Veteran Author of New Suspense Trilogy Taking Eroticism Out of Closet

Bound for Carlotta is the first of a new genre--the D/s Suspense Novel--and the first to appeal to more than 20 million American "Lifestyle" fans.

Chicago-born author D. J. Herda announced today the first of a series of new novels based upon an entirely new literary genre-the D/s Suspense Novel. While D/s, or Dominance and Submission, has long been a staple in the literary world, Herdas new series makes D/s, Bondage and Discipline, and Sado/Masochism the central motivating force behind his characters and their extraordinary experiences.

In "Bound for Carlotta," the first book in Herdas new literary series, the novels main character falls prey to a psychotic, erotic Domme, the tantalizingly seductive Mistress Carlotta. A newcomer to BDSM, Dean finds everything about his new Mistress excruciatingly exciting ... until he learns the truth. Carlotta is involved with far more than mere pleasure and pain. But escaping her grip--as he learns the hard way--is nearly impossible.

The first of Herdas D/s series takes place on the lakes of idyllic Madison, Wisconsin. There, under the stimulus of the University of Wisconsin in one of Americas most livable cities, the underground worlds of crime and eroticism clash head on. All three books in the authors latest trilogy weave a rich tapestry of colorful characters, tightly strung dialogue (for which the author is so well known), and frighteningly realistic story lines. Other books in the series are already underway.

The "Carlotta" series was created by Herda to appeal to the huge BDSM marketplace while also whetting the appetite of mainstream literati for non-mainstream fiction. Herda plans on taking an active role in the promotion and marketing of the books, as well as with the promotion of BDSM in general and D/s in particular.

Says reviewer Don Bacue in WriteNews: "Herdas upcoming 'Carlotta' series promises to be the first crossover BDSM/vanilla series ever--enough kink to satisfy the desires of the more than 20 million avid Lifestyle devotees in America today, but not enough to scare away the mainstream reader."

In addition to being a prolific author with more than 70 published books, Herda is a noted journalist and former syndicated columnist with The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more than a thousand other daily newspapers. He is President of the American Society of Authors and Writers, a professional photographer whose works have appeared throughout the world, and an artist whose paintings and sculptures are in museums, galleries, and collections worldwide. He is currently preparing a series of erotic posters (with a decidedly BDSM slant) for sale and distribution, promoting the "Carlotta" series.

Interested publishers and producers may contact the author's literary agent at fayeswetky@amsaw.org.