Email: rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com



 

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Watch my first and favorite book trailer for Spanked: Red-Cheeked Erotica. Get Spanked in print and ebook

Thursday, March 31, 2011

My review: Big Sex Little Death by Susie Bright

My interview with Susie Bright should be up tomorrow at SexIs Magazine but in the meantime, my review of her new memoir Big Sex Little Death, available at Amazon and wherever books are sold. See susiebright.com for tour dates.



Big Sex Little Death is about some of the things you would expect from a Susie Bright memoir: her time at pioneering lesbian sex magazine On Our Backs, the feminist sex wars, politics and hypocrisy. But it's also about a lot of things you might not expect, things that revealed not just how she got to where she is now and the forces that shaped her, but the rift her parents' divorce caused inside her, and how it shaped her as a parent and person.

Bright starts off as a little girl trying to absorb what she can about her family, and to tolerate the wild mood swings her mother has, often with Bright as the object of her derision. It's almost easy to forget that she was ever that little girl when she so boldly takes on the status quo as a high school student with the newspaper The Red Tide. But Bright's vision is set on being part of real socialist organizing, and she drops out of school, argues her way into the IS, raises the money to get there by housecleaning and is even willing to stay after almost being beaten to death and facing extremely dangerous situations. To her the cause stands paramount, yet she is always questioning and observing those around her. There are moments that make one pause and think, "This happened in America?" Even for those of us who aren't under the illusion that the US is perfect, those are hard moments, but Bright manages to write about them, such as the racism at her department store job, with an eye for injustice and a belief that there are ways to change these injustices.

This is especially clear as she maps out the feminist culture at the time she was starting to sell vibrators at Good Vibrations and become part of On Our Backs. The clash between what women were being told they were supposed to be doing in the name of feminism and what women were exploring sexually provided for plenty of drama, and Bright is at perhaps her sharpest here, highlighting both the thrill of being part of something new and visionary as well as the death threats that came with it. During this time, Bright also becomes a mother and there are some very poignant observations about the credit she was given, by random neighbors and others who previously would have dismissed her, and how the process of becoming a parent helped her see that she was not doomed to repeat her mother's mistakes.

This book is admittedly not an attempt to document an exhaustive history of either The Red Tide, On Our Backs, or Susie Bright's entire life, and the stories she did choose to tell are illuminating. She doesn't lose that youthful spirit of wanting to shake things up that she had at sixteen, even in the face of ostracism from within the ranks of the IS or the lesbian or feminist worlds. She does, however, make choices she needs to to best protect herself and her family. This is a powerful book that will, perhaps, leave you unsettled...in a good way. The writing is so rich, too (she describes Andrea Dworkin as "Like arguing with Freud but being happy he was taking you for a ride.), and Bright is clearly not just rehashing the same old stories. The final chapters, in which she is served with papers, there's a murder and Bright grapples with motherhood, are particularly dramatic, but there is a gracefulness to Bright's words, one that doesn't mute any of the horror of the details she's revealing, but that in fact leaps off the page. It highlights the reality that truth is stranger than fiction and certainly makes the book go out with a bang. A fascinating read whether you're familiar with Bright's book or not, whether you share her political beliefs or not; this is a memoir about finding companionship as well as fierce opposition among the rebels, and figuring out when to stand one's ground and when to find new ground to stand on.

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Back Up Your Birth Control Day blogging

I'm blogging this as part of the Day of Action around the Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign.

I’ve had various moments in my life where I could have used e.c. (emergency contraception), but a few are more crystal-clear than others. There was a time in early 2006 when I thought it was on the market without a prescription and it turns out it wasn’t, which was not a fun little while. Then later that year, with a man who was kindof a mirror image of the first one, I also needed it again, because I’d again had unprotected sex.

I thought that I was past that, that I had moved on to a more responsible, early-thirties, sexually active person, so the last time I needed e.c. was really the most wrenching for me, something I think about a lot as I contemplate possibly being (hetero)sexually active again (which is a story for another time, but suffice it to say, whether that’s in November or earlier, I don’t want to make the same mistake). At the time, I was on and then off birth control. I was using the NuvaRing, and when I had the money ($50, with insurance), I would buy it, but otherwise, I would just use condoms.

But then I started seeing someone where we weren’t using condoms, and while I was using the ring, it was fine. There was a while where I wasn’t, though, and I was pretty sure, in my head, that I was ready for that. I told him I wasn’t using anything and we couldn’t have intercourse and yet that’s precisely what we wound up doing and for the longest time I felt so stupid about that. I still do, to a large degree, and am so grateful that I was able to get e.c. Now, I was waiting for a check at the time, as I often am, and waiting out the time between when that payment arrived, and when I could get the pills, was excruciating. It was also a very lonely time because I couldn’t turn to the person involved, and I felt like if I told my friends about it they would just tell me I was stupid for having done that in the first place.

I didn’t quite realize that, well, life happens. That a lot of women, smart, strong, powerful, amazing women, some of them my friends, find themselves in similar situations. I wish my friends had had e.c. handy, or handier, than they did. I don’t say that because I think abortion is morally wrong; I am completely pro-choice. I say that because even from my limited perspective, that was not a choice they wanted to make. I’m not going to speak for anyone else but seeing up close how challenging an unwanted pregnancy was for at least one friend, I wish all of us who either suspect or are sure we’ve had unprotected sex that might lead to pregnancy could easily assuage those worries.

Yet even as I’m participating in the blog carnival, I can tell you that after that incident, though it changed how I thought about my own sexuality, changed how I thought about who I wanted to sleep with, changed how I looked at my own sense of agency and responsibility (and made me 100% convinced that I, as a woman, owe it to myself to never, ever rely on anyone else to possess that responsibility for me), it did not mean that I walked around, or am walking around now, with e.c. on me. I guess I figure that if I do need it, I will go down the block to the drugstore and get it. Maybe there is a teensy tiny part of me that thinks that if I have it handy I’ll be more sloppy with my birth control, if and when I do need it, because of that safety net. But this year I am all about working on myself and not “fixing” old errors, but learning from them. That made a huge impression on me because it showed me that I am not always as responsible as I'd like to be, whether regarding my sexual choices or my financial ones, and that as someone who does, in fact, want to be a parent one day, that is not the kind of behavior I want to model, and not the kind of person I want to be. (Please note: I am not saying there is a "kind of person" who doesn't use birth control or forgets to use it, but that in this specific incident, I actively went against my own self-interest and that certainly made me question why I'd be willing to do that.)

That was a turning point for me because I realized some of the falsities I was telling myself about myself and my own responsibility and autonomy when it comes to this issue. I thought that I had everything so neatly under control and to realize that I didn’t, that I was willing to risk something so huge, for something so momentary, threw me in a major way. It made me realize that I need to pick who I share my body with a lot more carefully, and that I can only do that with people who I can also share everything else with—my mind, my fears, my mistakes. I couldn’t do that in that situation, and yes, I am getting to what this has to do with emergency contraception, and that was what really did a number on me.

So, in conclusion, I fully support more awareness around emergency contraception. I think so many of us are too hard on ourselves too much of the time, to the point that we are self-defeating. Having e.c. on hand just in case, for you, or for a friend, is not a sign that you are planning to have unprotected sex, and even if you are, or think you might wind up in a circumstance where you might, it is worth the peace of mind.

And if we are talking about emergency contraception as a health care issue, I can tell you that those days I was waiting to get that direct deposit were some of the most stressful of my life. There is no way they were anything approaching “healthy” and I am naturally prone to worrying so that certainly exacerbated it. If you are going to use e.c., while it is effective for up to 120 hours (5 days), it’s best taken as soon as possible.

According to Planned Parenthood:

Emergency contraception can be started up to 120 hours — five days — after unprotected intercourse. The sooner it is started, the better it works.

Emergency contraception is also known as the morning-after pill, emergency birth control, backup birth control, and by the brand names Plan B One-Step, ella, and Next Choice. Plan B One-Step and Next Choice reduce the risk of pregnancy by 89 percent when started within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse. They continue to reduce the risk of pregnancy up to 120 hours after unprotected intercourse, but they are less effective as time passes.


For more information about emergency contraception and the morning-after pill, visit:

womenshealth.gov

Planned Parenthood

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Cupcakes Take the Cake's April meetup: Book party for novel Semi-Sweet

Reposted from Cupcakes Take the Cake.

Semi- Sweet Book Cover

For our April Meetup, Cupcakes Take The Cake has partnered with Hachette Book Group to celebrate the release of Roisin Meaney's new book, Semi-Sweet: A Novel of Love and Cupcakes. We will be having a book party on Thursday April 28 at Solas in the East Village and eating cupcakes from Baked By Melissa. RSVP on our Meetup page.






Roisin Meaney
Author Roisin Meaney will be at the book party.

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"I Regret Not Finishing Law School" at The Gloss

I contributed to The Gloss's "I Regret Everything" series with my essay on why I regret not finishing law school.

But the part I do regret, and think about every time I log in to Sallie Mae’s website, is that I never paused long enough to allow myself the room to truly grasp that I could exit gracefully, and to the tune of much less than the eventual $150,000 (approximately) tuition and board, plus interest, that I will wind up paying, or just get through it. I chose to leave after having what I’d consider a nervous breakdown after three years with most of my credits, but no degree. I have until 2033 to pay off those loans, and by my estimations will have racked up between $250,000 and $300,000 for a degree I do not have. Or I should have toughed it out, bucked up, even if I knew I didn’t want to take the bar, even if I got Cs, even if the only class I really liked was intellectual property, where we learned about things like negotiating how many seconds’ worth of credit a screenwriter gets on film.

Read the whole thing

And if you like it, I'd love it if you liked it on Facebook - any comments, please make them at The Gloss. Many thanks!

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Update to Erotic Romance anthology call; other calls with looming deadlines

For some reason unknown to me, gmail disabled the account I'd set up for my Erotic Romance anthology (see below), so I'm extending the deadline to April 20th and asking, just for this anthology, authors to send submissions to rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com with "Erotic Romance submission" in the subject line. Looking forward to reading! The other calls below remain intact.

For an idea of what I'm looking for, please read my books and this column, "Erotica Writes and Wrongs"




Best Bondage Erotica 2012

To be published by Cleis Press in late 2011

Edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel



Best Bondage Erotica 2012 will collect the best bondage erotica stories around, focusing on a range of techniques, implements, characters and scenarios, from newbies to seasoned bondage players and everything in between. Bondage should be a central focus of the erotic element of the story but the plot does not have to hinge on bondage. Bondage plus other sexual activity is welcome (spanking, intercourse, oral sex, teasing, etc.). As befitting the title, I’m looking for the best, hottest, most creative bondage erotica for this collection. All genders/sexual orientations. Original stories strongly preferred, but reprints of work published (or slated to be published) between September 2010 and November 2011 will be considered. All characters must be over 18; no incest or bestiality. Please see Best Bondage Erotica 2011 (http://www.bestbondageerotica.com) or my other kinky Cleis Press anthologies (Bottoms Up, Spanked, Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma’am, He’s on Top, She’s on Top) for an idea of the kinds of stories I prefer.



How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-4,000 word story. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to bestbondage2012@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. I will get back to you by September 2011.



Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication



Deadline: April 1, 2011 (earlier submissions encouraged)



I’ve been seeing numerous recent submissions that do not conform to my guidelines. They are there for a reason. Please read and follow them or risk your submission being rejected or returned for reformatting. If you have any questions, please contact me at bestbondage2012@gmail.com







Untitled Kinky Couples anthology


To be published by Cleis Press in 2012



Note: I had included the wrong email address for this submission, so if you sent any emails to kinkycouples at gmail.com that is not my address; please resend to have your story considered for the anthology.



Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for BDSM stories featuring couples. Couples can be of any sexual orientation but the book’s primary audience and focus is on heterosexual couples. They can be newbies or experienced players (or a combination of the two). The final book will feature couples who’ve just met but will contain mostly stories about already-established couples who are engaging in BDSM in various forms. The more creative, the better. Submissions tend to skew extremely heavily toward the female submissive POV, so if you are submitting a female sub/male dom story, please make sure it is unique and dazzling. I’m especially looking for stories from the top’s/dominant’s POV and ones that are provocative, unusual and daring. All characters should be over 18. I’m looking for a mix of male and female tops and bottoms (and switches), as well as a mix of physical and mental power play. No nonconsensual scenes. No bestiality, scat or incest. Please see my anthologies Yes, Sir; Yes, Ma’am; Please, Sir; Please, Ma’am; He’s on Top and She’s on Top for examples of the kinds of kinky stories I prefer.


How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-5,000 word story. Include story title and byline on first page in regular type. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to kinkycouplesantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you'd like to be credited as. I will get back to you by October 2011. Authors may submit up to 3 stories. Original stories only; no reprints.


Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication


Deadline: April 1, 2011


I've been seeing numerous recent submissions that do not conform to my guidelines. They are there for a reason. Please read and follow them or risk your submission being rejected or returned for reformatting. If you have any questions, please contact me at kinkycouplesantho@gmail.com.



Untitled Erotic Romance anthology

To be published by Cleis Press



Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for romantic, primarily heterosexual erotic stories for a 2012 anthology of erotic romance. Stories can feature couples exploring new erotic territory, strangers who share a spark, lost lovers or exes reuniting, etc. Final book will contain a mix of storytelling styles, settings and heros/heroines. Kink, sex toys, exotic locations/scenarios welcome as long as there is an element of erotic romance as opposed to strictly erotica. Sensual and sexual should coexist. Stories should be strongly plotted, have engaging, unique characters and be hot and original. I highly prefer contemporary settings but will consider a limited amount of historical fiction. All characters must be over 18; no incest, scat or bestiality. No poetry. For an example of the kinds of stories I’m looking for, see my anthology Passion: Erotic Romance for Women or the work of Megan Hart, Lauren Dane, Sarah MacLean, Kayla Perrin, Marilyn Jaye Lewis, etc.



How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-5,000 word story. Include story title and byline on first page in regular type. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com with "Erotic Romance submission" in the subject line. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you'd like to be credited as. I will get back to you by October 2011. Authors may submit up to 3 stories. Original stories only; no reprints.



Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication


Deadline: April 20, 2011


I've been seeing numerous recent submissions that do not conform to my guidelines. They are there for a reason. Please read and follow them or risk your submission being rejected or returned for reformatting. If you have any questions, please contact me at rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com with "Erotic Romance anthology" in the subject line.


About the editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel (http://www.rachelkramerbussel.com) is the editor of over 25 anthologies, including Orgasmic, Fast Girls, Peep Show, Bottoms Up, Spanked, The Mile High Club, Do Not Disturb, He’s on Top, She’s on Top, Tasting Him, Tasting Her, Crossdressing, Dirty Girls, and is Best Sex Writing Series Editor. She is Senior Editor at Penthouse Variations, writes a sex column for SexisMagazine.com, wrote the Lusty Lady column for The Village Voice, and has hosted and curated In The Flesh Reading Series, for five years. Her writing has been published in over 100 anthologies, including Susie Bright’s X: The Erotic Treasury, Best American Erotica 2004 and 2006, and Zane’s Purple Panties and the New York Times bestseller Succulent: Chocolate Flava II. She has written for Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast, Fresh Yarn, Mediabistro, Newsday, New York Post, Penthouse, Time Out New York, Zink and other publications.



Please note that the Best Sex Writing series only publishes nonfiction.

Call for submissions: Best Sex Writing 2012
To be edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, selected by guest judge Susie Bright, author of Big Sex Little Death
Publication date: December 2011
Deadline for submissions: May 1, 2011 (earlier submissions welcomed!)

Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for personal essays and reportage for inclusion in the 2012 edition of the Cleis Press series Best Sex Writing, which will hit stores in December 2011. Any non-fiction writing covering the topic of sex will be considered.

I like work that looks at sex in new and unusual ways (see Stacey D'Erasmo's "Silver-Balling" in Best Sex Writing 2009 for a prime example, as well as “It’s a Shame About Ray” by Kirk Read and “Sexual Outlaw” by Betty Dodson in Best Sex Writing 2010), that challenges us to think about sex and our own sexuality, is thought-provoking and possibly disturbing. I want sex journalism that's found in the most unexpected places and is as topical as possible.

No fiction or poetry will be considered.

Previous editions of BSW have featured authors such as Brian Alexander, Violet Blue, Susannah Breslin, Betty Dodson, Stephen Elliott, Gael Greene, Paul Krassner, Judith Levine, Michael Musto, Scott Poulson-Bryant, Mary Roach, Tristan Taormino, Virginia Vitzhum, and others.

Requirements: For reprints, story must have been published (or is slated to be published) between August 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011, online and/or in print (book, magazine, zine or newspaper) in the United States. Original, unpublished work is also welcome.

Authors:

Please send your double-spaced submission (1,500-4,000 words) as a Word document or RTF attachment to bestsexwriting2012 at gmail.com – you may submit a maximum of TWO pieces for consideration. You MUST include your full contact information, a 50-word or less bio, and previous publication details for reprints.

Include your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, and exact publication details (title of publication, date of publication, and any other relevant information). Only send work you own the licensing rights to.

Editors:

Submit up to three submissions from their publication, following the guidelines above. Provide the author's contact information available upon request.

Email address (for queries and submissions): bestsexwriting2012 at gmail.com
Payment: $100

Deadline: May 1, 2011 (earlier submissions welcomed and encouraged)
You will receive an email confirming your submission; after that you can expect to hear back from me by August 2011.

Rights bought:
Author hereby grants Editors, during the first term of the United States copyright, and any renewals thereof, in the “Work”:
a. The non-exclusive right to "publish" (i.e. print, publish, and sell) the Work as part of the Book in book and digital form in English in the United States and its territories; and
b. The non-exclusive right to "publish" and license the Work as part of the Book in book and digital form in English in other countries; and
c. The non-exclusive right to license translate and publish the Work as part of the Book in book and digital form in languages other than English in all countries.

Rachel Kramer Bussel (www.rachelkramerbussel.com) is an author, editor, blogger and event organizer. She is Senior Editor at Penthouse Variations, sex columnist for SexIs Magazine, and has edited 38 anthologies, including Gotta Have It, Surrender, Best Bondage Erotica 2011, Orgasmic, Fast Girls, Spanked, Bottoms Up and Best Sex Writing 2008, 2009 and 2010. She hosted In The Flesh Reading Series from 2005-2010 and writes for a variety of publications about sex, dating, books and pop culture.

Susie Bright (http://susiebright.com) is the author of the national bestsellers Full Exposure and The Sexual State of the Union, as well as The Best American Erotica and Herotica series, which ushered in women’s erotic publishing. She the host of Audible’s In Bed With Susie Bright, the longest-running sex-ed show in the history of broadcasting. She was co-founder and editor of On Our Backs magazine, and was the first journalist to cover erotic cinema and the porn business in the mainstream press. A progenitor of the sex-positive movement, Bright taught the first university course on pornography, and brought lasting sexual influence to her role in films like Bound and The Celluloid Closet. Her latest book is the memoir Big Sex Little Death.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

This week I learned what an "orgasmism" is

And you can too, by reading this week's Sex Diary, "The Single Girl Supplementing Her Sex Life by Having ‘Orgasmisms’ at Work" - and if you'd be so kind, if you enjoy it, please like it on Facebook. Thanks! Details at the bottom on how to submit your own (must be over 18 and in the NYC area, and it pays).

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Monday, March 28, 2011

"Veronica's Ass" = free erotica from Gotta Have It!

If you like this story, please consider checking out the 68 other short hot stories in Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex. Click through to read the introduction and watch the book trailer.

Order Gotta Have It from:
Amazon.com

Kindle edition

Bn.com (Barnes & Noble)

Books-a-Million

Borders

Powell's

IndieBound (find your local independent bookstore)

Cleis Press



Veronica’s Ass
by Matt Conklin

My wife, Veronica, has the sweetest ass I’ve ever tasted. I mean that both literally and figuratively. It’s curved so perfectly I can only imagine some divinity somewhere intended it to be used the way I use it, the way she likes me to use it. I’ve been with women who loved nothing more than having their nipples sucked or pussies licked; one loved to have her feet massaged and swore she could come that way.

But my Veronica is an ass girl and rightly so. When she strides out of the house wearing a clingy red dress paired with matching heels and either fishnets or bare legs (and sometimes sans panties), her ass is what gets noticed. She is a curvy, sensual woman who never misses a chance to play up her assets or let me play with them.
If we’re standing in line waiting for a movie, I’ll stand behind her and “accidentally” brush against her sweet cheeks, while she’ll find any opportunity to bend over and show off her greatest asset.

A typical morning will start with her prodding me awake, rubbing her luscious, naked body against me. She’s smooth all over, with long, silky brown hair that tickles my skin. I’m pelted all along my chest and arms, but she says she likes it, nuzzling her cheeks against my nipples, seducing me before I’ve fully woken. It’s when she turns around that I fully rise, in all senses of the word.

Her butt beckons to me, the pale, round skin so inviting. I reach for those cheeks and squeeze, and she moans. I pull them apart and she gasps. I lift my head and grab her so my tongue can nuzzle her pussy and she squats over me, her ass resting against my forehead, my tongue deep inside her wetness. I greet the day by greeting her pussy, my dick getting hard. Sometimes it wants to fuck her ass, to enter into that forbidden hole--well, forbidden for other people, not pervs like us.

Other times I’m content to simply fondle her butt, to see where it leads me. This morning, in fact, I ate her to an orgasm that had her trembling so hard she almost toppled over. She laughed as she caught herself, then turned around to kiss her taste from my lips. Her pale, lightly freckled cheeks were red, her eyes dancing as she wiggled around me. Something in me stirred and I sat up and positioned her so she was bent over the bed, ass in the air. Except as gorgeous as it was, that wasn’t enough, not at that moment.

“Step back, Veronica,” I said. “Show me that beautiful ass and your pretty pink lips.” She whimpered and did as I said, bending so her hands were wrapped around her ankles. There are times when I want to take her so hard, viciously, I suppose, even though she’s the love of my life. Maybe because we’re both so secure in what we have, we can treat each other the way some people only do in fantasy. Who knows, really?

All I know is that when I pressed her body tight to mine and slammed my cock hard inside her, she felt so tight, so perfect, so wonderful. I grabbed her asscheeks and leaned forward, maximizing the effect. “Hold on, baby,” I said, and looked down, watching as my very hard cock disappeared inside her. Somehow, even after all these years, that sight never gets old and always feels a little bit like a magic trick. Not that my dick disappears, but that it feels so damn good, like I’m a virgin again.

I feel her twisting, squeezing me inside while her hips rock just enough, and I grunt. I slap her ass, then slap her back, loving the noise, the freedom to grab her and use her in any way I please, because I know her so well. I reach for that shiny hair and tug, bending her head back, while my other hand seeks and finds her clit. I pinch it just enough to feel a corresponding tug deep inside.

“That’s it, baby, I’m gonna come soon,” I say, and we shift again so she’s back to the original position, head tilted on the bed so I can see her, hair spilling onto the sheets. Her eyes are closed, but it’s like I can see inside her mind, and I watch her as I feel my come burst out from me and fill her up. Tears spring to my eyes as I struggle to catch my breath. Veronica’s ass—her whole body, her--brings out something in me that makes me feel like I’d die happy if I died fucking her.

I pull out and we kiss softly, then less softly. She slips into her purple silk robe, then sits on my lap, but I can still feel the globes of her ass pressing against me, so warm, so delicious. “Put on your thong,” I tell her. “The one I like the best.” I know she still has my come inside her, that it’ll probably drip out and wet the fabric, and that makes me smile.

She gets up and, like a burlesque dancer, drops the robe down so I can see her perfect backside and then that ass. I want to bite it and spank it and stroke it and fuck it all at once. Instead I watch her put on the thong, then check herself out in the mirror. I see how it perfectly bisects her bottom and know that all day, when she feels it, she’ll think of me.

There are people who say it’s hard to keep the sex alive in a marriage, and maybe it is; we’ve certainly had our moments when it wasn’t smooth sailing. But whenever I’ve been even vaguely tempted to stray, all I have to do is think about Veronica’s ass to know that there is nothing better in this world. I’m a lucky man, and I make sure Veronica--and her ass--knows it.

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Busy...soon with actual words to share

I had a busy weekend, which left little time for writing, though lots of ideas percolated...I hosted an entire day of readings at Rainbow Book Fair (great readings, but not something I am ever going to sign up for again - too old!), then Sunday I taught two Learning Annex classes (photo below), which were streamed live and will be available shortly (I'll post the links), and then I was on the Bookrageous podcast and go to hang out at WORD, my awesome local Greenpoint, Brooklyn bookstore, and spout off about books. That'll be up shortly. April 27th I'm SO excited to revisit WORD for the dual romance releases of Sarah MacLean's new novel Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart and Kieran Kramer's Cloudy with a Chance of Marriage, part of her Impossible Bachelors series.


Me at Learning Annex

This week I'm catching Big Sex Little Death author Susie Bright on her book tour (Bluestockings Wednesday, The Strand Thurdsay) and this weekend I'm attending Momentumcon in Silver Spring, Maryland and am so, so excited! I'm not officially teaching, just hanging out and bringing cupcakes to women like Dylan Ryan, Susie Bright and Tristan Taormino, and the organizers! Look for my interview with Susie soon at SexIs Magazine.

I'm waiting for details but I have NYC readings April 14th and 20th, and April 16-18 will be in Seattle seeing Melissa James Gibson's play This at Seattle Rep, indulging in umpteen cupcakes at CupcakeCamp Seattle, and hopefully checking out the Nirvana exhibit at Experience Music Project if it's not too crowded! And, of course, visiting Cakespy shop!

This Fran Liebowitz quote was on the wall of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Center where the Rainbow Book Fair was held:

Friday, March 25, 2011

My Learning Annex class on How To Write Erotica, only 99 cents!

You can catch the live Ustream on Sunday, March 27th at 5 pm EST or download it afterward - only 99 cents! I'm condensing the How to Write Erotica class (aka Erotica 101) I teach into two twenty-minute segments for an online class at The Learning Annex. Click here to register.

The demand for erotica has never been greater and it's one of the easiest ways to break into professional writing. Author Rachel Bussel teaches you the dirty little secrets of how to turn your erotic stories from an idea to a titillating story. Inst:

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Saturday in NYC: A day of FREE LGBT readings

And this is only a small part of the Rainbow Book Fair, which also features panels, poetry, book sales and much more. Those in bold are featured readers and are reading for 20 or 30 minutes; the other readings are 4 minutes each. See you there!

March 26, 2011
11:30-5
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, 208 W. 13th Street, NYC

Readings

Hosted by Rachel Kramer Bussel
………BOOK SIGNINGS AT BOLD STROKES BOOKS TABLE
………Felice Picano 11:30
………Nell Stark and Trinity Tam 12:30
………Bobbi Marolt 1:00…
READING SERIES

11:30–12:00 THOMAS GLAVE

12:00 Bobbie Geary, Learning Erotica (The Gaeae Press)
12:05 Nell Stark and Trinity Tam, nevermore (Bold Strokes Books)
12:10 Rakesh Satyal, Blue Boy (Kensington Books)
12:15 Andrew Grey
12:20 Rob Stephenson, Passes Through

12:30–1:00 CHRISTOPHER BRAM

1:00 Charlie Vazquez, Contraband (Rebel Satori Press)
1:05 Aimee Herman, hell strung and crooked (Uphook Press)
1:10 Michael Schiavi, Celluloid Activist: The Life and Times of Vito Russo
…….(University of Wisconsin Press)
1:15 Sinclair Sexsmith, Sugarbutch Chronicles (www.sugarbutch.net/)
1:20 Jee Leong Koh, Seven Studies for a Self Portrait (Bench Press)

1:30–1:50 FELICE PICANO

1:50-2:00 break

2:00–2:30 RAY LUCZAK Road Work Ahead (Sibling Rivalry Press)

2:30 Susan Rosenberg, An American Radical (Citadel Press)
2:35 Cris Beam, I Am J (Little Brown)
2:40 John Marcus Powell (Uphook Press)
2:45 Norman Beim
2:50

3:00–3:30 MARTIN DUBERMAN

3:05 Kathleen Warnock, Best Lesbian Erotica 2010 (Cleis)
3:10 Robert Gibbons, hell strung and crooked (Uphook Press)
3:15 Tim Brough, Black Gloves White Magic (A Boner Book)
3:20 Lolan Buhain Sevilla, Translating New Brown (Pinayjive Press)
3:30 Fay Jacobs, For Frying Out Loud—Rehoboth Beach Diaries (A&M Books)
3:35 Kay Williams, Great-Grandpa Fussy (Calliope Press)
3:40 Erin Mchugh The L Life: Extraordinary Lesbians Making a Difference (Abrams)
3:45 Francine L. Trevens, Pixie Tales (TnT Classic Books)
4:00 Vicki L. Eaklor, Queer America: A People’s GLBT History of the United States
……..(The New Press)
4:05 Mathew Hupert, Ism is a Retrovirus (Three Rooms Press)
4:10 Peter Carlaftes, A Year on Facebook (Three Rooms Press)
4:15 Kat Georges, Hunger Sinner (Three Rooms Press)
4:20 Ronnie Norpel, Baseball Karma & The Constitution Blues (Three Rooms Press)

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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Interviews with me at Street Boners and Oysters & Chocolate

Two new interviews with me:

"WTF Does an Erotica Writer Do All Day?" at Street Boners with a gigantic version of the cover of Best Bondage Erotica 2011 (which you can also read at Luke O'Neil's blog put that shit on the list)

Excerpt:

You’ve written for a pretty lengthy list of publications. Is it hard to switch between your sexy hat and your normal journalist hat? Ever accidentally slip in an orgasm metaphor where one doesn’t belong?

I think I navigate fiction and nonfiction pretty easily, that’s the biggest switch. I fight hard not to be relegated only to writing about sex, because I have plenty of other interests. I think the biggest challenge for me when I’m writing fiction is to not personalize it too much, and lately I’ve been trying to write characters who are very different from me, like a transgender man into erotic boxing in “Punching Bag.” There is always a little bit of myself in my stories though, even if it’s about, say, a gay couple competing in a “Sexathon.” It’s not that I’ve actually done that, but in some buried corner of my fantasies, it sounds fun, and in fiction I get to “be” all those people doing all those wild things.


Talking about my story "Blow Me" in Nice Girls, Naughty Sex at Oysters & Chocolate

Excerpt:

What makes the character(s) in your story nice but naughty?

Well, this is a story where there’s no actual sex in it, just a very wicked fantasy, so I think that qualifies as “nice,” but the fantasies the characters do have are decidedly risqué.


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Closeup of me at Rough Sex 3: Adrianna's Dangerous Mind release party

Me, close up, with Porno Jim in the background - I didn't make it to the red carpet so this is what we've got of me. Taken by Igor of Driven by Boredom at release party for new Tristan Taormino porn DVD Rough Sex #3: Adrianna's Dangerous Mind, which I'll be posting about as soon as it arrives - I can't wait to watch it! Also, check Tristan's Tumblr for lots more photos. It was an amazing party - not sure what the best part was, but perhaps the Njoy Eleven toy filled with delicious marshmallow atop the cake - the two photos of that, along with the movie poster, are mine, below.


photo by Driven by Boredom





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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Do Straight Women Need an After Sex Doll to Cuddle With?

That's the question I ask and answer in my latest Secrets of a Sex Writer column at SexIs Magazine.



“The best part of sex is cuddling.” That’s something a male lover once told me and I’ve always remembered it. I was surprised to hear it from him because he was very into the sex were were having, and is someone I’d consider a very sexual person, though also a very sensitive person. I don’t know why, I just didn’t expect him to say that, but I was glad he did. It was a bit of a revelation for me—men like cuddling too! Sometimes I agree, and sometimes I think I’ll take a hot, fast fuck over cuddling. But lots of people don’t want to choose between them.

When I opened up the package that arrived recently at my post office box and saw a stuffed doll, I at first thought it was something I could give to one of my friends’ kids. Then I took a closer look and discovered that this unexpected gift was actually a fair trade sex product, marketed as “My After Sex Buddy,” made by a collective of single mothers in Columbia (really!). I put him and the marketing materials away in my bag, and he’s lived on my couch ever since. Mind you, I’m someone who sleeps with a giant Hello Kitty doll atop my other pillows. I wouldn’t say I cuddle with her, but I do sometimes nuzzle my face into her softness and talk to her, not in the way I would a lover, more as a way to say things I don’t think I have anyone human to say them to.


Keep reading

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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

April 1st is around the corner, get those story submissions in!

These are all shaping up to be very sexy books and I look forward to reading LOTS more submissions!


For an idea of what I'm looking for, please read my books and this column, "Erotica Writes and Wrongs"




Best Bondage Erotica 2012

To be published by Cleis Press in late 2011

Edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel



Best Bondage Erotica 2012 will collect the best bondage erotica stories around, focusing on a range of techniques, implements, characters and scenarios, from newbies to seasoned bondage players and everything in between. Bondage should be a central focus of the erotic element of the story but the plot does not have to hinge on bondage. Bondage plus other sexual activity is welcome (spanking, intercourse, oral sex, teasing, etc.). As befitting the title, I’m looking for the best, hottest, most creative bondage erotica for this collection. All genders/sexual orientations. Original stories strongly preferred, but reprints of work published (or slated to be published) between September 2010 and November 2011 will be considered. All characters must be over 18; no incest or bestiality. Please see Best Bondage Erotica 2011 (http://www.bestbondageerotica.com) or my other kinky Cleis Press anthologies (Bottoms Up, Spanked, Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma’am, He’s on Top, She’s on Top) for an idea of the kinds of stories I prefer.



How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-4,000 word story. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to bestbondage2012@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. I will get back to you by September 2011.



Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication



Deadline: April 1, 2011 (earlier submissions encouraged)



I’ve been seeing numerous recent submissions that do not conform to my guidelines. They are there for a reason. Please read and follow them or risk your submission being rejected or returned for reformatting. If you have any questions, please contact me at bestbondage2012@gmail.com







Untitled Kinky Couples anthology


To be published by Cleis Press in 2012



Note: I had included the wrong email address for this submission, so if you sent any emails to kinkycouples at gmail.com that is not my address; please resend to have your story considered for the anthology.



Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for BDSM stories featuring couples. Couples can be of any sexual orientation but the book’s primary audience and focus is on heterosexual couples. They can be newbies or experienced players (or a combination of the two). The final book will feature couples who’ve just met but will contain mostly stories about already-established couples who are engaging in BDSM in various forms. The more creative, the better. Submissions tend to skew extremely heavily toward the female submissive POV, so if you are submitting a female sub/male dom story, please make sure it is unique and dazzling. I’m especially looking for stories from the top’s/dominant’s POV and ones that are provocative, unusual and daring. All characters should be over 18. I’m looking for a mix of male and female tops and bottoms (and switches), as well as a mix of physical and mental power play. No nonconsensual scenes. No bestiality, scat or incest. Please see my anthologies Yes, Sir; Yes, Ma’am; Please, Sir; Please, Ma’am; He’s on Top and She’s on Top for examples of the kinds of kinky stories I prefer.


How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-5,000 word story. Include story title and byline on first page in regular type. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to kinkycouplesantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you'd like to be credited as. I will get back to you by October 2011. Authors may submit up to 3 stories. Original stories only; no reprints.


Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication


Deadline: April 1, 2011


I've been seeing numerous recent submissions that do not conform to my guidelines. They are there for a reason. Please read and follow them or risk your submission being rejected or returned for reformatting. If you have any questions, please contact me at kinkycouplesantho@gmail.com.



Untitled Erotic Romance anthology

To be published by Cleis Press



Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for romantic, primarily heterosexual erotic stories for a 2012 anthology of erotic romance. Stories can feature couples exploring new erotic territory, strangers who share a spark, lost lovers or exes reuniting, etc. Final book will contain a mix of storytelling styles, settings and heros/heroines. Kink, sex toys, exotic locations/scenarios welcome as long as there is an element of erotic romance as opposed to strictly erotica. Sensual and sexual should coexist. Stories should be strongly plotted, have engaging, unique characters and be hot and original. I highly prefer contemporary settings but will consider a limited amount of historical fiction. All characters must be over 18; no incest, scat or bestiality. No poetry. For an example of the kinds of stories I’m looking for, see my anthology Passion: Erotic Romance for Women or the work of Megan Hart, Lauren Dane, Sarah MacLean, Kayla Perrin, Marilyn Jaye Lewis, etc.



How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-5,000 word story. Include story title and byline on first page in regular type. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to eroticromanceantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you'd like to be credited as. I will get back to you by October 2011. Authors may submit up to 3 stories. Original stories only; no reprints.



Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication


Deadline: April 1, 2011


I've been seeing numerous recent submissions that do not conform to my guidelines. They are there for a reason. Please read and follow them or risk your submission being rejected or returned for reformatting. If you have any questions, please contact me at eroticromanceantho@gmail.com.


About the editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel (http://www.rachelkramerbussel.com) is the editor of over 25 anthologies, including Orgasmic, Fast Girls, Peep Show, Bottoms Up, Spanked, The Mile High Club, Do Not Disturb, He’s on Top, She’s on Top, Tasting Him, Tasting Her, Crossdressing, Dirty Girls, and is Best Sex Writing Series Editor. She is Senior Editor at Penthouse Variations, writes a sex column for SexisMagazine.com, wrote the Lusty Lady column for The Village Voice, and has hosted and curated In The Flesh Reading Series, for five years. Her writing has been published in over 100 anthologies, including Susie Bright’s X: The Erotic Treasury, Best American Erotica 2004 and 2006, and Zane’s Purple Panties and the New York Times bestseller Succulent: Chocolate Flava II. She has written for Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast, Fresh Yarn, Mediabistro, Newsday, New York Post, Penthouse, Time Out New York, Zink and other publications.

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Yes, I have dandruff

And I wrote about it for The Gloss.

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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Joan Price on me, Candida Royalle and others not having sex

Naked At Our Age author Joan Price writes on her blog about me, Candida Royalle, herself and other women who are taking a break from sex. I'm so pleased I made this decision; I almost wrote "belated decision," but I was so mired in a certain way of thinking that it didn't even occur to me until there was no other choice, until it was so glaringly obvious that I was looking for love/lust/attention/affection in all the wrong places and had to go all the way back and look for it within myself.

So thanks to the Top Chef and a very crazy November, December and January for leading me to the light! I'm trying very hard to take better care of my health, my home, my finances and resurrect my flagging writing and realized how much all of that energy was being taken away by devoting it to people who I so didn't belong with and vice versa. They didn't take it away, I did, and seeing that so starkly, seeing how I thought I was so empty I should continue to pursue and privilege the most unavailable of people, after a series of extremely unavailable people, well, that was just the kick in the ass I needed.

I repeated those poor choices over and over because they were familiar, easy, because I didn't think I deserved all of someone, so I settled for the tiniest slivers they could offer, for as long as they were interested, which is the subject of another piece I'm working on, but like stopping the sheer wastefulness of time and money I was throwing into In The Flesh with nothing to show for it, I stopped that madness of sex and dating to preserve myself and find out who I want to be. If I ever go back to it, and right now I feel like I'd be perfectly content to not and look into alternative means of procreation, I want to do so as a better person, not as the broken fuckup I was and still, to a large degree, am. I will never be perfect, and I am not striving for that, but I am working on measurable goals so that I can assess how I'm doing, hold myself accountable. I'll be lucky if I'm there in November, but November is where I'm focused, when I can leave 35 behind and hopefully wrap up a year of thoughtfulness and action over things I can be proactive about. Maybe that sounds inarticulate, and the last few weeks have been challenging but I'm 100% positive they'd be way more challenging if I was still engaging in very bad-for-me behavior.

That's why I loved the phrase "crazy girl willing to work on herself" in the Sascha Rothchild Vows profile in The New York Times. As for me, I'm glad it's not too late to save myself, to work on the long and, yes, at times lonely, path to being someone I can be proud of. I was never going to get there by privileging sex and dating over, well, me. In an ideal world, they would complement each other, but I never found that ideal, and maybe I never will. I am okay with that; I'm looking for those ideals within myself, within the things I have the power to change. Other people and their feelings about me are always going to be beyond my power to change, and I finally recognize that. And it doesn't feel like an exaggeration to say that has made all the difference.

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Saturday, March 19, 2011

Live on the radio!

Listen in or call in to 626-414-3413!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Rinse, lather, repeat

Lately, my writing life has been pretty dead. It's been all failure, rejection, self-sabotage, rinse, lather, repeat. I'm trying to claw my way out of that hole and try to find little successes alongside the failures and envision a bigger picture, a better future where I actually produce words that people want to read. Maybe that's all in my head, only time will tell, but first I actually have to get that vision in my head. I sat in the sun today, in parks, and I knew if I felt as hollow inside watching adorable small children run around as I have all week that something has to change.

In the meantime, I may be posting some of the rejects and other random things here. Or not. We shall see. I'm fighting my impulse to hit delete on this blog, my Tumblr, my Facebook, my Twitter, all of it. Social media especially feels stupid and draining and pointless a lot of the time, and like all the other stuff I'm doing, like chats and readings and BEA, like they are just the height of vanity and hubris, a way to look "busy" when I'm the exact opposite. Yet I have committed to them and even if it's just triage, I will keep doing those things until I figure out something truly worth creating. And some of the events, the ones that are unique, like my Seattle reading, I am truly looking forward to. I have an idea for NYC as well if I can find a way to make it worthwhile, but I've got lots of catching up to do first.

I've promised myself this is the last year I will be doing readings in the same way I have been, so I'm gonna go for it where places will have me and give it my all, and hope that there is a silver lining somewhere inside. Looking for it outside has been my fatal flaw and I see that now and am starting fresh, from the beginning. I may produce nothing, and that's okay, as long as I don't give up. Trust me, I've given up a million times, it's my instinct, my m.o., often what feels more natural than anything. It's what I've often come to expect of myself.

I know it may not look like it to people who just see what I have put out--I don't deny that I have accomplished plenty--but I know in my heart, the only place it matters, that I have done the barest of minimums, have let opportunities pass me right by because I was scared or thought I didn't deserve them. I've opted, for my whole life, for the easy way out. When things got tough, I got going, not with a fast ripping of the Band-Aid, but the slowest death possible, the most agonizing long way, maybe to punish myself, or because I wanted to give myself some second or third chance in the hope that this time would produce different results. I do want to live differently, even though I doubt my ability to do so, but when things are at their bleakest, I can only know that they must get better, or I must work to make them better.

I'm grateful for the glimmers of opportunities that have come my way recently, and hope I can honor them. And I'm thankful for all the people who provide examples of everything I haven't been but hope to be. You inspire me to try, again and again, and remind me that the perfect is indeed the enemy of the good.

Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign

Back Up Your Birth Control is a national campaign to expand access to emergency contraception (EC) by increasing public education and awareness. Each year, a partnership of leading advocacy organizations, service providers, and other community stakeholders conduct educational outreach and offer free services, culminating in the Day of Action.

The 10th annual National Day of Action will be on March 30, 2011.

The Back Up Your Birth Control campaign is a project of the National Institute for Reproductive Health.

See more of their awesome EC someecards here.

>

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This t-shirt is speaking directly to me

More than I could ever say here. Thanks, Johnny Cupcakes. I'm waiting to hear whether a London reading I'm trying to put together is happening (obviously I will post if that's a go) and if so, I'll get the chance to visit his newly opened London store.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Naked Girls Reading Gotta Have It live, free, Seattle, June 27th!

2011 is the last year I will be doing readings all over the place like a crazy woman unless they are very special (or someone else pays for me) so I really am excited about this very special reading. PLEASE do me a giant favor and tell anyone in Seattle who might be interested. I want to pack Babeland. Here's a too-racy-for-Facebook photo of Naked Girls Reading Seattle, who will be joining me, along with erotica writer extraordinaire Shanna Germain, author of the story "Genesis" and editor of the upcoming Bound to Lust. Shanna is also featured in the Gotta Have It book trailer. I'll get to work on some yummy cupcakes - I'll be in Seattle mid-April for CupcakeCamp Seattle and it's a huge cupcake city so I'm sure that won't be a problem.

Facebook invite
June 27, 6 to 8 pm, FREE
Join Gotta Have It editor Rachel Kramer Bussel, contributor Shanna Germain ("Genesis") and burlesque performers from Naked Girls Reading for a fun, fabulous event at Babeland Seattle for short, sexy readings from Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex, plus free cupcakes!





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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Kindle edition of BDSM erotica book Surrender now on sale for $8.10

I'm happy to announce, to those who are into BDSM erotica of the female submissive/male dominant kind and like to read Kindle e-books, that Surrender is finally out with a Kindle edition that only costs $8.10! What a bargain...through March 31st you can read my story "Belted," which is also in Surrender, for free at ERWA. I've gotten some great feedback on the cover - it's by one of my favorite photographers, Barbara Nitke, and I'm so honored to have her work gracing the cover of my book.




Buy Surrender from:

Amazon.com

Kindle edition

Bn.com (Barnes & Noble)

Books-a-Million

Borders

Powell's

IndieBound (find your local independent bookstore)

Cleis Press

Introduction: Surrendering to Pleasure—and Power

Dear Professor Pervert Donna George Storey
Daddy’s Girl Teresa Noelle Roberts
Power Over Power Emerald
The Chair Lolita Lopez
Without Eyes Terri Pray
The Hardest Part Alison Tyler
Rapunzel Jacqueline Applebee
The Royalton–A Daray Tale Tess Danesi
The Sun is an Ordinary Star Shanna Germain
Belted Rachel Kramer Bussel
Lunch Elizabeth Coldwell
Schoolgirl and Angel Thomas S. Roche
First Date with the Dom Noelle Keely
In Control M. Christian
Wild Child Matt Conklin
Brianna’s Fire Amanda Earl
Forceful Personalities Dominic Santi
Veronica’s Body Isabelle Gray
The London O Justine Elyot
Pink Cheeks Fiona Locke
How Bad Do You Want It? Gwen Masters
Stripped Clancy Nacht

Introduction: Surrendering to Pleasure—and Power

I’m not surprised to learn that female submission is a hot topic. For the many women who fantasize about giving up control, bending over, hearing the click of a pair of handcuffs or engaging in kinky roleplay, that desire can consume them—and lead them to some wicked fantasies.

The stories here run the gamut from couples engaged in hardcore kink to the psychology of submission, with everything from coming in public to submitting to a Krav Maga teacher.

Whether you know you’re a submissive (sometimes or all the time, or just in your head) or you’re curious, this book rums the gamut and is an opportunity to read about things you might want to try, some you’d never dare, and some that will likely stay in your mind (and other body parts) for a long time to come. For me, the best erotica not only arouses my senses, as well as my libido, but takes me all the way into the character who’s experiencing such deliciously exciting erotic encounters.

These encounters are mostly focused on the women, the brats, the subs, the bad girls, but in them, you will find the most wicked of tops—wickedly insightful, wickedly mean, wickedly sadistic, wickedly keen on prompting pleasure out of these women who have chosen them to surrender to. These are the men who know the right time to push a woman’s buttons—and boundaries—who concoct vivid experiments in kink. Some of these tales are from their point of view, offering insight into what it’s like to desire a woman to be bound and at their mercy.

I shouldn’t have to say this, but I feel I must: these stories are not about men violating women. They are not about women being abused or mistreated. They are about women accessing a side of themselves that many of us bury, precisely because we feel it’s not “feminist” enough or is somehow otherwise politically incorrect to want to kneel, bend over, open our mouths, spread our legs, submit, and surrender. As Dominic says in “Power Over Power” to his student, Jackie: “You’re looking for power. In your own way, getting fucked rough like that will make you feel powerful. Is that right?” Vince echoes this to his wife in “Veronica’s Body” when he instructs her, “Don’t ever back down from me.” He wants a woman who can meet him in bed as an equal partner even as he whips her until she trembles. When he disciplines her, it’s an act of love as much as, if not more than, it’s an act of kinkiness.

Good BDSM erotica makes you understand all the emotions that can come into play when, well, playing: there can be uncertainty, nervousness, fear, excitement. I selected each of the 22 stories in Surrender because they’re blazingly hot and because they illuminate some aspect of submission that I think is

The authors of the stories you’re about to read understand the art of submission and the thrill of surrender, whether that’s personal space, sight (“Without Eyes” by Terri Pray) or culinary choices (“Lunch” by Elizabeth Coldwell).

What the women here want is to give up part of themselves to gain something else. They may still be skittish, but overcoming their fears, surrendering to them, yields beauty, pleasure and, in its way, power.

In “Dear Professor Pervert,” a student learns several very kinky lessons about how to get off—and follow orders.

With “Daddy’s Girl,” Teresa Noelle Roberts takes the topic of Daddy/girl play which, I fully confess, is not something I normally enjoy reading, and turns it into a kinky roleplaying tale which stays hot throughout while also explaining the Daddy dynamic. Emerald delivers a riveting tale of power play in “Power Over Power,” where a Krav Maga instructor shows his student that the heart of her true power lies in her owning her submission and baring more than just her body.

In “The Chair,” the title object becomes the ultimate sex toy for Cal to use in teasing and tormenting Lily, while Susan in “Without Eyes,” goes from being irate to being on her knees in moments.

Anticipation is often the hottest part of a scene, with the sub wondering when and how the action will happen. In “The Hardest Part,” Alison Tyler offers up the exquisite torture of waiting for your kinky fantasies to come true:

I’m over his lap. I’ve been needing a spanking for too long, and he’s been making me wait. In spite of everything I’ve done, he’s ignored the signals. I’ve been bratty. I’ve been bad. I may as well have worn a t-shirt with the words SPANK ME in bold scarlet letters across the front.

With “Rapunzel,” Jacqueline Applebee, when a woman agrees to give up her long locks, she bares herself in an unexpected way (any woman who’s ever submitted to a hairdresser’s chair knows the tension and masochism involved!), while in “The Royalton-A Daray Tale,” Tess Danesi makes a kinky fantasy come true in an upscale hotel.

With “The Sun is an Ordinary Story,” Shanna Germain takes something you wouldn’t expect to read about in an erotica book—cancer—and offers up a vitally human story about the transformative power of kink and how getting back to playing rough makes one woman feel more alive than ever.

In my story “Belted,” the narrator wonders what it is about her lover that turns her on quite so much:

Is it the belt that makes you come? The leather, the thrash, the pain, the jolt? Is it the force behind it? Is it the noises he makes as he does it, the hitches of breath that are nothing like your shuddering sobs but are music to your ears nonetheless--is that what makes you finally go over the edge? Is it him holding you down, him promising you pain that may or may not come?

I love stories that delve into the psychology of BDSM, and few writers do that better than Elizabeth Coldwell. With “Lunch,” she will not only have you eyeing your fellow deli customers with a keener eye, but also showing the erotic potential within even the smallest decisions, once we’ve given up the decision making power to someone else.

Erotica impresario Thomas S. Roche gives us “Schoolgirl and Angel,” a top and his sub find a new plaything at a dungeon party, one who’s a little more mouthy than they’re used to. Serena winds up taking off her panties in public, among many other things, in “First Date with the Dom.”

Sometimes a bratty girl doesn’t even know she’s begging to be put in her place, or how much she might like someone else taking control. In “Wild Child” by Matt Conklin, an older man sees beneath the veneer of the young woman sitting next to him on a plane, all too happy to show her what true rebellion is all about. In “Brianna’s Fire” by Amanda Earl, a slave is put to the test, while “Forceful Personalities” come into play when Christa takes a while to submit, even though she wants to, desperately. That tension between wanting to be as slutty as we are in our fantasies, and actually doing it, plays out in numerous other stories as well. A tourist attraction provides a welcome opportunity for public sex in Justine Elyot’s “The London O.”

“In Control” takes us online, to a chat room whose participants XX, while in Fiona Locke’s “Pink Cheeks,” a woman who’s been lurking in another online forum finds out what happens when someone she sees every day finds out her naughtiest secrets. Finally, in Gwen Masters’ “How Bad Do You Want It?” she asks the title question, which I might turn over to you, dear reader. I have a feeling you want it very, very badly, “it” being all the most out-there, I-could-never (yet I can’t stop thinking about them) fantasies that flirt at the edges of your mind when you are getting yourself off, alone or with a partner.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Blog recommendation: Tribal Writer

I just edited over 10,000 of my own words, which I hope I'll be able to share with you soon (submitted a piece on spec), so my brain is a little fried. So here's a link to a must-read blog by author Justine Musk, who has the most amazing insights on creativity, branding, renewal and life. Tribal Writer. HIGHLY recommended.

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Chat about erotica with me and anthology contributors Saturday, March 19th from 2-3 pm EST

We are scheduling more call-in chats like the one we did last week for the RKB Online Book Club (but you don't have to have read the books to listen or participate), and I'll announce them as soon as I know. They are live, anyone can call in, and then they get archived. Looking forward to it! Full details here. Call-in number is 626-414-3413. Saturday, March 19th, 2-3 pm EST.

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Sex Diary: "The Polyamorous Transman Getting It On to the Glee Soundtrack"

For the Glee fans. And everyone else. This week's sex diary (I edit these) - scroll down to the bottom if you're a New Yorker who wants to submit a sex diary, and please tell your friends, it does pay.

"The Polyamorous Transman Getting It On to the Glee Soundtrack"

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"So What If Monica Lewinsky Is Single? An Open Letter to the Daily Mail"

I wrote "So What If Monica Lewinsky Is Single? An Open Letter to the Daily Mail" at Huffington Post. And yes, people like Perez Hilton and others picked it up, but it's a tabloid story, and a dumb one at that.

Dear The Daily Mail,

I understand that you need to sell newspapers, but I read your article on Monica Lewinsky twice and, after coming away with no new information about her each time, am puzzled over why you would print this. Is her single status really news?

While you thoroughly rehashed the fact that Bill Clinton basically had an affair with her then threw her under the bus, we already knew that. You quote her extensively from 2004... seven years ago. The only new quotes come from a "friend" of hers in the National Enquirer.


Read the whole thing

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Sunday, March 13, 2011

You know you want a decapitated zombie gingerbread cupcake recipe

Right? If so, just visit Cupcakes Take the Cake for the recipe from Zombie Cupcakes: From the Grave to the Table with 16 Cupcake Corpses by Zilly Rosen!

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Momentumcon conference on sex, feminism, relationships and more April 1-3 in Washington, DC

I'm looking forward to hearing and seeing all sorts of awesome people at the conference Momentumcon in Washington, DC April 2-3 like porn star Dylan Ryan, Big Sex Little Death author Susie Bright, the wonderful Tristan Taormino, Open author Jenny Block, Carol Queen, Funky Brown Chick Twanna Hines, Jamye Waxman and tons more. Check out the schedule . I am not speaking but I will be bringing some cupcakes and will have book postcards (I'm only attending late Saturday and Sunday but plan to pack as much into that time as I can). Check out these session titles - only downside is I can't go to them all! Follow @momentumcon on Twitter for details about the sessions.



Sessions

1. I Used to be a White Knight, but now I’m a Feminist
2. No Homo: Prejudice and Homophobia within the Gay Community
3. Traveling the Yellow Brick Road of Kink: How to Avoid The Flying Monkeys Along the Road to Oz
4. Polyamory & New Media
5. What it Takes to (Successfully!) Date a Sex Worker
6. How to Succeed in Business – Giving Customers What They Want When They Want It
7. Sex Worker and Single
8. Play With Your Food: The Delicious Space That Is the Intersection of Food and Sex
9. Who is SexyKitty69? Exploring the social media pros & cons of anonymity
10. Odd Girl Out: Straddling The Fields of Sexual Health and Sexual Pleasure
11. Teaching and Learning Tantra Online
12. One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Identities and Intersections
13. Women Taking Power: D/s dynamic as Feminism
14. The Feminist Connection
15. Podcasting — What’s in It for Me: Marketing, Mojo and Monetization
16. Porn Stars Off the Set
17. New Media Roundtable – Tips and Tools for Social Change
18. Feminism, Sex Toys and Capitalism
19. The Accidental Poster Child: How to Handle the Media When it Comes Calling
20. Sex Positive Interventions: The Feminist Sex Wars and Beyond
21. Business Management Techniques for Sex Positive Entreprenuers
22. How New Media Has Changed the Way We Think About Porn
23. Defining Non-Monogamy: Bridging the Gap in the Community
24. Blogging the Gap: How Sex Workers and Sex Writers Can Work Together
25. Ethics and Responsibilities for Sex-Positive Writing
26. Multigen Feminist Pornographers Mouth Off
27. A Spoonful of Chocolate Makes the Vanilla Go Down
28. Sense & Sexuality: How Taking It Off Empowers The World!
29. The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Looking at Female Masturbation Past and Present
30. Sex in the Sanctuary
31. Personal Branding for the Sex-Positive Activist
32. Sex & Race in America: Opening the Bedroom Door
33. Special Events at MOMENTUM

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Thursday, March 10, 2011

Free mini cupcake, cake pop, whoopie pie or square at Starbucks with drink purchase March 10, 11, 12

Get details and a cupcake review at Cupcakes Take the Cake



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Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Why I'm Taking The Year Off From Sex and Dating

Click through to read my latest SexIs Magazine column, "Why I'm Taking The Year Off From Sex and Dating."

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Midori to write foreword to Best Bondage Erotica 2012

Great news! Midori, author of The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage, will be writing a foreword to Best Bondage Erotica 2012. Check out the 2011 edition to find out the kinds of stories I'm looking for, though creativity, uniqueness and hotness are always key. The deadline is April 1st, and I've already conditionally accepted a few of the submissions, so getting yours in early is a good idea! (I consider everything received by April 1st, to be clear, but there are more slots open the earlier you get your story in and it makes my life a lot easier to work as I go.) That being said, I'd rather have a killer, typo-free story on April 1st than a lackluster, typo-ridden one today. I'm impressed with the creativity I've seen so far in submissions and am looking forward to a wide array of bondage scenarios.

Click here to see all my current calls for submission.

For those interested in the topic, Midori's book is beautiful:



Best Bondage Erotica 2012

To be published by Cleis Press in late 2011

Edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel



Best Bondage Erotica 2012 will collect the best bondage erotica stories around, focusing on a range of techniques, implements, characters and scenarios, from newbies to seasoned bondage players and everything in between. Bondage should be a central focus of the erotic element of the story but the plot does not have to hinge on bondage. Bondage plus other sexual activity is welcome (spanking, intercourse, oral sex, teasing, etc.). As befitting the title, I’m looking for the best, hottest, most creative bondage erotica for this collection. All genders/sexual orientations. Original stories strongly preferred, but reprints of work published (or slated to be published) between September 2010 and November 2011 will be considered. All characters must be over 18; no incest or bestiality. Please see Best Bondage Erotica 2011 (http://www.bestbondageerotica.com) or my other kinky Cleis Press anthologies (Bottoms Up, Spanked, Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma’am, He’s on Top, She’s on Top) for an idea of the kinds of stories I prefer.



How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-4,000 word story. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to bestbondage2012@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. I will get back to you by September 2011.



Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication



Deadline: April 1, 2011 (earlier submissions encouraged)



I’ve been seeing numerous recent submissions that do not conform to my guidelines. They are there for a reason. Please read and follow them or risk your submission being rejected or returned for reformatting. If you have any questions, please contact me at bestbondage2012@gmail.com

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Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Chat with me at Goodreads live online Wednesday, March 9th, 7 pm EST!

I'm doing a book club! It all happens Wednesday night at Blog Talk Radio and you can get the official scoop at Goodreads.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011, 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET

Introductory broadcast of the Rachel Kramer Bussel Online Book Club featuring discussions, commentary, callers and guests from RKB's list of erotica bestsellers, including GOTTA HAVE IT: 69 STORIES OF SUDDEN SEX (Cleis Press, 2011).

Joining the Online Book Club is easy, just visit Goodreads.com or email info@rarebirdlit.com for more information.

To refresh your memory about Gotta Have It if you haven't read it, more info is below.


Keep up with the latest news about Gotta Have It on Facebook and @gottahaveitbook on Twitter

Rachel Kramer Bussel has collected a wide and wild variety of original erotica stories that are deliciously short — just one orgasmic bite at a time. In 1,200 words or less, these authors explore every which way you can "get it on,” including threesomes, sex toys, public sex, BDSM, fetishes, and much more. Get “Anal-yzed,” learn “The Advantage of Working from Home” and spy some risqué “Vacation Pictures.” There are pecan rolls dripping in caramel and meals where lovers feast on nothing but each other. From crossword puzzles to Godzilla, these tales are perfect for reading aloud before you live out your own frisky fantasy. For those who like their sex quick and naughty, Gotta Have It has a host of erotic offerings to get you going.

Order Gotta Have It from:

Amazon.com

Kindle edition

Bn.com (Barnes & Noble)

Books-a-Million

Borders

Powell's

IndieBound (find your local independent bookstore)

Cleis Press



Introduction: Short, Sweet and Totally Sexy

Seven-Letter Word Heather Lin
No Blame, No Shame Jeremy Edwards
Wasn’t It Good? Andrea Dale
The Things a Woman Will Make a Man Do for Her Isabelle Gray
Special Collections Fiona Curtis
Wonderland Madeline Elayne
Red Light Angela Caperton
My Femme Evan Mora
Genesis Shanna Germain
Serious Moonlight Michael A. Gonzales
Too Wondrous to Measure Salome Wilde
Hors d’Oeuvre Stan Kent
Missed Connection Tigress Healy
Ties That Bind Daniel Burnell
Eat Me Marina Saint
Jarret Shane Allison
Lucky Number Fifty-One Jennifer Peters
Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler Tara Young
Spunk Sylvia Lowry
Time Cecilia Tan
Dining in the Dark Elizabeth Daniels
Downpour Elle
Need-Leash Mike Kimera
Crushed Satin Organza Carmel Lockyer
Not on the Mouth Cole Riley
Hot Buns on a Sunday Afternoon Erica Rivera
Feel the Burn Thomas S. Roche
Trixie Jen Cross
Police Dogging Elizabeth Coldwell
Tip Me Kiki DeLovely
Marxist Theory Elizabeth Hyder
The Dirty Things She Says Sinclair Sexsmith
Laughter in Hades Teresa Noelle Roberts
The Quick Stop Shashauna P. Thomas
Pain Surfer Cate Ellink
After Ten Years Christen Clifford
Over His Shoulder Maximilian Lagos
Manners Rachel Kramer Bussel (read it in full here)
Veronica’s Ass Matt Conklin
Punishment Befitting the Crime D. L. King
Lies Kristina Wright
A Forced Witness Vampirique Dezire
Concensus Denise Hoffner
Don’t Struggle Valerie Alexander
Plotter Monocle
Intercept Burton Lawrence
Not a Bang, but a Whimper Jacqueline Applebee
Suggestion Emerald
Hands Free Effie Merryl
Remembering the Wrinkles Penelope Friday
Leaves Elise Hepner
The Copilot Mike Bruno
Pierced Kirsty Logan
Last-Time Lesbian Geneva King
Anal-yzed Donna George Storey
Independence Day Kate Pearce
Going Bald Craig J. Sorensen
Continuing Education Anya Levin
Meet Me in the Kitchen Giselle Renarde
Over the Line Helia Brookes
Not Just a Myth Heidi Champa
Hunger Maria See
The Tipping Point Lolita Lopez
The Advantage of Working from Home Kay Jaybee
For Dessert Jordana Winters
Good Neighbors Mercy Loomis
Laugh Sommer Marsden
A Good Stiff One Kathleen Bradean
Vacation Pictures Robert Peregrine

Introduction: Short, Sweet and Totally Sexy

Everyone needs a break from his or her everyday life sometimes, and what better way to escape than with a short story that gets right to the point? The authors of the sixty-nine stories you hold in your hand understand exactly how to pique your interest and get you off , and they do it all in 1,200 words or less. You don’t need long to get drawn into the drama, tension and lust.

I received close to three hundred submissions for this collection, more than I ever have before, and I think that’s because no one, writer or reader alike, can resist a short story that seduces instantaneously. These stories aren’t all about quickie sex, though there’s plenty of that. There are strangers who meet and know right away they must have each other, neighbors, travel mates, coworkers and long-term couples such as those in “After Ten Years” and “Remembering the Wrinkles” who are looking for ways to hold on to that spark. There are stories of sex in libraries, vacation sex and lots of outdoor sex—in the rain, in the street, all over. There are lovers with pecan rolls dripping in caramel, and meals where lovers feast on nothing but each other. There are even a few stories with no actual sex in them at all--you’ll have to hunt those down and see why anticipation can be the sexiest act of all.

There’s humor, kink, flirtation, Godzilla, missed connections, sex toys, and one very bold census taker. But I don’t want to take up too much of your time that could be better spent getting intimately acquainted with these short but incredibly sexy stories. I hope you will savor them, read them aloud and return to your favorites again and again. Because all of us have a few minutes set aside for a quickie, don’t we?

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

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Vegas, baby! I'm speaking at the Sex in Sin City conference

I will post when I have exact panel details, but I will be speaking about erotica editing at this awesome Sex in Sin City conference in September. And it's my chance to revisit Vegas - I haven't been since 2002, well before I became a cupcake blogger, and Las Vegas is a big cupcake city.

Sex in Sin City

Las Vegas
The Erotic Authors Association’s Inaugural Conference
September 9-10, 2011
The Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada
Join authors, artists, publishers and fans for an amazing weekend of readings, panels and industry networking. The conference will be capped by a reception at the Flamingo’s Terrace Balcony. This is the first convention designed for readers, authors and those who enjoy the erotic side of life.

When: Sept. 9-10 2011, Flamingo Las Vegas
Registration: The cost will be $165 until August 1. After August 1 $185. No refunds 30 days before the event.
Rooms: $99 a night, double occupancy (room registration link coming soon!)

Flamingo Las Vegas
The Flamingo
September 8-10, 2011
3555 Las Vegas Blvd. South,
Las Vegas, NV 89109
888-902-9929


The Flamingo has graciously reserved a block of deluxe rooms at the price of $99.00 per night.

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