Iridescence anthology blog tour

I'm part of the blog tour for Jolie du Pre's anthology Iridescence: Sensuous Shades of Lesbian Erotica. I'll also be reading on August 25th at 7 pm at Bluestockings from my story. I haven't the book yet (it just came out!) but I'm really honored to be a part of it and can't wait to read the other stories by writers like Tenille Brown and Sofia Quintero and, of course, Jolie herself. Next up on the blog tour is Amanda Earl on June 11th.

1. Why do you write erotica?

I write erotica firstly because it’s fun. I got into it because I enjoyed reading anthologies like Susie Bright’s Best American Erotica series and then found myself with all these fantasies and stories I wanted to share. I love cooking up a really hot story, and especially love when the words come flying off the page and seem to take on a life of their own. It’s exciting when I get turned on as I’m writing and find my imagination taking off. So I write erotica for largely selfish reasons, though it always makes me happy to hear that someone else enjoyed and remembered one of my stories. One of mine, “Doing the Dishes,” about dishwashing, has provoked some very heated responses in favor of the erotic potential of dishwashing, and against.

2. What do you like best about lesbian erotica?

I started reading lesbian erotica long before I ever had sex with a woman, so for me early on it was an educational tool. I like lesbian erotica because it’s creative, imaginative, and, most of all, hot! There’s so many things two women could do, so many scenarios, toys, settings, etc. I read all sorts of erotica but lesbian erotica is very near and dear to my heart, and has played a role in some of my relationships, literally, in that I met my ex-girlfriend because of my very first published story, “Monica and Me,” and later went on to write a few stories about her.

3. What is the theme of your story “Two Strippers in Love” in Iridescence: Sensuous Shades of Lesbian Erotica?

Well, the title gives away part of the story. I wanted to explore what it might be like for two black women who are strippers, and lovers, who have to, on the one hand, live up to a very male-defined standard of who they are and what they’re about sexually, while also keeping a large part of their sexuality for themselves. I wanted to play with some of the stereotypes about black women’s sexuality (like with their stage names of Cocoa and Cinnamon) while also giving these characters room to indulge themselves.

I’m really fascinated by strippers and strip clubs, so it was a bit of a challenge to step back from that fascination and explore the other side, not as a customer but as a dancer. They have to juggle both “playing” at lesbianism onstage and then kindof debriefing and turning back into themselves when they get home. “Denise felt like she was watching someone else, acting the role of horny girl who simply couldn’t get enough, which was strange, because it was true—she couldn’t get enough, at least when they were alone.” I wanted to explore that dichotomy, but also show that stripping doesn’t define them completely, although it is a part of their lives.

4. Name some other books where we can find your work.

I’ve edited a bunch of erotica books, including three lesbian-themed ones, Up All Night; Adventures in Lesbian Sex, First-Timers: True Stories of Lesbian Awakening, and Glamour Girls: Femme/Femme Erotica. The others are pansexual and even though they have themes, within those, are pretty varied, some of the highlights are Naughty Spanking Stories from A to Z 1 and 2, Caught Looking: Erotic Tales of Exhibitionism and Voyeurism, He’s on Top: Erotic Stories of Male Dominance and Female Submission and She’s on Top: Erotic Stories of Female Dominance and Male Submission. And I’m very proud to be included in Best American Erotica 2004 and 2006. But I’m always writing new stories and have started posting some of the older ones on my website to give people a taste of my writing.

5. Just for fun! Gym Shoes or Stilettos?

Stilettos by a landslide! I wear sneakers almost every day to walk around in but I love, love, love high heels. I was going to say, “the higher the better,” but even I have my limits, but there is something so sexy to me about stepping into a stiletto or other heel. As soon as I put them on, I feel beautiful, and I love the way they click on the floor. They’re fun and attention getting and even though they are nowhere near as comfortable as sneakers, I couldn’t live without them.