The Toybag Guide to Clips and Clamps, by Jack Rinella

Description from Amazon:

From simple wood clothespins to a variety of metal and plastic devices, clamps offer infinite possibilities for painful and pleasurable fun. Covers types of clamps, where to place them, and psychological issues, plus zippers, weights, nets and other advanced techniques.

Amazon carries this title in paperback and Kindle format.  I read it on my Kindle.  

 - How kinky?

Clips and clamps are another type of play that serves as a "gateway" toy for many novices in the BDSM arena.  They can range from light and occasional, to heavy-duty and hardcore.  In this, they can represent a bridge between the not-very-kinky and the kinky-as-fuck.

- How accessible?

Very.  This Guide has so much information, ranging from basic to advanced, it would be difficult to find anyone who can't learn something from it!  Novices, and those who have never before played with this type of toy will find the information, and the way it is presented, extraordinarily accessible.
 

- How informative?

Very.  I learned so much. This slim volume is near bursting with detailed information about these wonderful toys, including photographs and safety information.  The author gives so many ideas for different uses of the various kinds of clips and clamps, and describes in detail their varied materials and the corresponding effects on the skin.  There is safety info and some first aid.  He advises on cleaning and caring for your collection, and importantly, areas of the body that are best to clamp.  A truly indispensable reference title for novices and those new to these types of toys.

- How well executed?

Quite.  The author clearly knows his stuff.  He does cover quite a lot of ground, and has a strong vocabulary to boot.  Extra points for use of the word "abrogate" :)

- Overall reaction
There was one facet of this type of play that I expected to find ideas on, and did not, which surprised me.  That is, that there are so many types of toys that fall under the umbrella of clips and clamps, and they are of such varied shapes, makes and materials, that roleplay scenes can be very well served simply by the use of appropriate clips.  For example, a scene involving a housewife using simple wooden pegs; an office scene employing heavy-duty bulldog clips; medical scenes using stainless steel hemostats; an industrial setting utilising evil-looking alligator clamps (or battery clips); a historical, religious or worship-type scene with the elegantly beautiful cloverleaf clamps ... and those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.  This kind of idea wasn't included in this book, but it does contain so much more.

This, like the Guide on caning, is perfect for throwing into your toybag.  Take it with you when purchasing clips and clamps, and you will definitely need to refer to it when trying them out for the first time.  The ideas for pre- and post-play, and the info on appropriate aftercare, are truly excellent inclusions.  Anyone interested in these kinds of toys will appreciate this brilliant title.

A note:  As with the caning Guide, do try your best to buy this in hard copy.  The formatting in the Kindle version presents (relatively minor, but annoying) issues with the photos and their captions.

Four cocks!

The Toybag Guide to Canes and Caning, by Janet Hardy

Description from Amazon:

A primer on the history, glamor, technique and art of erotic caning, including sections on cane styles and materials, pacing, warmup, aftercare, positions, first aid and safety issues. Includes a special section (on) making and maintaining your own canes from inexpensive natural materials!

Amazon carries this title in paperback and Kindle format.  I read it on my Kindle.  

 - How kinky?

Caning has become one of the more popular, and possibly well-known, of all the kinky activities.  I wouldn't say it has become mainstream, but it is certainly not as far-out as some other kinds of play. It might be ... medium kinky.

- How accessible?

Very.  This little guide answers all your basic questions in a very relatable, informative manner.  From why people like it, through to how to choose the perfect first cane for your needs, it really does have everything a novice might need to know before they get up and go to try and buy their first cane/s.
 

- How informative?

Quite! Hardy gives a quick history of caning, and goes on to give a wonderful overview of all the most basic topics concerned with the practice. There are photographs of the various kinds of implements, and even photos of positions for the caner and canee to assume. Perfect for the budding cane aficionado.

- How well executed?

Very.  The author is clearly an enthusiastic caner and canee, and writes with love and devotion on the topic, in very non-threatening, matter-of-fact language.  Lovely.

- Overall reaction

This, unlike the roleplay-based Guides, is perfect for throwing into your toybag.  There is information about the different types of implements and materials, so you can take it with you when shopping for canes.  There are photographs of caner and canee positions, so you can refer to it when trying out canes for the first time.  It has information on the various sensations to be felt from the different types of implements, ideas for warming up and cooling down during a scene, as well as the best ways to provoke the desired responses in a bottom. There's basic pain processing, beginner's safety and first-aid, and even a section on making your own canes, and ongoing cane maintenance.  Fantastic, and the perfect size to chuck into your bag for quick and frequent reference.

A note:  Do try your best to buy this in hard copy.  The formatting in the Kindle version presents (relatively minor, but annoying) issues with the photos and their captions.

Five cocks!

 

The Toybag Guide to Age Play, by Lee (Bridgett) Harrington

Description from Amazon:

Adult babies, sassy schoolgirls, bratty teens - all hold an honored place in the erotic roleplaying imagination of many adults. You'll learn how to express yourself through your ageplay role, choose a level of play that feels safe yet exciting, negotiate to be sure your needs get met, and find great props and equipment to inspire your play.

Amazon has this title in paperback and Kindle format.  I read it on my Kindle.  

 - How kinky?

Well, this sort of play falls into a category many would call Taboo Play, so yes, that's fairly kinky.  It's not about BDSM, in the usual sense of the term.  But as roleplay goes, it's pretty out-there (nothing wrong with that!).

- How sexy?

These sorts of guides are pure information, so I might dispense with the "How Sexy" question for these.  They're not.

- How accessible?

 I tend to think it is quite accessible.  It starts right from the beginning, and the author makes a point of addressing the "squicks" that people who haven't come across it before might have about this sort of play.  It gives a really good, basic overview, perfect for those who are coming into it brand-new.
 

- How informative?

Very.  It gives all the basic info one might expect to come across in a volume of this kind, and answers all the questions one might have to begin with.
 

- How engaging?

Again, same as the "sexy" question - it's irrelevant.  Plus, it doesn't have to be - it's only 112 pages long.

- How well executed?

Very.  Does exactly what it says on the tin.  Very well done.

- Overall reaction

 I love it.  As I said, it answers all of the question you might have coming into it.  However, because it's about a type of roleplay, it arguably falls into the category of Psychological Game, therefore a small volume like this might not be something you'd throw "into your toybag" to carry around with you.  It's the sort of thing you'd read once to get a feel for it, possibly read again to become more familiar with the subject if it interests you, and thereafter keep on the shelf to lend to anyone else who expresses interest.  The rest is really made up by you and your play partner/s, or researched independently.  It's not really the kind of guide you're going to need to refer to over and over.  That's just the nature of the subject matter, really.

Four cocks!

 

Toybag Guides, published by Greenery Press

Hi again!

I recently made a lovely purchase from Amazon Kindle store: ten cute little guides, collectively known as the wildly popular Toybag Guides, published by (the prolifically awesome) Greenery Press.

Oh, look! Ten little guides, ten weeks between now and the New Year. How convenient! And not at all pre-planned!  It's my gift to you: Happy Holidays!

A new concept from Greenery - 4" x 6" quick reference guides you can drop in your toybag for less than $10! Each book contains at least as much information as you could get from a full day's workshop on the topic taught by one of the leaders in the scene - people like Jay Wiseman, Janet Hardy, Midori and John Warren. We'll be bringing out new ones every season. Start your collection now!

There are eleven Guides currently listed on Greenery Press' website.  All of the titles begin with the words "The Toybag Guide to ...", and all are written by a different expert within the scene.  They all have a wonderfully designed and well integrated cover theme, conveying their uniquely referential viewpoint - see bottom of page.

The Guides are as follows:

The Toybag Guide to ...

• Age Play, by Lee "Bridgett" Harrington
• Basic Rope Bondage, by Jay Wiseman
• Canes and Caning, by Janet W. Hardy
• Clips and Clamps, by Jack Rinella
• Dungeon Emergencies and Supplies, by Jay Wiseman
• Erotic Knifeplay, by Miranda Austin & Sam Atwood
• Foot and Shoe Worship, by Midori
• High-Tech Toys, by John Warren
• Hot Wax and Temperature Play, by Spectrum
• Medical Play, by Tempest
• Playing with Taboo, by Mollena Williams

There are at least two out of print titles I can identify:

• Chastity Play, by Mistress Simone
• Parties and Events, by Lucullus

At this point in time, I have not found any references anywhere in cyberspace to any Toybag Guides but these.  The Guide to Parties and Events appears to be the most difficult to find; not even my trusted rare-and-out-of-print book dealers can find a copy.  That said, this is also the Guide most susceptible to carrying unusably outdated information (ie, information about parties and events taking place in any given year or city/country).  The other out-of-print title, Chastity Play, is much easier to find.

As for the other eleven titles, while I do have them on Kindle, I am currently in the process of collecting them in hard copy.  However, during my search, I have learned a few things about books and the interweb.  First, is that books being out-of-print is not necessarily an impediment to purchasing them nowadays.  The Chastity Play Guide is proving fairly simple to find from several different sellers.  However, controversial content will, unsurprisingly, make it almost impossible for a book to be found - the Erotic Knifeplay title is almost nowhere.

Another thing I have learned is about keywords, and Amazon.  When using keywords, sometimes not even the most obvious will yield results (eg, "toybag greenery" brought more results, not fewer, than just "toybag", from some bookselling sites). And occasionally, you need to know that what you want is there to be found, so that you don't lose your mind while searching for it (for example, "toybag" in the Kindle store brought only four results, none of which was Medical Play, but "toybag medical" brought up exactly what I was looking for).  Another thing is to try several approaches: is your keyword search not working in All Departments or the Books Department? Try just the Kindle Department. There it is!

The bottom line when using Amazon is this: sometimes they don't want you to find it.  A search for "toybag" bringing up age play guides, there for all those Christmas-list compiling kidlets to find? A sure way to have the publisher banned from Amazon marketplace altogether, as has allegedly happened in the past. But the book is there. In fact, Amazon.com carries ten of the eleven in-print Guides, all in Kindle format, as long as you search using the "toybag keyword" (ie "toybag taboo" or "toybag dungeon") method. The only in-print it is not currently selling is Basic Bondage, instead throwing up either an error page, or this:

Is it paranoia, or just experience, that has a little voice in my head telling me it's the Morality Brigade at work here?  Then again, they are still selling Erotic Knifeplay, so we can't be too upset. It might really just be formatting issues :)

However, there we some good things to come out of my wanderings.  My search also led me to a new favourite destination: Revel Books (Greenery Press' favoured seller). I shall be plumbing the depraved depths of their database for future inspiration and possibly some hardcore credit-card flagellation!  However, even they are not carrying Foot Worship or Erotic Knifeplay. Why are these the hardest to find, along with High-Tech Toys? I'm not sure, although it's possible it's just because they are the most recently published. (Incidentally, if you are curious as to the most commonly purchased title ... Canes and Caning!)

I also found this. Completely irrelevant, but I just imagine an avid DIY enthusiast's frustration when trying to find this book, and finding instead our beloved sexy disciplinary methods, and it makes me smile:

As always, I welcome and sincerely enjoy feedback and comments, so let me know of your adventures in bookfinding, or anything you happen to know about past, present or future Toybag Guides.  What's your favourite?

Until next time!