the blogs of those commenting.

How much reader email do you get?

Not tons and it tends to ebb and flow. There are a handful of readers who regularly email me so we have an ongoing exchange.

What do you think makes a successful blog?

Having a purpose for the blog and the ability to tell a story in an engaging manner.

What is your advice for a new blogger?

Have a purpose for your blog, but know that the purpose may change over time. If you are new to writing, pretend that blog is a conversation with a friend and you are telling a story. Keep the post simple and focused.

How has blogging changed your life?

I have become a much better and more confident writer. And I have become exposed to many interesting people who I might not have sought out if it had not been for my blogging.

What blogs do you think deserve wider recognition and why?

There is a young blogger, Kestral, whose blog American Kestral I have been reading for a few months who is very talented and a keen observer of the world around her. She should be showing up in more sidebars (including mine).

Annie Rhiannon, at minimum makes me smile whenever I read her, but most often induces me into fits of giggling.

What are your hobbies?

Cooking! I love having a couple or a bunch of friends over and making them dinner. Other things I do are running and biking. Checking out estate sales and flea markets with my friend Anne Marie is a pretty regular weekend activity.

How has your blog changed over the years?

Initially I wrote just for myself, but overtime the knowledge that there are readers has me choosing subjects and composing the posts with the reader in mind. This results in my playing to the crowd occasionally. Today, I also comment on current events that is something I did not do in the beginning.

Are you fairly accurate in predicting which of your items will be widely linked?

I do not have a clue.

Do you have a background in writing?

Not beyond the requirements for a marketing degree.

When do you blog?

Currently late in the evening, I am not much for TV and the blog fills that time.

With regard to blogging what was your most memorable moment?

I am not sure I can put my finger on a single moment, but it would be the support I received when I have written about crises in my life.

Would you read your site?

Of course!

Labels: American Kestral, Annie Rhiannon, Bloggers on blogging, Escorts, Ex-Courtesan in transition, How about now, Interviews, Mercurial girl, Technorati, Truth laid bare, Tui

LA Player pays for the ultimate intimate encounters, and he tells us how he does it in his blog.

What is the first weblog you came across?

Maybe in 2004, when Xanga first ranked top 100 at Alexa. I found a few pitiful blogs about prostitution.

Why did you start blogging?

It's logical after playing in discussion boards, then I had my rather popular local oriented groups. But the traffic became one way. So it's natural to jump ship when the blog format became popular, and when I could find more like minded bloggers well after 2004.

Which blogs do you read?

I subscribe to all the blogs in my links. Even for my less favorable authors, I read at least the title of the entries.

What appeals to you about the blogs you read?

It has to be something not too superficial about interactions between call girls and their clients, and that I can identify with.

Whose writing do you particularly admire?

Nia of course, when I have enough energy to cope with the current events and issues. Otherwise, it has to be college call girl. The details keep me interested, even without writing about sex (I'm highly visual anyway). Particularly, I know much more about say London than New York.

In your reading do you seek out different points of view ?

Naturally, just on the legalization front I think I'm different from everybody else.

How do you choose items to link?

I list all the postings that I find particularly interesting for any reasons. As for authors, I'm rethinking about it all the time. Currently I list all authors that claim they are or have been available for hire.

What is your policy on comments?

Minimal, just enough to prevent advertising spam robots.

Do you ever receive abusive comments , how do you handle it ?

Yes, and I'm so proud of them that I always link to them with highest profile.

Where do you find interesting links?

From postings that I read.

Do you ever write to provoke a reaction, how do you do that ?

I don't remember any except for James - open fire first and apologize later.

How much traffic do you get?

It's irrelevant for me as, like most bloggers after a while, you know how to be popular, but that is just not what I want. On Barbie Dolls, I get over 100 hits a day.

What is your rank on technorati?

I opened an account and never looked back. I think the links to yourself counts.

Has your writing changed since you started blogging?

I camouflaged my writing style and content a little when I started this new blog. Now it's 100% me, except for some confessions that I can't make at this point.

How many hours do you spend online a day?

A few minutes to catch up with the subscriptions.

How much time do you spend on your site a day?

When I write, it's when I have 10 minutes here and there, in between DVR time, snack time, and some other chores. The reminiscing could take a lot longer though.

How many blogs do you read?

All blogs in my link and more.

How do you find new blogs?

Follow links in other blogger's postings.

How much reader email do you get?

Very little, a player does not fancy commitments, and if you know what RTFF means, you'll understand.

What do you think makes a successful blog?

The same thing that makes a successful call girl - sell what people want to buy.

What is your advice for a new blogger?

A moment of glory isn't forever.

How has blogging changed your life?

Nothing, it reflects my life.

What blogs do you think deserve wider recognition and why?

College call girl, who is able and willing to write about the reality as I know it. I'm sure everybody else, like me, has some wild secrets that they cannot confess yet.

What are your hobbies?

Sex tapes.

How has your blog changed over the years?

It started as a john's adventure but now it's more of a memoir. I'm sure it will change again, or I'll be rich.

Are you fairly accurate in predicting which of your items will be widely linked?

Very accurate, as my contents aren't suitable for linking.

Do you have a background in writing?

Believe it or not, my work has to get into document form before it counts. So I write for a living, and in English. But I enjoy writing in my own let the hair down style.


When do you blog?

Late night if not on DVR.

With regard to blogging what was your most memorable moment?

When, for a brief moment, I felt Clandestine call girl liked me for what I am. The same feeling from a call girl who likes me (as long as I pay the going rate).

Would you read your site?

I enjoying reading my own posts, reminiscing along the way.

Labels: Bloggers on blogging, College call girl, Interviews, James B Logwriter, LA player, Xanga

James B Logwriter writes Memoirs of a whoremongerwhich is a series of photo essays that tells of his experiences as a man in his early 50s who finds himself single again and travels to the Dominican Republic many times, learning to speak Spanish, having sex with dozens of attractive young women, and meeting a formidable woman who became his 'novia' or girlfriend.

What is the first weblog you came across?

Don't remember.

Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging in 1997 when the Internet was new
and you got a free "Home Page" with a subscription. Of
course the word 'blog' did not exist, but it seemed an
intuitive thing to do, so I made my home page into a
kind of personal newspaper editorial page.

Which blogs do you read?

Riverbend blog.

The Policeman's blog.

Nia dark and lovely's blog and some other
blogs it links to.

What appeals to you about the blogs you read?

Information that you won't find in mainstream media.

Whose writing do you particularly admire?

Jane Austen, Charles Dickens,
George Orwell,
Paul Theroux, John Updike.

In your reading do you seek out different points
of view ?

Yes.

How do you choose items to link?

Sites that are well-written and offer original
content.

What is your policy on comments?

I love to get them. I will publish any as long as they
are honestly-felt opinion.

Do you ever receive abusive comments , how do you
handle it ?

Not really. I have deleted a handful of posts that
were spam or off topic.

Where do you find interesting links?

Mostly Google or Wikipedia.

Do you ever write to provoke a reaction, how do
you do that ?

All my writing is intended to provoke a reaction,
mostly in terms of prodding the reader to ask
him/herself if they should be doing what I am doing,
or not.

How much traffic do you get?

80-100 readers a day.

What is your rank on technorati?

No idea. Don't care. People who are interested in the
subject matter of my blog will easily find it by
entering a few key words in Google. I tend to title my
articles with likely search phrases. I am more
interested in providing information to the small
number of people for whom it might provide life
changing experience than in providing reading matter
for one-handed Web surfers.

Has your writing changed since you started
blogging?

No.

How many hours do you spend online a day?

0-24. When I am at home I have Internet radio running
all day. I never watch TV.

How much time do you spend on your site a day?

Not much. Most days no time at all. When I write
articles I write most of it in my head and then type
it out.

How many blogs do you read?

About 6.

How do you find new blogs?

If I am researching a new topic and Google takes me to
a blog, I may bookmark it if it looks interesting. If
a person comments on a blog I read, I may check back
to see if they have a blog.

How much reader email do you get?

Not a lot. Most of it comes from other bloggers.

What do you think makes a successful blog?

Original content.

What is your advice for a new blogger?

Don't really have any except that you should probably
try to stick to one core topic that interests a core
readership. People who are interested in what you have
to say about prostitution probably aren't interested
in your cooking recipes or your views on politics.

How has blogging changed your life?

Hasn't.

What blogs do you think deserve wider recognition
and why?

Blogs written by ordinary policemen, because they
represent a point of view that is never reported in
mainstream media.

What are your hobbies?

Sex, listening to music (mostly jazz), reading
(novels, history, biographies, travel), Web surfing,
swimming, cooking, speaking Spanish, blogging.

How has your blog changed over the years?

It has become harder to find original content, because
I have covered all the main areas that I originally
wanted to cover, and I think readers have a limited
tolerance for reading me writing about myself like
Erica Jong whose books Fear of Flying and Fear of
Fifty, written decades apart, are remarkably similar
and equally self absorbed.

Are you fairly accurate in predicting which of
your items will be widely linked?

No.

Do you have a background in writing?

I have been paid for feature articles I have written,
and I have worked professionally as a proof reader,
but I have never made a living out of writing.

When do you blog?

When I have something to say.

With regard to blogging what was your most
memorable moment?

Being threatened with a law suit for linking to a
prostitutes Web site!

Would you read your site?

I wish I could have found a Web site like mine three
years ago, but it did not exist. I hope that some
people who find it now will find it useful.

Labels: Bloggers on blogging, Erica Jong, Interviews, James B Logwriter, Riverbend, The Policeman's blog

Beau is a hopeful romantic. His blog is a tongue in cheek blog celebrating submissive women and with a light bdsm feel. It is also a showcase for some of his erotic writings.

What is the first weblog you came across?

I'm really not sure now as it was several years a go. The one that inspired me into blogging I think was Belle de Jour.

Why did you start blogging?

I had started to write a memoir about my experiences as a man who paid women for sex. It detailed a journey from the start of that to an emotional entanglement with an escort. I found it difficult to set aside the time for it though. On seeing Belle's blog I realised I could write it as a blog - and perhaps later try to get it published.

But it was Belle who got the book deal! I know there are many who doubt her veracity but I have exchanged emails with her on occasions and believe her to be kosher.

At about the same time I started to write a blog about another part of my life. it was a therapy for myself and I hoped it might also provide support and links for other people in a similar situation.

Then I realised it was also a way I could find an outlet for my photography.

The original Beau de Jour blog is now closed but I found myself writing lots on the comments section of two female bloggers with a bdsm stance - h0les and married man's fucktoy. Although they write as submissive women they are both clearly very strong, intelligent and creative women. I decided that rather than using my creative energies on their blogs I should start one of my own so the current Beau blog was born.

Which blogs do you read?

I still try to read Belle's blog occasionally. Of course I read Nia every day. I read some of the blogs on my sidebar daily. I won't pick any out as that would be unkind to the others.

I also read some of the blogs I link to from my other blogs.

I also read Dragonfly Geisha each day to check up on what is going on and to give me ideas for my next contribution.

And of course Olivia, the English Courtesan. ( Well actually I'm just trying to curry favour in the hope she might one day ...)

What appeals to you about the blogs you read?

The creativity and the emotional honesty which can have a real power.

Whose writing do you particularly admire?

Tolstoy, Rabindrenath Tagore, William Carlos Williams, Toni Morrison, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Shakespeare, Nia.
I suppose you meant Blogs though.

Dragonfly has a number of blogs under different names and I find them very powerful -especially a poetry blog of hers.

I used to like Freya's writing before she closed down. Sometimes too Nina, Lazy Geisha and Magdelena, Myths and Metawhores, though she is not writing currently.

In your reading do you seek out different points of view ?

It is always good to be able to see issues from another's point of view. I don't seek out blogs to challenge me though.

Even with newspapers I tend to avoid the articles by journalists that are just peddling their own views. Why should I or anybody else care about what Melanie bloody Phillips thinks about the latest political issue and how can she be so arrogant to imagine anybody does care what she thinks in her small minded, arrogant ...

Sorry. Please excuse me. I just go off on one occasionally. It's to help ease my blood pressure.

How do you choose items to link?

I'm not sure I'm clear about the question.

If I find something elsewhere that I find particularly amusing, informative or interesting then I will link to it. I don't go searching for such links. Though I do often go searching for photographs that I can put alongside a humorous comment and always try to link to the originator to give them more traffic.

What is your policy on comments?

On the original Beau de Jour blog and on my personal blog I do not allow comments. That is simply because they were/are intended as a memoir. A story rather than a conversation.

If somebody is interested enough to want to say something to me about what I have written they can email me about it and I try to reply if I can.

On the new Beau blog and on my photography blog I do allow comments.

I do not pre-moderate them as I have found no need. I did start asking people to type in that silly letter combination. I know it is a nuisance but I was starting to get a lot of spam comments.

It's interesting how part of the concept of blogging seems to be the comments. It's like everyone having their own little messageboard where they control the topics. I think my approach has been a bit different and only on the new Beau blog and the Dragonfly Geisha blog have come to recognise the value of that interactivity.

I think some though do spend time posting comments all over to attract people to their own blog. That can get very shallow.

Do you ever receive abusive comments, how do you handle it ?

I think I have only received one comment that might be considered abusive. I was accused of being a liar. I left it there as I believe it was honestly felt.

Where do you find interesting links?

From other blogs and comments to my own blog.

Do you ever write to provoke a reaction, how do you do that ?

I don't think of it in that way but surely all posts are to create a reaction. Otherwise why blog at all?

How much traffic do you get?

I got up to over 250 hits a day on the Beau blog last month but then it suddenly dipped to only 150 for no particular reason. It's creeping back up to 200 again now. My personal blog gets about fifty a day. My photography blog used to get fifty to an hundred then it suddenly and for no apparent reason fell off the Google Image listings. It gets links from Google but not from Google Image. I've no idea why but I now only get about five hits a day on it.

With each of the blogs you can suddenly get surprising peaks when you are linked to from a very popular blog. My personal blog's hits went through the roof one day when I got a link from an Iranian living in Canada who writes a political blog that is very widely read.

I'm actually more interested in those readers who visit regularly rather than those who hit me by accident and never return. There are a couple of readers of two of my blogs who stop by every day and never comment or email but are very loyal. I'd love to know who they are!

What is your rank on technorati?

I've no idea Nia. You're getting very techie all of a sudden!

Has your writing changed since you started blogging?

I'm not sure. perhaps you should ask my readers.

Once you have people who you know reading your blog it is hard to be quite as open.

I think my personal blog is less "raw" and exposing of my emotions and deepest thoughts than it was at the start.

How many hours do you spend online a day?

Too many.

How much time do you spend on your site a day?

Not that long - depends how much I have to write. Though when I have been writing erotica for Beau and Dragonfly Geisha that can get very time consuming.

How do you find new blogs?

From links on other blogs, links to me and comments.

How much reader email do you get?

It varies but can be quite a lot - but nothing like an escort's email inbox I guess!

Emails are always welcome. It's great to know you've written a post that someone has reacted to enough to want to respond. It's also always nice to hear from those who I have developed an online friendship with.

It can get very time consuming though.

What do you think makes a successful blog?

I'm not sure what is a successful blog never mind what makes one. It might be that I wouldn't want to be successful in certain senses.

If there are a regular group who come back and contact me occasionally then I am content to have an audience for my nonsense.

What is your advice for a new blogger?

Just enjoy it. Write honestly - even if with tongue in cheek - and go for it.

(Do take time on the design though - I think it's good to try to make an effort with this but not essential.)

How has blogging changed your life?

I spent a few months abroad a couple of years ago at the invitation of a beautiful female artist who read my blog. A very special time.

I've also met some very real friends some of whom are no longer only online friends.

What blogs do you think deserve wider recognition and why?

I'm not sure I have any to pick out here.

Perhaps Am I Still Me.
Very honest, raw writing with a real purpose.

What are your hobbies?

Photography, writing, the internet, blogging, eating out, eating in.

How has your blog changed over the years?

I have four blogs on the go currently. Beau, a photography blog, a personal blog and a new joint blog - Dragonfly Geisha - with Dragonfly.

I closed the original Beau de Jour blog when I realised it had upset somebody who I was close to.

I want to change the layout of my photography blog into a proper photo-blog when I can get round to it.

The new Dragonfly Geisha blog is more part of a larger concept and it is great fun working collaboratively.

Are you fairly accurate in predicting which of your items will be widely linked?

I'm not sure any of my items are widely linked!

Do you have a background in writing?

Not really.

When do you blog?

It varies but the salacious blogs I write when on my own!

With regard to blogging what was your most memorable moment?

When I received an angry and emotional email from someone I cared for deeply, very upset at discovering herself on my blog (although it was carefully anonymous).

Would you read your site?

Yes. I do. I've found myself enjoying rereading some of the erotica I have written. Though it probably appeals to nobody else!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Labels: Am I still me, bdsm, Beau, Belle de Jour, Bloggers on blogging, Dragonflygeisha, English courtesan, holes, Interviews, Lazygeisha, married man's fucktoy, Melanie Phillips

The Petulant Pooner is based in Seattle.He writes about what is happening in the paid sex scene there, and other topics of interest related to the industry.

What is the first weblog you came across?

I believe it was on the eve of the Iraq war that I stumbled across a link to Instapundit, who was blogging pretty heavily about Salam Pax at that time (Salam Pax was an Iraqi blogger who wrote about his experience as an ordinary Iraqi citizen in the run-up to the war -- at immense personal risk, I might add.)


Why did you start blogging?

I blogged just a little on Myspace in the spring of 2006, and started to blog seriously in November of 2006.

Why did you start blogging?

Ok, here's 'why':
I've always enjoyed having a soapbox to stand on, but dislike being subject to anyone else's censorship.

Which blogs do you read?

I have several daily reads and too many occasional stops to list. My current favorites are The Belmont Club, little green footballs, HorsesAss, and VodkaPundit. Oh yes, and of course... Nia Dark and Lovely!

What appeals to you about the blogs you read?

Blogs serve two purposes in my world. Firstly, they serve as an information filter -- they screen out a lot of the noise and help me to focus on information that is truly important to me. Secondly, blogs are marvelous for bringing deep background information that would otherwise not come to the fore, and similarly, to provide coverage of important -- yet obscure -- stories that the mainstream media chooses not to allot space for.


Whose writing do you particularly admire?

Wretchard (The Belmont Club) is a favorite. I was also particularly fond of Steven Den Beste (U.S.S. Clueless), who has -- alas! -- given up current events and switched to blogging about Japanese anime.


In your reading do you seek out different points of view ?

Actually, it seems more accurate to say that different points of view seek me out! I think that if one is not regularly exposed to differing points of view, then one needs to adjust their reading habits. The blogosphere is all about diversity of opinion, and it behooves us to make the most of that.


How do you choose items to link?

My blogging has a very narrow focus (that being: prostitution, from the consumer's perspective), so it's relatively easy for me to separate the wheat from the chaff. I look at prospective items and pass them through the filter of my own agenda -- pro-legalization; anti-corruption.


What is your policy on comments?

In spite of what some of my detractors would tell you, I am actually quite tolerant of comments from those who disagree with me. That said, I would also add that I do not suffer fools gladly.


Do you ever receive abusive comments , how do you handle it ?

Where I draw the line is at anonymity -- if somebody wants to throw rocks at me, that's fine... but I insist that they identify themselves (using their locally known Hobby identity, most often as they are known on the local escort review forums). When I have something negative to say, I let people know who I am -- and I expect the same from those who leave comments.


Where do you find interesting links?

For news items, I use Google News Alerts to instantly notify me when something of interest is published. I also devote a lot of my blogging time to the local prostitution scene, and I cover that primarily by haunting the message boards where people in my area hang out.


Do you ever write to provoke a reaction, how do you do that ?

Oh yes! I am all about provoking a reaction... it's the best way to drive increased traffic. It's not difficult at all; it merely requires that one not 'pull punches'. I tell it exactly the way I see it, and usually that gets the job done.


How much traffic do you get?

The Petulant Pooner is currently ranging between 700 to 1200 visitors daily. The single day record is just shy of 2000.


What is your rank on technorati?

I just switched from Blogger to a standalone dot-com a few weeks ago, and I lost some ground at Technorati as a result. My rank at Blogger was in the mid- 300,000's. The new blog is now in the mid 700,000's, and gaining.

Has your writing changed since you started blogging?

I'm sure that it has, but I would be hard-pressed to give an objective analysis. I will say, though, that I tend more towards brevity than I used to.

How many hours do you spend online a day?

At least four to six.


How much time do you spend on your site a day?

The Petulant Pooner usually consumes about a half hour to an hour each day, depending of course on how many posts I create.


How many blogs do you read?

On an average day, perhaps five or six.


How do you find new blogs?

Usually they are brought to my attention by established bloggers, although I do stumble across them on Google quite often.

How much reader email do you get?

I don't get a lot of email that isn't tied to blog comments. My email address is not widely published at the moment.


What do you think makes a successful blog?

Readership is the name of the game. And it's not the number of readers, so much as it is a matter of reaching the right people.


What is your advice for a new blogger?

Find a niche!


How has blogging changed your life?

It's given me a hammer to swat the flies.


What blogs do you think deserve wider recognition and why?

I'm going to throw you a curve in response to this question. I can think of several blogs that deserve considerably LESS attention, most notably Instapundit, which has turned into little else than a list of links. Add to that list ShakespearesSister and Pandagon (blogs which belong to a pair of militant feminists who were let go from the campaign of American presidential candidate John Edwards), which contain a great deal of anti-male hate speech.

Ok, enough of that. Who deserves more recognition? Why, The Petulant Pooner, of course!!


What are your hobbies?

Outside of blogging, I am interested in photography, auto mechanics, gardening and cooking.


How has your blog changed over the years?

Hmm... well, it's not 'years' for me, as I've only been at it for a little less than seven months. In that time, my blog has evolved to suit my agenda, which is to fight corrupt practices within my local prostitution scene.


Are you fairly accurate in predicting which of your items will be widely linked?

I'd say so, yes. In my locality, my blog has become known as THE place to learn the scoop on what is going on with certain sorts of events. When I break news that I know certain people do not want to be known, I can usually count on a deluge of hits.


Do you have a background in writing?

No, not really. I've always enjoyed writing, but until I turned to blogging I never really devoted much time to it. Perhaps one day I will be asked this question again, and the answer might be, "Why yes, I used to write a popular blog."


When do you blog?

There is not set time for me. Sometimes it is early in the morning before work, sometimes I can find some time during the work day. Most often, it is in the evening.


With regard to blogging what was your most memorable moment?

Here in Seattle, a widely popular (but very corrupt) review forum just bit the dust, about two weeks ago. Some say that a series of posts on The Petulant Pooner brought it down, and I have to consider that this is at least a possibility. To date, this stands out as the most significant event.


Would you read your site?

Yes... if I were a hobbyist in Seattle, I most definitely would. And they do, too.

Labels: Belmont Club, Bloggers on blogging, Horseass, Instapundit, Interviews, Little green footballs, Myspace, Pendagon, Petulant Pooner, Salam Pax, Shakespeare'sSister, Technorati, Vodkapundit

Another sunny weekend in London. It makes such a difference.

Over the next few weeks, I will post interviews with a number of bloggers on my blogroll.

I read Rebecca Blood's interviews on bloggers on blogging, which I thought was a great idea.



The first interview is with Gillette, an ex courtesan in transition.

A Former Courtesan, Former Wife, Former Business Owner, Former Midwife who laughs at life as she begins anew.Gillette is a Courtesan of ten years but now in transition. She writes about adventures of courtesanship, sex, mysticism,love, relationship, orgasm, spirituality, life both exciting and simple, ideas, opinions, Tantra and other forms of Sacred Sex.

What is the first weblog you came across?

Not sure, but the first one I remembering reading regularly was Postmodern Courtesan.

Why did you start blogging?


I needed an outlet to talk about what was going on in my life and simultaneously take my mind off it. It was a diversion. Plus I like to write and had many people over the years telling me I should write a book. Blogging is an easy way to publish. I can write in short spurts on various topics (which appeals to an ADD person like me), and then move on to NEXT.

Which blogs do you read?


All the ones in my Blogroll.

What appeals to you about the blogs you read?

I like stories of people's lives and what they have figured out for themselves. I tend to read ones that make me think more than pure erotica ones, but love an occasional erotica writing when the writing is good or is attached to some other theme.

Whose writing do you particularly admire?

Hm..particularly? So many...wow...can't even begin to go there....I like most of the writing styles of those in my blogroll. I appreciate the variety.

In your reading do you seek out different points of view ?

Yes..but if the style is rude, mean, unhappy, constantly confrontational, sticky, gossipy, icky inside me, I try to find other place to spend my energy. I like being happy and don't like to involve myself in other people's angry dramas too much for too long

How do you choose items to link?

I try to find who links to me and return the consideration.

What is your policy on comments?


I have moderation on but do that to avoid spamming. In addition, if any of the above mentioned things about not happy blogs are there in comments, I will not publish. I have had a few comments that are gossip about other people and not published them. It's not my thing so I don't want to be a vehicle for someone's issues.

Do you ever receive abusive comments, how do you handle it ?


I haven't yet directed at me. I would delete them. Probably swear a bit before that, muttering something like...asshole...or something. But then let it go, tralalala... People who feel the need to be mean have my pity. Happy people are not mean.

Where do you find interesting links?


On other people's blogrolls

Do you ever write to provoke a reaction, how do you do that ?

I haven't yet. I have written pieces that have provoked a reaction, but I was just being me in the moment. Oh...maybe one..I wrote a piece on a Tantric session. One piece of that for me, but not all, was a hope that people would be able to feel the energy and feeling of what it can be, because it's so different from much of sex.

How much traffic do you get?

Not tons.

Has your writing changed since you started blogging?

I hope it's better.

How many hours do you spend online a day?


Lots. I have started an online business.

How much time do you spend on your site a day?

On the Courtesan site? Depends on how long it takes to write the piece. I write long pieces. And while I write really fast, it still can take time.

How many blogs do you read?

Lots.

How do you find new blogs?

Blogrolls

How much reader email do you get?

More now. The stuff that the writing brings up for people has been really interesting lately.

What do you think makes a successful blog?

Haven't a clue. I've seen many very successful blogs that bore the hell out of me. Others are not well known but they intrigue me. For me, I think the writing has to be good and presented in a fun way. Most of the really succesful blogs are ones that are funny, have some quirkiness to them that catches the eye of the 20-30 something crowd. (who I think the majority of Blogland is).

What is your advice for a new blogger?

Keep writing. Be yourself. Find your own voice. Enjoy it.

How has blogging changed your life?


Well...hm...I've met some really nice people so far. I am starting a blogging based business thing so we'll see if that changes it in different ways.

What blogs do you think deserve wider recognition and why?

Hm...wow...sorry...haven't a clue.

What are your hobbies?


Sailing. Walking. Anything Art- I am obsessed.

How has your blog changed over the years?


Um...well...not sure. I find it more difficult to think of topics. I hope to make it look better soon/get it prettier, more techi-esque.

Are you fairly accurate in predicting which of your items will be widely linked?

No.

Do you have a background in writing?


No.

When do you blog?

When the ideas come to me.

With regard to blogging what was your most memorable moment?


Hm...when I posted something that was really difficult..I was scared to post it because it was so raw and I was in pain. I almost didn't publish it. But then wonderful people were everywhere and supportive. It really hit me...this kindness of strangers and how this is a community of sorts.

Would you read your site?


Yup. Definitely. Every day. I think the writer is really smart. Plus, she's cute.

Labels: Bloggers on blogging, Erotica, Ex-Courtesan in transition, Interviews, Rebecca Blood, Tantric