Meet Rob Matthews, author of the Cuckold Odyssey series
Cuckold erotica seems like a narrow niche. But within that niche are various subgenres. Some stories feature female empowerment, some are all about humiliation of the inadequate male lover–a variation of the sub/Dom theme–some are about the pleasures of voyeurism, and some are just one fascinating variation on the three-way sexual scenario after another. The bull, it seems, is never the hero, although clearly the reader who identifies as a bull enjoys these stories as well. What I suspect many readers can relate to is the metaphor of the cuckold. The idea that one can find pleasure and fulfillment despite what others might consider a shortcoming.
Rob Matthews’ protagonist/narrator is not your average cuckold. Rob’s problem isn’t being poorly endowed so much as lacking the ability to keep it up long enough to please his partner. The author, Rob Matthews, divides his time between England and the U.S. His British sensibility gives his stories considerable class and delightful subtlety. Everyone is very civilized in their sexual manipulations. In the cuckold odyssey stories, Rob and his wife Tina clearly love each other, but since their marriage doesn’t work for them physically, they are searching for mutually satisfying ways to keep it viable.
But let’s give Rob the floor:
Do you keep up with the newest titles in the cuckold genre? What do you see?
I’ve just finished David McManus’s books. He cleverly finishes Reluctant Cuckold in such a way that the reader has no choice but to start Cuck Storm Horizon immediately. I’m impressed by his mastery of the slow burn. As the main character gradually comes to terms with his role as a cuckold, the psychological processes he goes through are fascinating. I’ve also read Alex Hathaway’s From Housewife to Cuckoldress. I love the way Alex builds up the characters. One of the big differences between erotica and porn is that the reader gets to know the characters. And that makes the sex scenes so much more exciting.
What do you think your books bring to the genre that is fresh or unique?
In some books, the cuck has no control over what happens. His wife has sex with another man. It’s much better than anything she gets at home so she decides to carry on. The husband has no choice but to deal with it. The central male character in Reluctant Cuckold, for example, spends a long time working out how he feels on his own. My characters, Rob and Tina, decide that this is what they want to do and they discuss their feelings together. The cuckold lifestyle causes problems along the way. Tina’s quite hot-headed and does some things without thinking. And, don’t get me wrong, she loves humiliating her husband as much as the next cuckoldress. But generally, they work as a team. They’re devoted to each other. They are best friends. They just love the cuckold lifestyle – well, most of the time.
Do you see a difference in the tastes and terminology between countries?
We watch so many American movies and TV shows in Britain these days that there’s less of a difference now between US and UK English. Most of the terminology for describing sex is common to both countries, but there are some differences. An American cuck might jerk off while watching a bull schtup his better half. But his British counterpart would have a wank while watching a stud give his missus a good seeing to.
What attracted you to the cuckold genre?
Cuckoldry is about love. If the cuck doesn’t love his wife, he’s just watching two people have sex. He might as well watch a porn film. The emotional intensity comes from watching the woman you love with another man. I’m very much interested in the conflicting emotions of the cuckold relationship.
‘I love you, but I want you to have sex with someone else.’
‘I hate what you’re doing, but it’s the biggest turn-on I’ve ever experienced.’
‘I desperately want you to stop, but I know life would be a lot less exciting if you did.’
A cuck can think all of these things at the same time. And every one of these feelings is born out of love. The British author Melvyn Bragg once said: ‘Romance is love without sex; pornography is sex without love.’ Cuckold erotica combines explicit sex with real love.
Do you read the classics?
I have read them. I think it’s important to have a grounding in the classics. But learn from them – don’t copy them. One of the mistakes new writers make is that they think they have to be literary. Don’t try to write literature. Just express your own ideas in the clearest, most interesting way you can. This applies especially to erotica. You can’t hope to be taken seriously if you write about ‘his proud beam’ or ‘his spear of destiny.’ It’s a cock, so just call it a cock.
What are your tastes in music, books, podcasts etc?
My taste in music is embarrassingly populist. My favorite group is the Beatles. When I tell people that, they assume it’s because I don’t know anyone else. It’s like when I say I love Mozart. I do know lots of composers and groups. And I’ve realized there’s a reason why some are so popular. It’s because they’re very good!
People might be surprised that my favorite book doesn’t have any sex in it. P.G. Wodehouse’s Right Ho, Jeeves is the most perfect book I’ve ever read. It tells an intricately constructed story in a series of brilliant comic scenes. It sounds like the narrator is just rambling on but really not a word is wasted.
My favorite podcasts are by a film reviewer who calls himself the Nostalgia Critic. When he hears tin-eared lines in a movie, he shouts, ‘Who talks like that?’ If I hear this in my head while I’m writing, I know it’s time to rework the dialog.
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to write cuckold erotica?
I remember reading an erotic story that opened with, ‘And then she was naked.’ I immediately wanted to know: Who is she? Why is she naked? Why is this an important moment in her life? None of these questions were ever answered. I was supposed to be excited because somewhere there was an anonymous woman with no clothes on. Anyone who’s just looking for sex can find a ton of it online for free. People who pay to read erotica expect well thought-out stories, rounded characters and believable dialog. Writing cuckold erotica, in particular, is about creating relationships. What is the relationship between the husband and wife? Is the problem simply that he’s not very good in bed or are there other issues? What about the one between the bull and the wife? Does he just satisfy her sexually or does he fulfill other needs? How does the one relationship affect the other?
Above all, don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s only erotica, so you can let professional standards slide. Make it the best book you possibly can. Remember the wise words of George Orwell: ‘If there were easy money to be made out of dirty words, a lot more people would be making it.’
Fanny Press’s Cuckold Catalog:
Other books by Rob Matthews:
Books by Alex Hathaway:
From Housewife to Cuckoldress: How I Took Sexual Control of a Marriage in Crisis
Education of a Cuckold: A Story of Love, Lust, and Fate
My Husband’s Adventures: Confessions from the Wife of a Cuckold Bull
Books by David McManus:
Coming Soon: Cuckold Uncharted
Books by Derrin Hart: