I know it’s something of a cliché to thank readers at this time of the year, but we’re feeling it, and so… thank you. It wouldn’t be any fun writing if no-one was reading. In this 140-character world we live in, I think it’s quite a lot to ask of someone to read something longer, and so the fact that we’ve found each other seems somehow special.

The more we think about, and write about, BDSM and D/s, the more complex and interesting we find it, and the less we realise we “know”.

There’s no “one true way”, and in fact it’s often hard to even generalise or use terms like “most people”. We’re all a diverse collection of fascinating explorers, navigating sketchily chartered waters and having fun doing it.

So, diverse and intrepid pirate-person, thanks for exploring with us, and I hope your holiday season is full of smiles.