Today, I have the lovely and talented Cara Bristol visiting. Cara is the author of the successful “Rod & Cane Society” domestic discipline series, published by Loose-Id. She also has standalone paranormal and contemporary erotic romances in her ever-growing backlist.

Ms. Bristol’s newest release is BREEDER, a sci-fi erotic romance. Let me say upfront, I’m not much of a science-fiction reader. That said, I knew from the first snippet Cara posted from BREEDER, that I had to read it. The premise hooked me immediately. As did the tone of the story. And the hero. I read BREEDER last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great writing, great world building, riveting characters and story. You can read my 5-star review here. Add it to your TBR list, then bump it to the top.

Gorgeous cover, isn’t it?

Before we get to the Q & A, I need to say Congratulations! BREEDER is currently ranked #5 in the science-fiction romance category on Amazon! Woohoo! Now, without further delay, welcome back, Cara!

Karla Doyle: You’ve written contemporary and paranormal, why did you decide to write a science fiction erotic romance?

Cara Bristol: First, thank you so much for having me today. You’ve always been hugely supportive! I chose science fiction because the story couldn’t be told any other way. The spark of the idea for Breeder—and I want to be clear it was the spark and not the actual story because that changed—was of a society in which the law made women sexual slaves. (Sexy fantasy, horrific reality). Although many countries today still treat women as chattel, nowhere on this planet in this day and age does the law sell women into slavery (that I know of anyway). So Breeder had to be science fiction.

Karla: How did the story deviate from your original concept?

Cara: There IS sex in the story, but Breeder evolved from a sexual slavery fantasy to a story about changing values and perceptions. Imagine if everything you were taught about the world, your core beliefs, was wrong. Planet Parseon is a truly a “man’s world.”  Men rule and women have no power or value other than as “breeders”. Men partner with other men for sex and companionship. To consort with a woman for pleasure is to debase one’s self. Hero Dak, one of the highest rulers of his planet and the living embodiment of the law deeming women worthless, purchases a breeder to produce his progeny. Mating is supposed to be a dispassionate, perfunctory act, but he falls in love. His love for his breeder jeopardizes their lives, his rule, and the political stability of the entire planet.

Karla: You’re known for your spanking romances, the Rod and Cane Society domestic discipline series. I already know the answer to this, of course, but is there spanking in Breeder?

Cara: Yes, there is a domestic discipline element to this story and spanking occurs, but I wouldn’t categorize Breeder as a spanking romance, because the story isn’t about a naughty woman being spanked—it’s about a man and woman struggling against incredible odds to be together. I took some risks in this story by writing about DD spanking and actual hardcore violence in the same story. I trust readers to discern the difference. Parseon is a world ruled by violent men, and what happens reflects that “reality.”

Karla: How does the novel reflect your view of the world?

Cara: This is my wild ass theory: whether a result of genetics, culture, or a combination of both, men and woman think and act differently. In general—of course there are exceptions—men are aggressive and competitive. Women are passive, submissive. Historically, men have been the drivers, the innovators, the explorers with sometimes positive, but often destructive results. Women have been the builders of relationships, the keepers of the home, the glue that holds the world together as men charge full steam ahead. Women provide a mitigating, civilizing influence. Imagine a society in which men have no connection to family or home—where they have nothing personal at risk. That’s the world of Parseon. In Breeder, I remove the female influence and give a glimpse of what the world might be like if men ruled unchecked.

Karla: Interesting. So…it’s a feminist story?

Cara: Exactly. But that story is told between the lines. The main story of Breeder is the romance between hero Dak and heroine Omra.

Karla: What things inspired or influenced you in writing this book?

Cara: Oh gosh. Besides my beliefs about the differences between men and women, I drew inspiration from so many things: the “grayness” of communism such as the stark cement blocks that pass for housing in the former Soviet Union and the drabness of the Mao suit; genocide by the Nazis; the bellicosity of Star Trek Klingons; historical beliefs about women’s abilities (the “weaker sex”); and the relationship between language and control in George Orwell’s 1984. In Parseon, there is no word for love. That’s not a coincidence.

Karla: Breeder has a dystopian feel. Is that intentional?

Cara: I can’t deny the story has a bleak, dark side, but I believe hope, joy, and love override it. Against all odds, love prevails.

Karla: What do you hope readers will get out of this book?

Cara: I want my readers to feel. I hope they will gasp in shock, hate the villains, and love the hero and heroine. I want them to fume in anger, cry with sadness, and smile with happiness. And I hope they say, “Damn, I’ve never read a book like this. I wish there was another one.”

Karla: Will there be another one?

Cara: Yes. Breeder will be a series. I have not decided whether it will be three books or five. My initial thought was a trilogy, because I have two other stories in mind, but my Loose Id editor asked if there would be five books because there are five Alphas of Parseon. Duh. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

Karla: It does! I look forward to reading more about Parseon and its Alphas. Besides future Breeder books, what’s next for Cara Bristol?

Cara: I am writing the fifth Rod and Cane Society novel, which I hope to submit in December or January. In February 2014,  LazyDay will release Milestones, a domestic discipline anthology with seven stories by seven authors. It’s a follow-up to Coming to Terms. I’m also under contract for a sooper seekrit domestic discipline project with another group of authors. Thanks again, Karla, for having me!

Karla: It was my pleasure!

Breeder  Blurb

To secure his legacy, Commander Dak, a ruling Alpha of planet Parseon, purchases Omra, a breeder slave. He intends to impregnate her, produce a son, and hand her off to his anointed beta partner. As Dak and Omra discover a sexual bliss banned by law, he begins to question Protocol-sanctioned male domination, causing him to jeopardize his command and endanger the life of the woman he has come to love.

Breeder explores the concepts of gender roles and social prohibitions against deviant behavior. It includes graphic M/F and some M/M sexual content and domestic discipline.

Read an excerpt from Breeder

Buy now from:

Amazon  •  Loose-Id  •  All Romance

Visit Cara online:

Author Website  •  Twitter  •  Facebook  •  Goodreads  •  Amazon Page