Email: rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com



 

Lusty Lady

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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

The last sex diary

The last sex diary went up today, and it's kinky and poly: The Portland Woman Masturbating With Clothespins on Her Nipples. Thanks for supporting the series!

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22 bisexual erotica excerpts from Twice the Pleasure

I just gave an interview to The Advocate about Lindsay Lohan and bisexuality (will post when it's up) and so wanted to take a moment to give you some teasers from Twice the Pleasure: Bisexual Women's Erotica. While one anthology can't encompass every aspect of a topic as huge as bisexuality, I tried hard to create a diverse collection in terms of sexual identity and how that plays out in the erotic aspects of the stories. I didn't want every story to be filled with the word "bisexual." I didn't want every character to identify as bi. As with any anthology, I wanted a range of voices and stories. I hope I've succeeded! Below each story title is a very short snippet of the story.



Purchase Twice the Pleasure: Bisexual Women’s Erotica from:

Amazon

Kindle ebook

Bn.com

Nook ebook

Powell’s

IndieBound (find your local independent bookstore)

Cleis Press

Introduction: Hot Bi Babes: A Both/And Approach to Bisexuality

1 Percent Adaptable Nicole Wolfe
Laura hadn’t moved. She couldn’t. Marie’s delicate hand caressed her breasts through her shirt and her little mouth left little lipstick prints across her collarbone. Laura felt an overpowering urge to run, then another to relax and then another to pick up this exotic woman and press her against the nearest wall while they kissed.
The Wife Kay Jaybee
The hand around her bare arm relaxed its grip a little, but Karen didn’t let go. Instead, she began to trail her neatly trimmed, black-painted fingernails up and down a square inch of Jade’s skin, sending electric waves of unexpected desire through Jade’s body. “So, let me look at you properly; let me see exactly what my husband sees in a little girl like you.”
Operetta Jean Roberta
Luke lowered his head to capture one of my nipples between his lips as though it were a ripe raspberry. He sucked it like a connoisseur, gradually increasing the pressure. His hot scalp gave off a scent of male sweat that appealed to me in spite of myself. Just when I thought Luke’s sucking had stretched my nipple to its longest possible size, he flicked the tip with his tongue. I moaned.
Lifeline Emerald
As Chelsea dipped low now, focusing her gaze on the circle of customers surrounding the stage, she felt the blood rushing to her clit—but it wasn’t because of the excitement of the spotlight, the men looking hungrily at her from the front row and back as far as the bar to the side of the stage. It was because of that kiss, the innocent gesture Jocelyn had undoubtedly offered with the same casualness she had her smile but that sent Chelsea’s imagination into places wet with desire. Her mind whirled with images of Jocelyn’s stunning dark hair thrown back as she thrust her bare breasts toward Chelsea’s mouth, of Chelsea’s fingers plunging deep into the hot recesses of her desire, her body—her soul.

A scattering of applause startled her from her reverie as her first song ended. Flushed and out of breath, she found herself in a position she didn’t remember getting into, on her knees with her thighs splayed wide, her hands gripping her breasts. She could feel that her royal blue G-string was almost soaked through.
Goa Dena Hankins
While Thomas and I held our silent conversation, Cybele stirred. Her breasts rubbed against mine and my expression turned wry. Thomas smiled at me and raised one hand to stroke my hair. Then Cybele did the unexpected.

She kissed my collarbone. She nipped at the thin skin there and ran her tongue along the hollow. My eyes widened. Cybele raised her head and I looked down. Before I could say a word, she kissed me.
The Robber Girl Lori Selke
“Your pretty face can be a liability, or it can be a tool,” the robber girl says. “I myself am plain. I have learned to use other tools.” Her hand strays to Gerda’s waist. “Let the men admire you. Let them do you little favors. Do them favors in return. They will be loyal as dogs. But don’t give them everything,” she adds. “Leave them wanting more.”

She leans in to whisper in Gerda’s ear. “Right now, what they want is you. But I won’t let them have what they want. You are my prize.” Her hand pinches Gerda’s butt. Gerda jumps. “But I will let them look. They will drink in your face like a draft from a well. They will know that you please me, and that will please them, too.”
The Adulterers Penelope Friday
He is silent, and you smile, all feminine confidence. You rest a hand on his thigh and look up at him from your new position. He looks a little guilty, a touch ashamed…and so he should. He has a wife waiting for him at home, someone who loves him, someone he professes to love. But he’s here with you, like this. You lean forward, and his lips are slightly apart, his eyes glazed, as he shuffles forward on his seat, allowing you to take the zip of his jeans between your teeth and pull it down. His underwear is concealing his flesh—more or less—but it does nothing to hide the bulge, the erect cock waiting to be unleashed. You give him one last chance to say no, to pull away. He doesn’t take it.
Sunset Logan Belle
“Give it to her,” he whispered in her ear. No, she couldn’t.

But then the woman stood in front of Meg. She smiled at her and then stretched out on her back in front of her, her hair fanning over the edge of the stage and brushing Meg’s thighs. From that prone position, the girl kicked her legs, then quickly turned around so her breasts were in Meg’s face.
Break Cheryl B.
I opened the bottom drawer of her nightstand, where she kept the supplies, and felt around for her riding crop. It was at the bottom. Did this mean she hadn’t used it in a while? Was blondie not into spanking? I spread her knees farther apart and fastened each ankle in its restraint.

“Don’t move,” I told her and smacked her ass hard with my hand just to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.
In the Mirror Valerie Alexander
They’d met last summer when I started dating her, but they hadn’t spent any real time together before she returned to art school. But now we were in her city, and she had picked us up today at the airport. She’d given a brief tour along the way to the hotel and Will had watched her face with a suspicious, slightly amazed expression, like he’d never seen her before. We always got to know each other’s lovers; it was part of our agreement and a way of signaling to them that there would be no shifting priorities or betrayals. Just like when he started sleeping with Toby two months ago, and we had him over for dinner. What wasn’t part of our official agreement was that we only slept with our own gender, but somehow it had worked out that way. None of the men who hit on me ever compared to my perfect husband. Or maybe it was that I enjoyed a chase, and women were always so much more elusive and therefore all the more alluring for the chance to experience that aching, tantalizing arc from falling for a woman to the first time I held her naked in my arms.

Hanna, of course, was the sweetest ache of all, my doe-eyed little art student who looked so serious and dedicated while painting yet fucked with a feverish, half-sobbing passion that amazed and besotted me every time. People thought she was pretty but they rarely twigged to her carnal potential; watching my husband in the mirror now, I suspected he had.
Glitter in the Gutter Giselle Renarde
All I could think to do in that moment, the only thing that might make him feel better, was to open up his shirt and suckle those funny little breasts that swept upward like cones and peaked in silky nipples. I licked that soft pink flesh up and down with the tip of my tongue. When I felt his hand in my hair, I knew everything would be all right. A dainty moan escaped his lips when my licks turned to sucks, and I pressed his fleshy tits together to alternate between them.

“Dotschy,” he whispered, his voice light as meringue, “please don’t stop.”

I didn’t even pause to say, “I won’t.” I let my words vibrate against his nipples as I teased that precious flesh.
Seduction Dance Dorothy Freed
Leon grinned and smacked me hard on the ass. “Go for it, baby. Take her. Bring her back here to me.”

“Thank you, Sir,” I said, and, eyes on the prize, I began my seduction dance.

Madonna again—”Burning Up”—an insistent, aggressive beat that resonated with my excitement level. Moving with abandon, I kept time to the music, grinding my hips suggestively, thigh, ass and belly muscles engaged; shoulders, arms and breasts swaying. My long auburn curls tumbled over my shoulders as I danced. My green predator eyes were fixed on the woman’s innocent blue ones. I had her full attention now. She was moving in sync with me.

I couldn’t stop smiling as I danced ten feet and eight feet and six feet from her. People picked up on the heat level between us and turned to watch. Tuning them out, I continued, high on excitement, until I’d danced my way across the room and stood before her—so up close and personal, I could feel her body heat.
A Little Fun Rachel Kramer Bussel
“Are you trying to flirt with me?” The words burst out of Dee’s mouth before she realized quite how harsh they sounded. They weren’t a girl/woman’s words; there was no uptick at the end of the question, no accompanying flirtatious smile or toss of long, glossy hair—Dee didn’t have any of the latter, but if she did, it would be worn down her back in one long braid, like she had in junior high, when her mother insisted she keep it well past her shoulders.

“So what if I am?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. He wasn’t laughing at her—he was challenging her. Dee’s face flushed—she had her tells, as well—and she was annoyed that she was, somewhere, somehow, getting just a little turned on. Had a male stranger who wasn’t overtly gay ever flirted with her like this? She’d have to ponder that one later. She was so used to being the one to make the first move, flirting with women, mostly femmes, the occasional androgynous type, a few trans guys who always made Dee feel old. She looked every bit of her forty years, and she didn’t mind; her body was strong and she’d packed a lot into her life so far.

“Look, I really appreciate this”—Dee held up the cold, frosty glass—“but I’m gay. Into girls. Women. Queer. In case you couldn’t tell.” She gestured down at her outfit and willed herself not to blush when she saw that her nipples were hard beneath her white tank top and T-shirt. It was summer, and she hated wearing a bra and tried to avoid it whenever she could.
Trinity Jordana Winters
Carmen had seen her before. Her body was a picture of perfection. To say she was toned would be an understatement—she was ripped from head to toe. She always wore short shorts and a sports bra that showcased her ridiculously cut abs.

Carmen watched her walk through the gym with a feline grace. She observed that both men’s and women’s eyes followed the other woman wherever she went and seemed to scrutinize her every move. She commanded attention with her confidence and self-assurance. She clearly knew she was hot, yet she pulled it off without being cocky, just proud. If they could tear their eyes off her body they’d realize she was also very pretty. She had a Bettie Page haircut, only shorter, which suited her deliciously. Her skin was pale and appeared flawless. To be sure—she was a looker.
Meeting at the Hole in the Wall Aimee Pearl
I like rough sex with a certain flavor that’s hard to come by. A friend of mine who’s also a masochist is always talking about how hard it is to find a good sadist. How rare they are. How masochists vastly outnumber sadists, and how sadists can have their pick of whomever they want and we masochists just have to be happy with what we get. I think I’ve started to believe her…

I tend to see myself, for better or worse, through the eyes of my lovers. One guy I’m with makes me feel like the most beautiful woman on the planet. Another woman, a friend of mine “with benefits,” makes me feel smart and fun to be around. But this guy makes me feel like I’m lucky to even get his time. It’s wreaking havoc with my self-esteem. What’s wrong with me? Have I internalized the sadist/masochist dynamic to the point where I actually put him above me in real life? And why do I crave even the slightest attention from this man?
The State Tahira Iqbal
“I thought you were Antonio.”

She smiles warmly as I try to settle my charging heart, but it doesn’t work. Her hair is damp; small dark pools of water pepper her navy-blue T-shirt.

I close my eyes. “I want this to be over, to know who did this, to not feel this scared.”

Her arms go around my frame and I sink into the embrace, propelled by the furious feelings in my pelvis that feel so different from being intimate with Antonio but utterly familiar as I recall a female lover from my past who’d been my first everything.
Strange Status Quo Salome Wilde
Sooner than she thought, she wanted more. Jake had reached inside and up the back of her blouse, then withdrew his hands to unbutton it and stroke gentle fingers over her belly and under her bra. Her nipples grew hard, sending shivers through her. She pulled Jake in close to squeeze his lovely tight buns, and felt the hardness waiting for her in those dress slacks. She took his hand and led him into her room, aiming for the bed in the darkness while her eyes were on the closet. When she saw the door was no longer fully closed, she thrilled, and felt her panties moisten. Amazing how just the tiniest crack, barely visible in the light trickling in from the front room, could make so much difference.

And that difference drove her through one incredible fuck. Once a shy, nearly asexual being, with her delicious little voyeur watching, she was a wild hedonist.
Walking the Walk Shanna Germain
“No,” I said. “I can’t…” Going out in public in next to nothing was panic-inducing enough; participating in a SlutWalk in little more than a bra and a bit of fabric around my ass was making my heart palpitate so hard I could feel it in my throat.

“Don’t make us come in there and get you!” I could hear giggles from the other side of the door. Jason and Sammie both. Just waiting for me to come out. Vultures.

“Fuck you both,” I said. Just because they were all about showing their bodies off all the time, making their views public. I was the quiet, shy door mouse of the three of us, content to stay at home while they went off gallivanting and doing their thing. As long as they came back to me, told me about their exploits and then fucked me into oblivion, I was completely content. I had no need to make myself seen.
ReGretable Circumstances Lane
With a little cry of delight, Marlene swept to the bedside where Tallulah was sitting with her fingers nestled between her thighs. I pressed back against the wood as Marlene fell to her knees before her, pushed her hand aside and buried her face into her sex. Using only her mouth, Marlene elicited one powerful climax after the other and kept licking till Tallulah’s hips surged forward in a final spasm and she was all but pleading for mercy.

“My god!” she gasped. “You haven’t changed, my darling. Just like old times!”

I raised my eyebrow, though as friends and fellow hedonists, it made sense that they’d been sexually involved. Marlene grinned, climbed onto the bed, and propped her back against the stack of pillows.

“Take off the rest of your clothes and come here, liebe.”
Right-Red Flagging Sinclair Sexsmith
Every Tuesday night the local boy bar is transformed into a leather cruising night, and I go every chance I get. It’s no stretch for my queer identity, not even a stretch for my dyke one—these days, fucking a cis guy is the queerest act there is. Me, I prefer the gay boys, the leather daddies, the twinks, the trans fags; so much more no-nonsense than the straight guys, though I’ll admit to the occasional foray into swinging. The straight picket-fence husband and his SUV-driving wife think they get to do a little girl-swap for my sweetie, but in fact we go homo and put the girls together, leaving me with him. He’s eager to bend over for my cock after we watch them go at it for a while, and inevitably all too eager to follow up with me after. They don’t have to wonder if they’re gay this way, though I make certain to assure them that they are, just to fuck with ’em.

The leather fags are different. No identity crisis, no curiosity or treating me like a circus sideshow act, no awkward gender questions or homophobia couched in ignorance. Especially when I’m in drag.
Page of Wands Cheyenne Blue
Deliberately, I pick one from the bottom and skate it out, flipping several of the cards to the sea breeze.

She glares at me, retrieves them, and studies the card I’ve picked. “The Page of Wands—someone young, ambiguous of gender. Know anyone who fits that description?” she asks offhandedly.

I have no idea what the Page of Wands is supposed to look like, and I wonder if her comment is deliberate—is it me she’s describing? “No,” I say, rather too forcefully.

“Then you’ll probably get laid tonight.” She winks.
What I Want, What I Need Jacqueline Applebee
Zanna kept on talking. “Why don’t we go out tonight? You might get lucky and meet the babe of your dreams.”

“I don’t think so.” I gripped the memories of Abigail in a clenched fist. I didn’t want another woman to dull my senses. My pillows still smelled of her perfume. My cunt still faintly tingled from her fingertips. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. An orange smear lay over my pale skin. Zanna was a good cook, but Abigail was better. Sure, it had all been veggie, but when a dish was made with love, I could eat it all day long.


Introduction: Hot Bi Babes: A Both/And Approach to Bisexuality

Woody Allen once famously said, “Bisexuality immediately doubles your chances for a date on Saturday night.” As a bisexual woman, I can attest that this is not necessarily true. Bisexuality is more than just a math equation and cannot be so easily categorized or summarized. Identifying as bi, or being attracted to or engaging in sex with a variety of genders, or whatever version of something approximating those states of being , is the theme of this anthology, and in many ways, the term is actually a lot broader than that dual opportunity. This is not a book about choosing either/or, male or female, or simply one of each. It’s not about narrowing gender down to one size fits all, but about expanding our options, to a both/and approach to how we view and cultivate our sexuality. It’s a welcoming, inclusive definition that welcomes all comers—pun fully intended.

I wanted this book, while fictional and focused on the erotic aspects of bisexual women’s lives, to explore as wide a swatch of “bisexual” as possible. That means that some of the best stories here don’t mention the word bisexual at all; they don’t have to, because their bi angle, their queerness, is embedded—and bedded—in the story. The characters are living it, rather than identifying with it; the sexual exploration and attraction, the experience and movement, are more important than what anyone wants to call it.

The large majority of the submissions I received for this book were about women having sex with women, which makes sense in the context of a culture that still privileges heterosexual identity over any other kind. Even in an era of so-called lesbian and bisexual chic, there’s still plenty of discomfort with the fluidity with which many women view their sexuality. Shifting away from a purely heterosexual mindset forces women to grapple with the ways we differ from mainstream society, even one that is becoming much more open and knowledgeable about the varieties of queer life. The first time we dare to dip our toes—or other body parts—into the world of sex with other women is often momentous. Many of us will find the character of Laura, in Nicole Wolfe’s opening story, “1 Percent Adaptable,” familiar. Laura at first protests Marie’s advances, warning her that she’s not gay, not bi, until she listens to her body and follows its yearnings. “Laura was shocked that the kiss had surprised her, considering what had just happened between her legs. She let her lips caress Marie’s. She dared to let her tongue out to play. She risked letting her hands tickle Marie’s hips and backside,” Wolfe writes.

But I didn’t want this to simply be a first-time bi-curious tentative collection, but a robust one exploring the intimacy of life as a woman interested in men and women. That’s why I wanted stories that asked questions like the ones in Jacqueline Applebee’s closing tale, “What I Want, What I Need:” “I’d been out as a lesbian since I was twenty-three. Why was I suddenly spending time with a straight man? Why was I enjoying it so much? Had I really been a lesbian at all, or had I been lying to myself for the past twenty years?”

There are girlfriends and wives, husbands and boyfriends, first dates, threesomes and much more here. There’s daring and adventure, women taking risks by stepping outside their comfort zones, whether it’s by surrendering to a bodyguard in “The State,” by Tahira Iqbal, or confronting “The Wife” of a male lover in Kay Jaybee’s story, only to be confronted right back. The women you’ll read about are attracted to strong women like “The Robber Girl” in Lori Selke’s story, and men who surprise them with their sensitivity, as in my story, “A Little Fun.”

There’s also kink, if that’s what you’re looking for. In Cheryl B.’s “The Break,” spanking becomes a way for two exes to reconnect and revive the passion between them, while Sinclair Sexsmith takes us inside a gay bar and then home with a boy her protagonist has met there, one who may or may not know her true gender, in “Right-Red Flagging.” The protagonist of “Seduction Dance” is under the watchful eye of her master when she finds a new female plaything for her to command and seduce. Gender is played with, fucked with, and grappled with as well in Giselle Renarde’s “Glitter in the Gutter,” in which the female partner of a male cross-dresser encourages his interest when he fears he’s crossed a line and doesn’t want to live in the new, judgmental world he’s stepped into. Aimee Pearl writes in “Meeting at the Hole in the Wall, “Chivalry is dead, and I want to writhe naked on its grave.”

These are celebratory, sexy stories, but, all apologies to Mr. Allen, they are more complex than a view of bisexuality simply as “twice as much” to offer. I like to think of them as both/and stories that, collectively, offer a look at the ways bisexuality, queerness and lesbianism affect us while recognizing that there’s no monolithic typical bisexual. We are multifaceted, full of desires that can’t be contained in a single, simplistic category. We are hungry, horny, mischievous, naughty, provocative and, yes, curious. We may think we know what we want, only to keep on surprising ourselves just when we think we have it all figured out. We are open to a wide range of sexual possibilities, whether they exist in our heads or beyond.

I hope you’ll enjoy the twenty-two stories presented here, and that they serve as erotic catalysts, no matter how you identify.

Rachel Kramer Bussel

New York City

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Extending my call for 1,200 word or less BDSM erotica

If you've already submitted to this anthology, I will reply to you by September 2013 at the latest. Thank you!

Short Short BDSM Submission Erotica Anthology (title TBA)
Editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Publisher: Cleis Press
Deadline: June 20, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly preferred and encouraged)

Please make sure to read and follow these guidelines in order for your work to be considered. Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for short short stories of 1,200 words or less focused on the theme of BDSM from a submissive perspective. While the word count is short, I want complex stories with a beginning, middle and end, not simply scene snippets. Preference will be given to stories that stand out in theme, tone, plot, language, characters, motivation and erotic action. I will consider stories from a dominant's perspective if that is the best way to tell the story. The final book of 69 stories will contain an extremely wide variety of characters, POVs (I welcome first, second and third person stories), settings, scenarios, motivations, experience levels, motivations, BDSM practices (which can be combined with other sexual acts), fetishes, couplings, relationships, etc. All genders and sexual orientations welcome. All characters must be over 18; no nonconsensual activity, scat, incest or bestiality. No poetry. Original, unpublished stories only. Stories from authors I have not published before are especially welcome. See my books Please, Sir; Yes, Sir; Please, Ma'am and Yes, Ma'am to get a feel for the types of submissive stories I enjoy. See Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex for examples of 1,200 word or less erotic stories.

How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document (.doc or .docx) with pages numbered OR RTF of 1,200 words MAXIMUM to shortsubmissionantho at gmail.com. DO NOT submit multiple versions of your story; submit ONLY your final, complete, edited version of the story. Note that this is a hard maximum. Stories that are not in keeping with the theme of the anthology or are over 1,200 words will not be considered. 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. I will consider a maximum of TWO stories per author. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address. 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. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by September 2013.

Payment: $20 and 1 copy of the book on publication in 2014

Deadline: June 20, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly encouraged and preferred)

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In The Flesh London debuts May 29th

My former reading series In The Flesh (which I no longer host) is seeing new life in London thanks to host Suzanne Portnoy (who read twice at In The Flesh and immortalized it in one of her memoirs!). All the details are here and here's the quickie version:
Sponsored by Xcite Books and hosted by bestselling erotic memoirist Suzanne Portnoy, In The Flesh London will be held on the last Wednesday of every month at the Alley Cat Bar & Club on Denmark Street starting on 29th May from 6.30pm - 8.30pm.

The first session features readings by prolific erotica authors Liz Coldwell (former editor of FORUM magazine), KD Grace, Jilly Boyd and will be hosted by Suzanne Portnoy, author of The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick Maker: The Intimate Adventures of a Woman Who Can't Say No.

Monday, May 27, 2013

My favorite Tumblr porn

My dirty little secret is that sometimes I'd actually rather look at lingerie than sex photos. And by sometimes, I mean most of the time. I'm trying to purge myself of all the ridiculous assumptions I've absorbed about "how to be a sex writer," because I'm not a sex writer, I'm just a writer, but still, ever since I left the road to a "respectable" career and fell into one that even I whisper about and evade (like when the doctor the other day asked what I write about and I said "dating and relationships, books, pop culture," which is true, but not, you know, the whole truth), I've had to reckon with the disparity of how not depraved I actually am, most of the time (I'm depraved when the situation warrants it). Sortof like for fun I read YA and cozy mysteries because I read smut all the time for work, though I am always on the lookout for a good juicy novel of any genre. I guess it's my own silliness that's even inspiring a disclaimer, but it's true. I packed a box of VHS and DVD porn because I was afraid to throw it away in Brooklyn. Some of the VHS tapes I actually want to watch but have no means to, so I'll just keep them as souvenirs, probably until my next move, unless I somehow come to own a VCR. My point being, I'm in now way a regular porn watcher, although the DVDs I bought at the Feminist Porn Conference I do plan to check out. But I do have a few naked photo Tumblrs I follow and I shared my favorite Tumblr porn at Salon and also my favorite non-porn but pretty photos Tumblr The Lingerie Addict, which recently featured this photo below, of a dress from Uturn Utopia.

lingerieaddict

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Sunday, May 26, 2013

Will you be one of my 100 Amazon reviews for The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories?

Update: I've received well over 100 requests, so am not offering any more free copies, but if this book does well, there will be more free books in the future (the best place to find me giving them away is @raquelita on Twitter), so please help make that happen and check out the table of contents and introduction and show it some love on Goodreads and Amazon. Free excerpts on Tumblr. Thank you for fulfilling my birthday dream!

One of my takeaways from RT Booklovers Convention was that the successful authors, especially many of the self-published ones, excel at mobilizing their fans. Skim the New Adult & College subcategory of Amazon or many romance or other authors, and you'll see hundreds and event thousands of reviews. So in an attempt to get my books to the next level, I'm going to up my game and give away 100 review copies of The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories, print and Kindle editions. All the stories are 1,200 words or less, so if that's not your thing, please don't request a book. Print books will be autographed and mailed by me as soon as my copies arrive, probably by late September. Kindle copies will be sent as a gift from me on the publication date, October 15th.

The usual details: You MUST have an Amazon.com account you've made a purchase from previously (Amazon's requirement for reviews). Print books will only be mailed to U.S. addresses. Your review must be posted within 6 weeks of receipt of the book. Reviews can be short (Amazon suggests 75-300 words); for examples, see the Amazon reviews for Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex. Email orgasmantho at gmail.com with "Amazon" in the subject line for print copies and your U.S. snail mail address or "Kindle" in the subject line with your email address to send the Kindle edition (I cannot sent to @kindle.com addresses). The first 100 people will get their copies in September or October, along with my gratitude! I'll update this post once the 100 books have been claimed. You are free to review it elsewhere too, like Goodreads or your blog, but this promotion is specifically focused on Amazon.com so if you don't have an Amazon account or can't commit to reviewing it on Amazon within 6 weeks of receipt, please do not request a copy.


Official description:
What happens when you bring together 69 authors sharing their hottest orgasm stories? If you have top notch erotica editor Rachel Kramer Bussel, you get The Big Book of Orgasms! This climactic collection captures top erotica writers serving up steamy scenarios all focused on The Big O. Whether getting off from exhibitionism, voyeurism, or a very special pair of blue jeans, the characters in The Big Book of Orgasms explore all sorts of ways they can come. Go "Under the Table" with Elizabeth Coldwell and cheer for "The Pink Team" by Kelly Rand. Discover the thrill of hot wax and even hotter sex; these short stories bring the heat on every page! With a foreword by Ecstasy is Necessary author Barbara Carrellas, these are climaxes you'll want to relive again and again.

Dr. Ruth once said about Rachel Kramer Bussel, "she is only satisfied if you come and come again." With this rousing read, The Big Book of Orgasms counts all the wonderful ways women get off. Inspirational as well as aspirational, this book celebrates women's sexuality by reaching new heights of excellence. Each of the 69 stories about "the big O" is a peak experience in and of itself.
bboocover

Table of contents:

Foreword: Foreplay: Figments of Erotic Imagination by Barbara Carrellas
Introduction: Orgasm Is Just the Beginning

The Beginning B. D. Swain
How You Christen a Bed Thomas S. Roche
All You Do Is Play Annabeth Leong
Hard Knocks Malin James
The Gallery Exhibit Chris Komodo
White Preston Avery
Matinee Suleikha Snyder
All Talk Jenna Bright
Scarecrow Giselle Renarde
In Her Hands Tenille Brown
Remote Control Logan Zachary
Weathering the Storm Salome Wilde
Hellfire Valerie Alexander
Her Lover Is a Flame Cecilia Tan
Me Vengo! Mistress Kay
Count Out the Strokes Virgie Tovar
Steamy Tess Danesi
Payback Emerald
Come On Raziel Moore
The Pink Team Kelly Rand
Headache Sherry Reid
Pushing Boundaries on Public Transport Victoria Blisse
Runner’s High Sam Angioli
His Three Conditions Medea Mor
The Morning After David Salcido
Look at Yourself Maxine Marsh
Do It Again Sinclair Sexsmith
Under the Table Elizabeth Coldwell
Light Sleeper Mina Murray
The Big Cat Cecilia Duvalle
Opening Doors Thea Landen
Baxter’s Boy Xan West
Suds and a Two-Piece Bathing Suit Brantwijn Serrah
The Jeffrey Factor Stella Harris
Chains of Love Lily K. Cho
By the Beat T. Fox Dunham
Icing on the Cake Lula Lisbon
The Massage Lady Cheeky
Feast for the Senses Riley Shane
Squirt Evoë Thorne
Piano Man A. M. Hartnett
Out of Control Crystal Jordan
Tantric Home Dominic Santi
Queer for Mike Shane Allison
Meeting Cute Vanessa Madison
Cheryl Andreas Amsterdam
Beer and Orgasms Jeremy Edwards
Sullied Innocence Neve Black
The Rub Jon Fulton
The Park Elise Hepner
Coming Together: The Elusive Simultaneous Orgasm Jade Melisande
Meeting Myself Anya Levin
I Am Not Cruel J. Sinclaire
Cooling Agents Marina Saint
Seeing Is Believing Heidi Champa
The Velocity of Roaches Michael A. Gonzales
After the Funeral Jeanette Grey
There Sommer Marsden
Forced Orgasms Shoshanna Evers
Blue Jean Baby Eleanor Proctor
Learning Experience Kathleen Tudor
A Teachable Moment Walter Pratt
The Flogger Jade A. Waters
Book Lover Donna George Storey
Tied by Red Kay Jaybee
After Party Drew Griffiths
I’m on Fire Rachel Kramer Bussel
Should You Ever Be Allowed to Feel This Good? Lillian Ann Slugocki
The Final Challenge Heather Day

Orgasm Is Just the Beginning

As Barbara Carrellas writes, there are so many types of orgasms, more than any single book could cover, but within these pages, you will not only find numerous types of orgasms, as well as the varied characters who experience them, you will also discover different motivations for getting off. Some have a tried and true method, some are willing to take a chance on a new sexual practice—or partner. Some of these characters orgasm frequently; some are aching for the chance to share their body with another person. Some let their orgasms be controlled by a lover; some actively take control of their climaxes.

“You amaze me,” the nameless protagonist of B. D. Swain’s opening story “The Beginning” proclaims. You—readers, authors, orgasmers—amaze me with your boundless sexual hunger and creativity. I’ve been writing and editing erotica for over a decade, but part of why it never gets old is because of the richness, diversity and nuance I find in the stories that come (no pun intended) my way. They fuel my own imagination and show me that I can always learn more about orgasm, about desire, about sex.

The format of 1,200 words or less means these are extremely short stories, but I hope you’ll find, like I did, that what they lack in length they make up for in hotness. As with my previous short-short anthology Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex, all the pieces you hold in your hand, even the shortest ones (“The Park,” by Elise Hepner, clocks in at 249 words; “Her Lover Is a Flame,” by Cecilia Tan, at 308) offer a snapshot of eroticism that draws you completely into its folds. You might consider each one a teaser, an appetizer, the beginning of a fantasy world you can place yourself into and choose your own orgasmic adventure as you consider where the story might go after the last word printed on the page.

Sometimes less is more, and if these stories leave you wanting to see them continued, that’s a good thing. They are, like the narrative in Swain’s opener states, “just the beginning.” Very likely you’ll find a type of orgasm, a sex toy, a scenario, a position or a fantasy you’d like to see represented here that may not be. If so, please write yours and continue the conversation. If your orgasm doesn’t look or feel the way these characters’ climaxes do, that’s perfectly okay. I want to see us expand the possibilities for pleasure, orgasmic and otherwise, not add to the umpteen ways we’re told we “should” orgasm or have sex. Just as a physical orgasm, however you define or experience that sensation, doesn’t define the end of a sexual encounter, a literary orgasm should not mean you are done interacting with the story. I’ve reread these pieces, and the numerous submissions I received for this book, multiple times, and each read offers me something new to consider. I envision The Big Book of Orgasm as one you’ll want to revisit, to pick up and read aloud from your favorites to a lover, to keep next to your bed, to tuck into your travel bag.

I’m especially pleased to be publishing so many authors in this collection for the first time in one of my anthologies. There is a power and depth to these voices that I hope resonates with you.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

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Bondage, bondage, bondage from Best Bondage Erotica series

For those who are already bondage erotica fans or those who are curious, I'm the editor of the Best Bondage Erotica series; while Best Bondage Erotica 2014 will be out in December (in reality probably late November, like a birthday present to me!), the previous 3 editions are out now: Best Bondage Erotica 2011 (Kindle edition; Nook edition; Audible audiobook edition), Best Bondage Erotica 2012 (Kindle edition; Nook edition), Best Bondage Erotica 2013 (Kindle edition; Nook edition). Here's a glimpse and links to more you can read below. If you've read and enjoyed any of them, I'd be especially grateful if you'd rate them on Amazon (links above) and/or on Goodreads: Best Bondage Erotica 2011, Best Bondage Erotica 2012, Best Bondage Erotica 2013. Thank you, and stay tuned for the lineup to Best Bondage Erotica 2014. Thank you for for supporting the series - I hope to be editing it many years into the future, because seeing how many ways people can be bound and bind others and reasons why they'd want to is a delight of my job, and forces me to push my own boundaries and the boundaries of my imagination. And a reminder that I'd love to see bondage in my upcoming anthologies, especially the kinky couples one (deadline July 1st!).


Best Bondage Erotica 2011
Read my entire story "Vegas Treat" free!

"Vegas Treat" got the deluxe photo essay treatment in Seth Kushner's CulturePOP - photo below by Seth Kushner.

kusner


Best Bondage Erotica 2012
Read excerpts from all 21 stories here


Best Bondage Erotica 2013

BDSM Book Reviews says:
What is really appealing about this book is the creative ways people are bound. The ones where there is a treat of exposure outside are exhilarating. The reader can feel both the excitement and the anxiety of being caught. One of the bondage stories includes walking through a hotel where others could see their sexy restraints before the Domme and her female submissive retires to a lush hotel room. Each one of these stories will appeal to many reader’s fantasies.


Foreword: Uncomfortable Truths Graydancer
Introduction: Loving Bondage Anywhere and Everywhere
An Introduction to Shibari Elizabeth Coldwell
This Is Me Holding You Annabeth Leong
Tying the Knot Tiffany Reisz
The Great Outdoors Teresa Noelle Roberts
What Vacations Are For Thomas S. Roche
Lights Out Mina Murray
Feeling the Heat Lucy Felthouse
You Can Look… Evan Mora
The Moons of Mars Valerie Alexander
Interlude for the Troops Louise Blaydon
Hot in the City Sommer Marsden
Passion Party Purgatory Logan Zachary
Steadfast Andrea Dale
Tree Hugger Giselle Renarde
A Public Spectacle D. L. King
Seven More Days N. T. Morley
A Bit of a Tangle Monocle
Wheelbarrow Position Danielle Mignon
The Longest Afternoon Medea Mor
Plastic Wrap Shoshanna Evers
Wiped Kay Jaybee
Foot and Mouth Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: Loving Bondage Anywhere and Everywhere

One of the main things I look for when editing the Best Bondage Erotica series is variety. I want a mix of types of people being tied up, a range of implements used to bind, a diverse setting for these kinky scenarios. This year, I got all that and more—much more.

I was especially pleased to see that several authors threw open the bedroom door and took their kinky play outside. In “The Great Outdoors,” “Wheelbarrow Position” and “Tree Hugger,” you’ll find some very creative bondage that borders on exhibitionism, as well as full-on exhibitionism in “A Public Spectacle.” The excitement of being exposed, of baring your body to the elements and not being able to escape should someone walk by, is expounded on with kinky delight in these tales.

The variety doesn’t end there. There are newcomers, whether to bondage or specific types of bondage play, from shibari to a simple rope harness, plastic wrap to handcuffs to a chastity tube. There are sex toys, all manner of them, from a special pink ribbon to a Hitachi Magic Wand, and they come into play in ways that will surprise and delight you, but what I’m most thrilled about with this collection is what the men and women feel once they are tied up, bound, restrained, at someone else’s mercy. Here’s a sampling:

“…this is a stranger for whom I want to be the very best toy ever.” (“The Moons of Mars”)

“She focused on her breathing. Taking slow, deep breaths, she stared back at him, daring him to do his worst.” (“The Longest Afternoon”)

“The blatant hunger on his face almost made up for the last year of neglect. But he was struggling against his bonds now, and that just wouldn’t do.” (“Lights Out”)

“Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker that I fall for it every time. Maybe I just want to. But when I see and hear him taking out the duct tape, I squirm in anticipation.” (“Foot and Mouth”)

These characters find themselves appreciating even the discomfort of bondage, trading their autonomy for something greater, something that sets them free—from convention, from daily life, from their usual roles. It’s that freedom to exult, straight, mouth off, give and take pleasure that I hope comes across the strongest in these pages. For while these stories take place in a variety of settings, using all sorts of implements and household items, what they have in common is desire, curiosity and a willingness to pursue them, even when you’re not sure where the journey will take you. I hope dedicated bondage fans, newcomers and those of you who share that curiosity about the thrills of being tied to a tree or a chair or a bed, will keep this book handy and be inspired to dream up, and live out, your own fantasies.

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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Bad Broke Girlfriend, or The Times When I Sortof Wish I Were Single

It may sound backwards, but there are times like right now when I wish I were single--not because my boyfriend isn't super amazing, but in part, precisely because he is. It's me that's the problem, the weakest link in this relationship, and I hate that. I hate feeling like I'm failing to live up to my end of the bargain (which I clearly am this week), and much as it sucks to be totally broke when you're single, emotionally it feels worse now because I'm not just letting myself down, I'm letting someone else down. Maybe I hate it so much because it forces me to say it out loud, to admit how much of a failure I am this week, which makes it more real. It's not that I think I'm a bad girlfriend in general, and if I truly were this broke all the time I wouldn't have moved here, because I would never want to put that burden onto someone else. It's a temporary situation, but every day of waiting and checking the mail for that elusive, hopefully-to-arrive check, means one more day that I am not doing my share. There are things I plan to change in the long-term, but right now there is little I can do. It reminds me of being stuck in Austin during Sandy, and I'm not trying to compare my situation to people who lost their homes or worse, but I felt like a supreme idiot for having taken a work trip/vacation and then not having the means to sustain myself for the entire elongated time period. Having to borrow money then made me feel so low, so dumb, so weak, all things that are right up there in the Things I Hate To Be List.

No, I couldn't have predicted a natural disaster, but as an adult in her mid-thirties, I should have had the resources on hand to handle it, or I shouldn't have gone. I'm used to scraping by between freelance checks, but I'm not used to having to admit to what a mess I am to someone who shares my home. Not sure that will ever get any easier, and in a sense I feel like I deserve someone to be angry at me, to berate me, by my boyfriend isn't like that. He's too nice, which is part of why I love him and am living here, but it's also a shock to my system because it's not what I expect. It never is. I guess in the meantime, I just have to find other ways of being a good girlfriend, making amends, humbling myself by asking for help, and trying to make sure I'm smart enough not to fall for the "check is in the mail" line, and also not be reliant on that. Part of why I moved here is to become more of an adult, rather than a bratty, stupid childlike person floating through life. That's too easy, and that is not how to want to live. Yet the old ways catch up with you, and I'm seeing that now, and will see it next week when I go back to Brooklyn with contractor bags in hand to finish decluttering. For an impatient person like me, realizing that just because you want to be different, it doesn't make you different, is, well, frustrating. To realize you are exactly the same flawed, fucked up, hot mess, and therefore sometimes a bad girlfriend, just in a new town and a new state, is a little depressing. But I have faith that I can change and do better, and that, perhaps, now I have more of a reason to.

Easy to do (Fast Girls) and Let me be your slave (Please, Sir), or my German translations Leicht zu haben and Lass mich deine Sklavin sein

My first few days in my new home have not exactly gone as planned, between asthma, majorly stubbing my toe tripping down the stairs (I will spare you a visual how purple it is) and a sadly checkless mailbox, but I'm still so happy to be in a home with the most amazing boyfriend I could ask for, and basics like a bed, bathtub and wifi I did not have before. When times are tough financially I try to think of what I can do to fix that. I'm digging in to new articles and book projects, but am also sending out good vibes into the universe that foreign publishers like my books and buy them. There are 4 German translations in the works, two of which, of Fast Girls and Please, Sir are, according to Amazon, for sale. I'm hoping to get a copy in my hands by this summer. I wanted to share the US and German covers, so you can see the difference, but mostly, put it out there, for whatever it's worth, that I'd love some more foreign sales. Getting one was on my editorial bucket list for a long time so I'm very very grateful. It's one of those weird things that I really wanted to happen but had zero control over, other than wishing and hoping, and that finally worked. It's awesome, but if you're a control freak, it's very challenging to want something badly and have it be something so utterly out of your control. I know the only thing I can do is focus on creating the best anthologies I possibly can (I will put another plug here that I need more stories for all 3 new anthologies, deadlines are fast approaching). Through other anthologies I've written for, my writing has also been published in Italian, Japanese, and the language I come closest to being able to speak, Spanish (Kristina Wright's Best Erotic Romance, with my stripping story "Our Own Private Champagne Room," was just released as Bajo las sábanas.)

Next week at the Javits Center is Book Expo America, which I'll be skipping for the first time in 12 years, but maybe, just maybe, my books will catch someone's eye and another sale will happen and I will be that much further along the path to not pouncing on my mailbox every day and instead, focused on creating. In the meantime, it's still exciting and gratifying to know that readers in a language I don't speak can now read my dirty books. The rest, like so much, is out of my hands, but I'm doing my best to focus on what I can change, do, think and make happen. Moving was one step in the right direction. And I truly believe that the universe will reward you if you keep taking those steps. So, here's one very very teensy tiny one. Your move, universe.

germancover1
Google translate tells me Leicht zu haben: Heiße Stories means Easy to do: Hot Stories
Blurb via Amazon:
Sündige Storys – von Frauen für Frauen

Sie sind lüstern, frech und schamlos. Sie werden bewundert, kritisch beäugt oder begehrt. Manche rümpfen die Nase über sie und bezeichnen sie als »leicht zu haben«. Aber was man auch immer über die Heldinnen dieser prickelnden Story-Sammlung sagen kann, schwach sind sie nicht. Denn sie wissen ganz genau, was sie wollen – und wie sie es bekommen.

US cover:

fastcover
Fast Girls: Erotica for Women


Image.ashx
Google translate tells me Lass mich deine Sklavin sein: Heiße Stories means Let me be your slave: Hot Stories

Blurb via Amazon:
Fesselnde Begierde und unbedingte Hingabe an die Liebe

Sich zu unterwerfen, bedeutet nicht nur Kontrollverlust. Es ermöglicht auch, sich völlig fallen zu lassen und sich dem Partner ganz hinzugeben. Wenn man bereit ist, so viel Vertrauen zu geben, dann ist das der Weg zu den höchsten Gipfeln der Lust. Lassen Sie sich inspirieren, und verfolgen Sie die sinnlichsten Erlebnisse von Herrschaft und Unterwerfung. Denn beim Sex und in der Liebe ist alles erlaubt.

US cover:

pleasecover
Please, Sir: Erotic Stories of Female Submission

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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Lightning Van is an awesome New York moving company

I used Lightning Van for my move and highly recommend them! They really did an amazing job, and were super fast and very cheap. Here's what I posted on Yelp, where you can also check out lots of other reviews:
I used Lightning Van to move from a third floor walkup in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to an apartment in Red Bank, New Jersey. They were exactly on time, moved my stuff in one hour and were done with the whole thing in under three and a half hours. I wasn't as ready as I could have been and they were okay with my last minute additions to their haul and allowed me to survey whether I needed to add anything else several times before they finished. They were extremely fast and courteous, and the price was fantastic (the estimate was what it wound up costing). I would highly recommend them, both for the price and the service. I actually wished I had more stuff I could put in the van, which holds more than it looks like (I did not have any major furniture save for one bookcase).

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My 3 erotic romance and erotica calls for submissions

I'm reposting these for those who may not have seen them. Happy writing!

Couples' Erotic Romance Stories
To be published by Cleis Press in 2014

Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for romantic, primarily heterosexual erotic stories for a 2014 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. See my anthology Irresistible: Erotic Romance for Couples for examples of the kinds of stories I'm looking for. Unpublished stories only (this includes blogs and websites).

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. Only submit your final, best version of the story you are submitting. Do not send multiple versions of the same story. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to romanceantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name as well as your pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by September 2013. I cannot give any feedback on rejected submissions.

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

Deadline: June 1, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly encouraged)

Questions: romanceantho@gmail.com

Female Fantasy Erotica
To be published by Cleis Press in 2014

This collection of erotica will feature female protagonists living out their hottest fantasies. From vanilla kinky, single to partnered, from 18 to elderly, I'm looking for stories of all sorts of women (transgender characters are also welcome) exploring new aspects of their sexuality. For inspiration, feel free to check out a list by Violet Blue of common sexual fantasies, but stories must capture what about that particular fantasy for that particular character is so compelling and make it red-hot to work for this book, and authors are encouraged to be creative, daring and provocative with exploring the definition of fantasy and how it plays out for your character. All characters should be over 18. No nonconsensual scenes. No bestiality, scat or incest. No poetry. Please see my anthologies Orgasmic, Women in Lust, and Fast Girls for examples of the kinds of stories I'm looking for. Unpublished stories only (this includes blogs and websites).

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. Only submit your final, best version of the story you are submitting. Do not send multiple versions of the same story. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to fantasyantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name as well as your pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. For the smoothest editorial process, please double check that the byline you are using with your submission is the byline you'd want published. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by September 2013. I cannot give any feedback on rejected submissions.

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

Deadline: July 1, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly encouraged)

Questions: fantasyantho@gmail.com

Kinky Couples Erotica
To be published by Cleis Press in 2014

This book of erotica stories will feature couples exploring many aspects of BDSM, from newbies to seasoned players, in bedrooms and dungeons and far beyond. Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for BDSM stories featuring couples (though stories with more than two people are welcome). 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. Most of all, stories should be attention-grabbing, provocative 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. No poetry. Please see my anthologies Anything for You: Erotica for Kinky Couples; 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. Unpublished stories only (this includes blogs and websites).

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. Only submit your final, best version of the story you are submitting. Do not send multiple versions of the same story. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to bdsmcouplesantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name as well as your pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. For the smoothest editorial process, please double check that the byline you are using with your submission is the byline you'd want published. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by September 2013. I cannot give any feedback on rejected submissions.

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

Deadline: July 1, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly encouraged)

Questions: bdsmcouplesantho@gmail.com

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Monday, May 20, 2013

This week's sex diary

And you can read this week's sex diary right here. There's BDSM, anal sex, lesbian sex, catfishing, online dating and more. Interested in writing an anonymous sex diary of a week in your life? Email me (I'm the editor) at sexdiaries at nymag.com and give me your basic info (age, gender, location, occupation, relationship status and sexual orientation) and why you'd make a good sex diarist and I'll send you more info. Please feel free to pass that on to anyone who may be interested. Thank you!

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Tomorrow is Moving/I Get My Life Back Day!

Today is a typically busy Monday workday, with sex diary editing and assorted writing deadlines, and also, packing! Tomorrow I move to Red Bank, get my life/breathing back, get to take baths whenever I want and get to actually see the person I'm dating, rather than just talk to him on the phone. I cannot wait. Moving has been hell, but also a giant learning experience. There's a ton of things I'd have done differently, but that's life, isn't it? I will miss a lot about Brooklyn and the rest of NYC, but after wheezing my way through the past few weeks and feeling scattered in a million different directions, I have no qualms about leaving. It's the right thing for my heart and my career and to have stayed simply out of fear of the unknown would have been to doom myself. So, to tomorrow! Today is for digging in.



I texted this photo to my boyfriend on Friday and wrote "This is how my move is going." He wrote back "Is that good or bad?" Hard to tell, but I'll take the little victories. I didn't get this piece of furniture down the stairs by myself for fear of injury, but I got it into the hallway, and that was a little moving victory.

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Baby Got Back: Anal Erotica is my 53rd anthology - sign up by Sunday to review it on Amazon

I was writing a description of the Erotica 101 class I'm planning to teach sometime in September (exact date TBD) at sex toy store The Tool Shed in Milwaukee and realized that perhaps "editor of over 40 anthologies" was outdated, so I counted, and as of now, for full-length print anthologies (not counting ebooks), I've edited 52 anthologies (my website needs major updating, but has most of them listed). Baby Got Back: Anal Erotica, out this summer, will be my 53rd. That's amazing to me, especially because as I'm cleaning out my apartment, I'm in awe that I've gotten anything done at all while living there. Right now, it's almost impossible to navigate; I trip over things, I am spending hours and hours just sorting through stuff. It makes it a challenge to think about fun things like writing erotica, not to mention has made me feel like I hate books, even though books are my favorite things in the world. Maybe it's just a matter of perspective; I never really thought about moving, probably never truly believed I'd find someone who wanted to live with me and vice versa, so I acted as if I'd be there forever. Thankfully that is not the case, because I want to be a better, more productive, healthier, happier person. I am not arguing that I haven't done a lot while I've lived there—I have—but I know that I've been hindered by hours spent looking for lost things, by the stress of not wanting to ever have anyone inside my homes lest they instantly decide they'd never want to talk to me again, that kind of things.

But even as I'm sorting through a decade's worth of magazines, promotional postcards, clothing and other stuff, I wanted to step back and remind myself that even within the confines of a hoarder's apartment, I've gone from bumbling law school dropout with gargantuan student loans, to a dream career I never would have conceptualized back in March 2000 when I moved in. I'm very honored, lucky, and want to continue working hard and making sure I give my books the best shot in the world of doing well, so I can keep on editing them. To that end, I want to thank all of you who've signed up to review Baby Got Back on Amazon. I've had 30 requests, and will take the rest that come in through this Sunday, May 19th, and you will get your hot off the press autographed copy in late July, or your Kindle edition on August 13th. Next month I'll be putting out another call for requests for reviewers, so stay tuned. Reposting the details below - and truly, thank you! I'm excited about this book, and all the ones after that (I've started reading for the erotic romance anthology whose deadline is June 1 and am happy to say it's going to be very hot).

To take part in this promotion, you must have an Amazon.com account you've made a purchase from in order to qualify, and by requesting the book, you are agreeing to post your review on Amazon.com within 6 weeks of receipt. To sign up, email me at analantho at gmail.com with "Amazon" in the subject line and your name and address in the body. The first 30 people to do so will get hot off the press autographed copies (before the book's in stores!). The official release date is August 13th, but I expect to be hitting the post office by the end of July with your copies. The days I receive my finished copies of my books are some of my favorite days, made all the better when I get to mail them off to you. If you're a Kindle user and would prefer to review the Kindle version, that will be available in August, but I will take your review request now. Email analantho at gmail.com with "Kindle review" in the subject line and the email address you use for Kindle (just cannot be an @kindle.com address). The book is available for pre-order now from Amazon and Bn.com.

If you want to show the book some early love, you can rate it on Goodreads and/or mark it as to read. THANK YOU for helping my books do well, which is what allows me to keep on editing them (my current anthology guidelines are here - deadlines are June 1 and July 1). I fully hope I have the honor of continuing to edit erotica far into the future, so I truly appreciate every bit of support from submitting stories to requesting books at libraries and bookstores to reviewing and recommending them. I've posted the table of contents and introdution below; one of the best parts of editing anthologies is publishing authors I've never worked with before, and I'm especially pleased to do so here, along with many whose work I'm already a fan of.



Introduction: Prepared for Pleasure

Brenda’s Booty Tenille Brown
Rectified Tiffany Reisz
Delivery Emerald
My Turn Anya Levin
A Winter’s Tail Veronica Wilde
No Rest for the Sick Medea Mor
Vin Rouge Pour Trois Erobintica
The Support Group Fiona Curtis
Lights Out Angela R. Sargenti
Bar None Mina Murray
Seat Belts Kate Dominic
Better Than a Massage Annabeth Leong
Body Heat Shoshanna Evers
What You Feel Like Talon Rihai and Salome Wilde
Her Kingdom for Her Ass Maggie Morton
A Taste of Jamaica D. Fostalove
Hard Astern Thomas S. Roche
In Training D. L. King
Everybody Knows Giselle Renarde
With Lucy in the Middle Kathleen Tudor
Keeping the British End Up M. Howard
Two-Timing Laura Antoniou
Plugged In Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: Prepared for Pleasure

Anal sex is an activity that doesn’t “just happen.” There needs to be at least some planning involved by one of the parties, preferably both (or all), an acknowledgment that something special is about to occur. The stories collected here feature various types of anal play, but in every case, preparation is a key part, both mentally and physically. For many of the characters you’re about to encounter, the thrill of anticipation kick-starts their anal foreplay, sending them on a journey that often changes the course of their sex life.

Many of these twenty-three stories play with the taboo nature of anal sex, its forbidden quality that even its biggest fans still fixate on. We are often drawn to anal sex precisely because even now, in 2013, there’s still a hint of exoticness to it. In these tales, men and women open themselves up, literally, to their lovers, sometimes for the first time. All parties learn about the specific thrills that make playing with that area so pleasurable. Sometimes a character has had a previous negative experience with anal exploration, like Lela in “Rectified,” by Tiffany Reisz. When Brad tells her, “I know what I’m doing,” she’s not sure if she can trust him, but she takes a chance. You’ll have to read on to find out exactly how she’s rewarded for her risk-taking.

Whether using fingers, tongues, toys like butt plugs (vibrating and not), anal beads or anal dilators, these men and women appreciate the pleasures that can be found when they relax, let go and open themselves up. Furthermore, anal sex doesn’t have to be the only action going on; it can be combined with other kinds of touch. Here’s what happens to Vanessa in “A Winter’s Tail,” by Veronica Wilde: “She sighed with pleasure, then surprise, as the tip of the anal beads eased into her ass. Oh god, yes; he was double-penetrating her with two toys. This was what she lived for. He gently pushed the beads inside her tightness, making her squirm, then slowly withdrew them until she cried from sheer delight.” In “No Rest for the Sick” by Medea Mor, Becky experiences a kinky dual delight when Patrick delivers a firm, powerful spanking to her plugged bottom: “He followed quickly with two more hard slaps on her now-burning flesh. They reverberated through her body, hitting the plug in her ass before echoing off it again, making her squirm in his lap.”

I feel responsible for telling you that if you’re trying anal sex at home, lube is a must; these stories are here to entertain and arouse you, but if you’d like to learn more about how to approach real-life anal sex, read Tristan Taormino’s The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women, Bill Brent’s The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Men and Karlyn Lotney’s The Ultimate Guide to Strap-On Sex. Anal isn’t about going as fast as you can, but about slowing down, unwinding, indulging in the process as much as the outcome. These characters take their time so they can enjoy every part of the process, from the first meandering touches, exploring a lover’s “back door,” to the more intense acts. I hope you enjoy the journeys these characters take and find plenty in here to turn you on.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

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Love, potential love and Reasons To Be Happy

Last night I went to the premiere of the new Neil LaBute play Reasons To Be Happy, my Mother's Day gift to my mom. I'd seen Really Really, also at Lucille Lortel Theater, and even though that one was written by Paul Downs Colaizzo (who was also filling in as an actor when I saw it), I was expecting more lying, viciousness and backstabbing, since there was a lot of that in Really Really, which has since made me suspect everything a character does or says. Instead, Reasons To Be Happy was about finding yourself, decisiveness, love, cheating and relationships. I'm not a theater critic so I'll just say I enjoyed it and recommend it. I don't watch TV so barely know who Jenna Fischer is, but she's starring in it.

But what struck me was this one scene where a character said something akin to (this may not be an exact quote, but it's very close): "I like you, and I could love you, with a nudge from you." And then in that same conversation, the other character said he could love her too. Those seemed more heartfelt sentiments in the play than when characters actually said they loved each other; it was hard to tell if they really did, or if they loved the idea of love, or the idea of the person they were saying it to. But that tension between being sure of love, and admitting what's probably much more common but far less romantic sounding, that the potential for love exists, stood out to me, probably because I don't know if I've ever though: I could love this person. I think I'm too impulsive to be able to step back and think like that. Certainly I've done that calculation on some subconscious level and ruled people out or allowed them in pretty early on based on that, but I don't think it's something I'd ever say to someone's face. Maybe I've lived that out with my actions.

Another theme of the play was making decisive actions vs. letting life happens to you; some in the play do one and some do the other. One character puts forth the idea that it's always better to take a decisive action, to do something, even if you wind up making a mistake, than to do nothing. That is much more familiar territory for me. I've done both, on a pretty regular basis. I'm in the middle of taking a pretty major decisive action, moving from Brooklyn to Red Bank, but there was a time when we first started actually looking at apartments where I felt like it was happening to me, where I wasn't sure what the right decision was. I freaked out after the first time we drove around Red Bank. It felt like it was happening too fast, and also like if I didn't agree to move, I'd be causing a lot more upheaval for my boyfriend. But mostly I was scared. I was scared of giving up the home I've had since 2000. I was scared that I wouldn't be able to share a space with someone else, especially when I just want to be alone or have to work at night, or when something super cool is going on that I want to go to in NYC and I'm an hour and a half away. I was scared of losing my autonomy and losing the way of life I've cobbled out since getting laid off and becoming a full-time freelancer.

I'm still scared, as I head into the packing home stretch. But I'm so glad I made that decision, and that I took the time to make sure it was the right decision without dragging it out forever and ever. I knew that whether I moved this year or next year, that eventually I would have to move to declutter, and I would have to declutter to be both happy and productive and content. It's easy to think "If only I hadn't done X or Y" or recognize that other people wouldn't have gotten into a hoarding situation like I did. Those are true: if I'd lived differently for the past 13 years, if I were someone else, I probably wouldn't be up half the night wheezing. I'd probably feel comfortable inviting someone else into my home to help me. But I didn't, and I'm facing that. I'm hammering and hauling and tossing and packing and as harrowing as it is, it feels good. Every item I pack in a box, even the VHS tapes I don't have a way to watch but don't want to throw in the garbage lest they wind up on my sidewalk, I feel a sense of progress, of going in the right direction. And maybe those two themes from the play tie together: maybe the potential to love, conscious or unconscious, requires faith, which may seem passive but is actually a decisive action. It's a belief that things will get better, whether that's someone else helping to improve your life or you doing it. Moving is definitely an act of faith, a leap into the unknown without much of a safety net. I can't really say moving is making me happy in any way; it's lonely and depressing and makes me recall most every failure I've had while living there. But I know that on the other side is the most wonderful person waiting for me, and a pretty apartment and new town and new beginnings. And the promise of that makes me happy, even as I sit in the dirt and dust and tear up papers and wield my hammer and packing tape. It's saying yes to a new way of loving myself, shown via taking care of my health, my heart and my home, none of which I've done a great job of while living in Brooklyn. So here's to whatever the future holds, full of potential.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Sweetening the Kindle pot: review Only You or Irresistile and I'll send you the other one free!

This sale and promotion have now ended (sorry, the sale ended earlier than I thought it would). This sale is over, thank you for your support! Passion and Obsessed are now only $2.99 on Kindle AND if you click through you'll see my special BOGO promotion. To celebrate the Kindle sale price of $3.99 for erotic romance anthologies Only You and Irresistible, I'm sweetening the pot for a very limited time: if you review either Only You Or Irresistible on Amazon.com, I'll send you the Kindle version of the other one. Email me at rachelkb at gmail.com by May 16 5 pm EST (firm deadline as I won't be near a computer after that) with a link to your review on Amazon and the email address where I should send the ebook (I can't gift to @kindle.com addresses). Thank you!



Introduction: Very Happy Endings

Driven Angela Caperton
Overcome Alyssa Turner
Forgotten Bodies Giselle Renarde
In the Doghouse Hanna Martine
Autumn Rain Michael A. Gonzales
The Love We Make Kristina Wright
In-Flight Entertainment Catherine Paulssen
Republicans Don’t Like Kate Dominic
Mom’s Night Out Lolita Lopez
Slow Fire Donna George Storey
The Nude, Stripped Naked Jeremy Edwards
Edge Skylar Kade
Unfolding K D Grace
Married Abigail Grey
Cook’s Treat Elizabeth Coldwell
Hollywood Romance Veronica Wilde
Matters of the Heart Tenille Brown
September Song Anna Watson
Saved Cassandra Carr
For the Very First Time Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: Very Happy Endings

“Honey, are you happy?” is the question with which Cassandra Carr opens her story, “Saved,” about a marriage that needs reviving, pronto. Haven’t we all been in relationships where we longed to ask our partners what they were truly thinking and feeling; whether they were happy; whether they had fantasies, regrets, dreams—but didn’t ask because we were afraid of the answer? I certainly have, so I have extra admiration for this lonely wife who dares to ask for what she wants, realizing it’s never too late. That is the same spirit that enlivens every story in this collection, where sexual pleasure and romantic happiness are not guaranteed at the outset. Couples in various stages of their romances experience tricky territory and have to ask, pursue, explore and test the boundaries of their love in order to reach new peaks, learn about themselves, and make their relationships stronger. Yes, these stories are hot, and I fully encourage you to read them with one hand, but I also find them heartwarming. They explore what happens within a marriage or relationship behind closed doors, for the most part, when you’re stripped bare in the literal and figurative senses, and are truly seen by someone who knows you inside and out.

You very likely know the feeling of being captivated by a lover, wanting to be with him morning, noon and night; dreaming about her when you’re away; reveling in the heights of passion as well as the tender comforts of togetherness when you’re not. The stories in Only You celebrate that feeling of knowing the ones you love for all their high points and their faults, of seeing beyond their outer image to what truly makes their heart beat, sometimes knowing them better than they know themselves. The stories you are about to read all explore the theme, in some way, of lovers who are drawn to each other, whether they fully understand why or not. Some are pulled apart by obstacles they have to overcome, and others simply can’t wait to tear each other’s clothes off. Some serve as teachers, guides or gurus into matters of the heart.

What I especially like about these tales is that the lovers here join forces, using their knowledge of what the other person gets off on to spur them to risqué acts, even under circumstances that may not seem ideal at first glance. “Forgotten Bodies,” by Giselle Renarde, addresses the ways we can forget our own bodies, not to mention our partner’s libido, in long-term relationships. Susan goes so far as to hide in the bathroom to avoid sex with her husband, only to discover that he’s cooking up something new and naughty for them to try. In “The Love We Make,” by Kristina Wright, fighting leads to the hottest sex imaginable, and means there’s no excuse too petty to pick a fight over, if they get to “make up.” Sex-starved Sidney in Lolita Lopez’s “Mom’s Night Out” engages in a one-night getaway with her husband, Owen, where they forget all about the draining daily duties of parenthood and rediscover how much they still hunger for each other.

Some of the lovers here are less experienced, such as M. in “Autumn Rain,” by Michael A. Gonzales, and Dean in my story “For the Very First Time.” Each delicately touches on the ways our first time leaves an impression, makes us fall that much harder for the person we’re sharing the momentous occasion with. Even when the characters aren’t actually virginal, when they approach their relationships anew, finding something novel in their partner’s kiss or touch, they can invoke Madonna and feel “Like a Virgin,” only with the bonus of a shared, special history.

As I’ve edited this collection, I’ve been listening to Adele’s achingly gorgeous album 21. Those songs are about lost loves, but they contain all the tenderness you will find here as well, and rest assured, not to give too much away, the tales in Only You have happy, sweet, sexy endings.

I wish you only pleasure in enjoying the stories you’re about to read.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City



Introduction (see below)
Twice Shy Heidi Champa
< Safe for Work A. M. Hartnett
Repaint the Night Janine Ashbless

Same As It Ever Was Cole Riley
Out of Control Karenna Colcroft
Warrior Kate Pearce
Hypocrites Alyssa Turner
The Pact Elizabeth Coldwell
Exposing Calvin Rachel Kramer Bussel
Six Eyes, Two Ears Kris Adams
Renewal Delilah Night
The Netherlands Justine Elyot
Predatory Tree Craig J. Sorensen
The Mitzvah Tiffany Reisz
After The Massage Kay Jaybee
Pink Satin Purse Donna George Storey

Introduction

A lot of the erotica that comes across my desk focuses on the spark of attraction when strangers meet, the cataclysmic sensation of falling, hard, for someone new and exciting. That makes sense, because there’s built-in drama and erotic tension when two people discover there’s intense chemistry between them. With this anthology, though, I wanted to explore what happens after that, once those people have been together a while (even a short while). I wanted to see what sparks fictional couples could produce on the page, and the results are, well, scorching.

The couples in this book explore all sorts of exciting sexual possibilities, and one of the main reasons they’re able to open up in the ways they do is precisely because they have another person to rely on, coax them, challenge them, tease them and seduce them into traveling down a new sexual path. Whether that means outdoor sex, kink, a trip to a strip club or a very sensual massage, we get to see the ways the layers of trust that have been built up get used to stoke the fire that burns between them.

In addition to enjoying naughty, wild adventures, the couples here also work out differences between one another and handle issues like infidelity in ways that ultimately strengthen, rather than destroy, their relationships' longevity. In Cole Riley’s “Same As It Ever Was,” Joanne suspects her husband of cheating, but with a little help from her best friend, manages to recapture the sensual spirit and passion that’s been missing as both husband and wife make amends and move on, knowing what it was they almost lost. Rekindling a romance that’s threatened to go stale is also the theme of “Renewal” by Delilah Night, where she writes, “That touch sent a long-missing ripple through my body. I hesitated, hoping he’d remember what I love.”

In “The Pact” by Elizabeth Coldwell, a woman rediscovers a man she’d once passed over, only to find that the years they’ve spent apart have made him someone she’s sorry she overlooked. How a couple deals with a death in the family, as well as religious tradition, is the subject of “The Mitzvah” by Tiffany Reisz, as Grace and Zachary find that embracing desire can be healing. Kris Adams takes us into an African village and some complicated relationship dynamics, along with a lot of voyeurism, in “Six Eyes, Two Ears.” Kay Jaybee takes a common fantasy, that of a man watching two women make love, and breathes new life into it by showing both halves of a couple as they live out this dream.

Individual characters work through their own issues with the help of their partners, getting support, love and, of course, very hot sex. “Repaint the Night,” by Janine Ashbless, is about public sex, but, even more, a woman who is conquering a fear of the dark after being mugged ten years before. The erotic power of that story is heightened by Leah’s awe at being able to enjoy what she and Callum are sharing, as she recovers a part of herself she lost and deepens the level of trust between them.

For those who likes things a bit spicier, there’s "The Netherlands” by Justine Elyot, in which a nude Loveday serves guests tea and takes orders, while fulfilling a longtime fantasy of being “used,” with her true love there to watch.

Make no mistake: though these are stories about couples, they are not light or fluffy. They are full of joy, lust and kink, as well as realistic elements of mistrust, uncertainty and confusion, which the couples work through in ways that don’t gloss over or ignore their differences.

These couples, however long they’ve been a team, push the envelope by pushing themselves to try something new, even when they’re not sure where it will lead them. They go to those exotic, erotic places, to those recurring fantasies, because they know they have someone who will travel there with them. I hope this book will inspire nighttime reading--out loud--and erotic adventures, as well as conversations that have been bubbling under the surface, waiting to be exposed, just like the fantasies in the tales you’re about to read.

Rachel Kramer Bussel

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Bargain erotic romance Kindle ebooks: Passion and Obsessed are $2.99!

For a limited time, the Kindle editions of my erotic romance anthologies Passion and Obsessed are only $2.99! Get 'em while they're hot. And here's a deal where you can get one free, giving you 2 books for $3.99: review either Passion or Obsessed on Amazon, email the link to the review to me at rachelkb at gmail.com with "Kindle" in the subject line, and I'll send you the other book as a Kindle gift! You need to specify which email address to send it to. Offer good through June 14th, 2013, 5 pm EST. Note: If this sale ends earlier than planned, this offer will be null, though I'm told the sale will be going on through then. Thank you for supporting my books!



Passion: Erotic Romance for Women


Introduction: Getting Passionate

Big Bed Sex by Donna George Storey
My Dark Knight Jacqueline Applebee
Dear in the Headlights Angela Caperton
The Cherry Orchard Wickham Boyle
Autumn Suite Suzanne V. Slate
Contentions Isabelle Gray
The Silver Belt Lana Fox
Five Senses Rachel Kramer Bussel
The Arc of Triumph Monica Day
Crave You Close A.M. Hartnett
Any Easy Guy to Fall On Annabeth Leong
Lingua Franca Justine Elyot
Third Time’s the Charm Charlene Teglia
Riding Wild Things Lizzy Chambers
No Risk, No Reward Saskia Walker
If Emerald
Getting It Right Teresa Noelle Roberts
The Morning Ride Delilah Devlin
The Efficiency Expert Portia Da Costa
Rekindle Kathleen Bradean

Introduction: Getting Passionate

Passion. It can mean greed, desire, affection, love or simply, emotion. You will find all of those and more in the stories contained herein. As you read these twenty stories, you too will be swept away by passion as you travel to Paris and Greece (and Beverly Hills). You’ll get stuck in an elevator, take a bubble bath and a bus ride (not to mention some subway foreplay and flirting) and explore nature in some very intimate ways. You’ll find couples, and couplings by men and women looking (whether they know it or not) to spice things up in the bedroom.

Here, couples at all stages of their relationships (including the very beginning) kindle their passion in various ways, from exes who reunite to young marrieds on a naughty nature walk to those who mix business with pleasure. When Krista in “Crave You Close” by A. M. Hartnett tells Nicky, “I’m so used to having to hold my breath,” she is saying so much about their usual erotic m.o. At night, outdoors, she is free to make as much noise as she wants to.

These couples explore getting kinky, precisely because they feel intimately connected to each other. They go places, literally and figuratively, they wouldn’t dare without the other. They revisit old flames and nurture new ones; indeed, sometimes the men these women crave, such as Maya does in “The Silver Belt,” are not their husbands at all, but someone else, someone special, someone who is seeing them in an entirely new light. Those stories mingle with other tales of longtime lovers ignited to fiery scenes within these pages.

Passion can mean so many things, from the sexual submission of a caning to exploring new bodily territory--sexual experimentation, trying something you’ve fantasized about. It can mean makeup sex or role-play, a change of scenery or simply a change of thinking. It can mean looking at a lover, a husband, a boyfriend or a new boy toy with fresh eyes, sizing him up, baring yourself, daring him to come and get you.

Just as in real life, there are lovers’ quarrels within these pages, slights real and imagined, as couples find tender, erotic ways to heal their hurts and become even closer. There is an element of real, raw emotion in the way love and desire can as easily tear us down as build us up, that makes us appreciate each expression of romance all the more, because we know how truly special it is. I’m grateful these authors skip from playful romps to relationship-saving sex to tender memories to scorching sex scenes, together creating a book that will likely make you blush and make your heart swell.

As the narrator in one of my favorite pieces, “My Dark Knight” by Jacqueline Applebee, says, “I’m a not-so-hopeless romantic. I believe that chivalry still exists, I hope to find quiet nobility in the most random of places, and I believe that people who love each other can live happily ever after.” She finds a dark, very sexy knight who she rescues, seduces, and then… But you’ll have to read the story to find out.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City



Obsessed: Erotic Romance for Women
(want more enticement? here's my entire story "I Want to Hold Your Hand," about a big, very handsome man and the woman who loves him)

And just for fun, an Obsessed cupcake from the book release party in 2011:



Foreword: Behind the Mask of Obsession Caridad Piñeiro
Introduction Rachel Kramer Bussel (see below)
Silent Treatment Donna George Storey
One Night in Paris Kayla Perrin
Concubine Portia Da Costa
Love and Demotion Logan Belle
Mephisto Waltz Justine Elyot
Then Emerald
It’s Gotta Be Fate Jennifer Peters
Hooked Ariel Graham
Aftershocks Bella Andre
Secret Places Adele Haze
Loser Charlotte Stein
Here In Between Kristina Wright
Spellbound by Garnell Wallace
Raven’s Flight Andrea Dale
Raindrops and Rooftops Elizabeth Coldwell
Topiary K. D. Grace
I Want to Hold Your Hand Rachel Kramer Bussel
Storm Surge Teresa Noelle Roberts
Undercover Kink Louisa Harte


The women in Obsessed show their passion for their lovers in all kinds of ways. For some it’s about indulging in acts of daring, for others it’s about letting go of their preconceived notions of propriety and going where their bodies tell them.


In many of these stories, communication, the touchstone of advice about good relationships, is missing in some key way, whether it’s the almost-divorced couple in “Aftershocks” by Bella Andre who finally, during an earthquake, confess their deepest desires, or the one-time lovers in “Silent Treatment” by Donna George Storey who find plenty to say with their bodies at a silent retreat. In “Then,” Emerald explores what happens after a woman confesses to her boyfriend just how much she lusts after another man. They push the boundaries of their relationship and the boundaries of their trust in each other—another theme of this book.


Charlotte Stein paints a portrait of a “Loser” who manages to capture the attention of the narrator–and keep it by impressing her with his ardent desire. Stein writes, “He does little things, like when I stop him saying words like those with my mouth on his, he brings his hands up to cup my face. Other guys don’t cup my face. And he does it as though he wants to keep me as close as possible, so he can fully concentrate on my mouth and the way it moves and how much tongue I’m giving him at any given time.”


Obsessed is not about obsession for a new purse or a new car or a new perfume. It’s not even about the obsessiveness of a crush, the kind of panting lust that cycles over and over itself with no end in sight. Instead, Obsessed is about the way a lover can get under your skin, can drive you crazy with lust as well as so many other emotions–love, longing, hunger, anger, confusion. Are there happy endings here? Yes, there are, but they are not always the happy endings you’d expect. These stories sizzle with the kind of obsession that is fueled by our deepest desires, the ones that hold couples together, the ones that haunt us and don’t let go. Whether experiencing just-blooming passions, rekindled sparks or reinvented relationships, these lovers put the object of their obsession first. They don’t always do what’s rational or proper; instead, they chase their dreams, as in Kayla Perrin’s “One Night in Paris,” across the world and across the landscape of their lovers’ bodies.


I hope Obsessed speaks to the part of you that knows what it’s like to do anything for the right person, to bare yourself body and soul in the hope that once stripped to your most secret self, you will be rewarded with someone who sees you for who you truly are. With these nineteen stories, though, you don’t have to hope–I can tell you now that these gutsy heroines find men who know exactly how to treat their wild, hungry hearts. How they get there is yours to savor.


Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

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