Email: rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com



 

Lusty Lady

BLOG OF RACHEL KRAMER BUSSEL
Watch my first and favorite book trailer for Spanked: Red-Cheeked Erotica. Get Spanked in print and ebook

Saturday, November 30, 2013

BOGO erotica book sale from Small Buiness Saturday through Cyber Monday

Last December, on the advice of my accountant, I started RKB Enterprises, Inc., aka, me and the various activities that comprise my livelihood--editing books, writing articles, blogging and erotic writing workshops, and whatever else I come up with next. I was surprised and excited that this career I've cobbled together post-law school and post-full-time job warranted such a move. Since then, it's been all over the place, with book sale highs and lows, and since I'm me, heart on my sleeve girl, I have alternately marveled that I am a small business owner and wondered if it's time to chuck it all in and get a "real job." For now, I'm sticking with this job, a glorious, around-the-clock one that allows me to work from all over the country and the world in my travels, that allows me to meet and buy work from international authors, that introduces me to other small business owners such as those at The Tool Shed, Self Serve, Bookwoman, Bedpost Confessions and Nomia, one in which every day is different. I will feel blessed and honored every day I get to keep doing this, however long it lasts, and I thank you all for supporting my work.

So on this Small Business Saturday, if you want to support a small business owner as well as feminist queer-run independent publisher Cleis Press and get a great deal, consider giving yourself and/or someone else the gift of erotica--since it's a 2 for 1 deal, you could buy a book for yourself and give one to someone else. Yes, ebooks are giftable. I will autograph print books to anyone you like (if I have the book in stock, it'll be mailed Friday; if not, it'll be mailed as soon as my copies arrive). The deal is: buy any of the following Cleis Press books of mine from any store today, Saturday, November 30th, through 11:59 p.m. Monday, December 2nd, and I will send you another one free. Details below. Book options: Anything for You: Erotica for Kinky Couples; Baby Got Back: Anal Erotica; Best Bondage Erotica 2011; Best Bondage Erotica 2012; Best Bondage Erotica 2013; Best Sex Writing 2008; Best Sex Writing 2009; Best Sex Writing 2010; Best Sex Writing 2012; Best Sex Writing 2013; Between the Cheeks; The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories; Bottoms Up: Spanking Good Stories; Caught Looking: Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exhibitionists; Cheeky Spanking Stories; Crossdressing; Do Not Disturb: Hotel Sex Stories; Fast Girls; Going Down: Oral Sex Stories; Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex; He's on Top: Erotic Stories of Male Dominance and Female Submission; Hide and Seek: Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exhibitionists; Instruments of Pleasure: Sex Toy Erotica; Irresistible: Erotic Romance for Couples; The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories; Obsessed: Erotic Romance for Women; Only You: Erotic Romance for Women; Orgasmic; Passion; Peep Show; Please, Ma'am: Erotic Stories of Male Submission; Please, Sir: Erotic Stories of Female Submission; Serving Him: Sexy Stories of Submission; She's on Top: Erotic Stories of Female Dominance and Male Submission; Smooth; Spanked: Red-Cheeked Erotica; Suite Encounters: Hotel Sex Stories; Surrender: Erotic Tales of Female Pleasure and Submission; Tasting Her: Oral Sex Stories; Tasting Him: Oral Sex Stories; Twice the Pleasure: Bisexual Women's Erotica; Women in Lust; Yes, Ma'am: Erotic Stories of Male Submission; Yes, Sir: Erotic Stories of Female Submission.

Send me your e-receipt or snapshot of your print receipt dated November 30, December 1 or December 2, 2013 plus mailing address and inscription (U.S. only) or email address and Kindle or Nook or iBooks or Google Play preference by 11:59 p.m. EST Monday night, December 2nd, to orgasmantho at gmail.com with "BOGO" in the subject line, and I'll send you your choice of the above books - if you buy print, I'll send you print (U.S. only) or ebook, if you buy an ebook, I'll send you an ebook. THANK YOU for supporting me and RKB Enterprises, Inc.!

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Friday, November 29, 2013

Black Friday sexy ebook sale: $1.99 and 99 cent erotica

Happy Black Friday! Stay tuned for my Small Business Saturday through Cyber Monday BOGO Sale on The Big Book of Orgasms, but for today, I wanted to let you know that 6 of my Cleis Press ebooks are majorly on sale for $1.99, with my mini ebook Instruments of Pleasure: Sex Toy Erotica only 99 cents. I have no idea how long this will last but I'm seeing the sales now, so you're getting some bargain erotica on Black Friday, which can make a great gift for yourself or others.



fastgirlskindle
Fast Girls: Erotica for Women


suiteencounterskindle
Suite Encounters: Hotel Sex Stories


irresistiblekindle
Irresistible: Erotic Romance for Women


onlyyoukindle
Only You: Erotic Romance for Women


instrumentskindle
Instruments of Pleasure; Sex Toy Erotica


bswkindle
Best Sex Writing 2012: The State of Today's Sexual Culture

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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Want to win a $20 Amazon gift card? Help The Big Book of Orgasms reach 100 reviews and you just might!

Heads up: if The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories reaches 100 reviews on Amazon by the end of Sunday, December 1st, I'll be giving away 5 $20 Amazon gift cards. As befitting a book of micro fiction, your review can be short--1 sentence, 2 sentences, 5 sentences--as long as it doesn't have any curse or dirty words, per Amazon. If you're a blogger, it can be a way to get some new readers by posting your URL with the review, as DeDe Deylnn did. Thank you so much to all 92 of you who've posted so far! I won't see official sales figures until April, but I'm pretty sure your support has helped me toward my goal of making this my bestselling book. You don't have to buy it from Amazon, you can get it at your library (I'd love to see more libraries carry erotica!) or borrow it from a friend or read it at a bookstore. Your reviews are helping and I'm so thankful my little DIY book promotion experiment seems to be working. I was at a place where I wasn't sure I could afford to keep editing erotica any more earlier this year, and this book has revived my belief that this thing I love to do is worth it.

Buy The Big Book of Orgasms from:

Amazon

Kindle ebook edition

Bn.com

Nook ebook edition

Powell’s

Books-a-Million

IndieBound (find your nearest local independent bookstore)

iBooks

Google Play

Cleis Press

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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Interview about erotica in The Portland Phoenix and Tuesday's writing workshop in Portland, Maine

Thank you to The Portland Phoenix for interviewing me about modern erotica and my tips on erotica writing. I'm looking forward to my erotica workshop at Nomia in Portland, Maine on Tuesday night, December 3rd. If you'd like to register, I'm being told tickets are going to sell out shortly, so call Nomia at 207.773.4774 to sign up. Details are below. Here's a snippet from the interview, in response to what makes an erotica story successful:
A good story grabs you from the first sentence and makes you need to keep reading. Don’t skimp on the sex, but you don’t necessarily have to give an exact play-by-play rundown of every touch or look or moan; tell us what will convey the sexual highlights and what makes the encounter so explosive. Bonus points if it also manages to put a new twist on sexuality or an underrepresented or misunderstood fetish or sexual practice. It can have humor or darkness — I’ve published stories about breakups, funerals, and cancer, to name a few — and could be about anything from politics to sports to sex clubs. If there’s one thing I hope people take away from my erotic writing workshop, it’s that anything can be eroticized!
portlandphoenix

December 3, 7:30-9 pm
Erotica 101 writing workshop


Nomia, 24 Exchange Street, Suite 215, Portland, Maine

Rachel Kramer Bussel, professional erotica author and editor of over 50 erotica anthologies, such as The Big Book of Orgasms, Women in Lust, Please, Sir and Please, Ma'am, will take you through the ins and outs of modern erotic writing. Learn how to get started, find your voice, and write against type. You'll discover how to incorporate everyday scenarios as well as outlandish fantasies into your writing, and make them fit for particular magazines and anthologies. She'll also talk about submitting your work and keeping up with the thriving erotica market (including anthologies, ebooks, magazines and websites). Whether you're writing to that special someone, penning longtime fantasies, or want to earn cash for your dirty words, this workshop is for you. Please bring paper or writing implements or a laptop to use for in class writing exercises. A bibliography with erotica resources will be provided. Seating is limited and we expect this workshop to fill up FAST!

Please call the shop at 207.773.4774 to reserve your spot! $20 per person.

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The Bedhead Redhead's Superhero Sex Shop Tour

I love that blogger The Redhead Bedhead, whose tagline is "On a mission to save the world from mediocre sex," has visited so many wonderful sex toy stores as part of her Superhero Sex Shop Tour, including Good Vibrations, where we held the recent reading for The Big Book of Orgasms, Self Serve in Albuquerque, where I just did an erotica writing workshop, and Nomia in Portland, Maine, where I'm doing one on Tuesday, December 3rd, from 7:30-9, which, hint hint, is about to sell out, so call the store at 207.773.4774 to register. Check out all her posts and recommendations.

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"Move over Fifty Shades of Grey" says Refinery29 about Serving Him: Sexy Stories of Submission

Not only did Refinery29 run my no pants essay this week, but they were also kind enough to recommend 3 of my books, Serving Him, The Big Book of Orgasms and anal sex ebook Between the Cheeks in their "Porn for Women: A Tasteful Guide to Sexy Time. Thank you! Below is more info on Serving Him, which features my amateur professional sub story "Subbing."



Purchase Serving Him: Sexy Stories of Submission now from:



Amazon

Kindle edition (ebook)

Barnes & Noble

Nook (ebook)

Powells

Books-a-Million

IndieBound (search for your local indie bookstore)

Audible audiobook edition

iTunes

Google Play

Cleis Press

Serving Him Table of Contents

Introduction: Lucky Naughty Girls
What You Deserve Lori Selke (read excerpt)
Coffee Break Kristina Wright (read excerpt)
Chattel Errica Liekos (read excerpt)
Under Direction Teresa Noelle Roberts (read excerpt)
The Letter Tiffany Reisz (read excerpts: part 1 and part 2)
Run, Baby, Run Vida Bailey (read excerpt)
Tackling Jessica Maxine Marsh (read excerpt)
Safe, Sane & Consensual Ariel Graham (read excerpt)
The Golden Ruler Giselle Renarde (read excerpt)
I Always Do Kiki DeLovely (read excerpt)
Pinky Kissa Starling (read excerpt)
The Breaking Point Cole Riley (read excerpt)
Shining in the Dark Bex vanKoot (read excerpt)
Room #3 Emily Bingham (read excerpt)
Duo J. Sinclaire (read excerpt)
Breath Mollena Williams (read excerpt)
Silver Fish in the Crystal Pool Gina Marie (read excerpt)
The Secret of Time Travel Jacqueline Applebee (read excerpt)
Bared Gray Miller (read excerpt)
In His Control Jade Melisande (read excerpt)
Paper Doll joy (read excerpt)
Subbing Rachel Kramer Bussel (read excerpt)

Lucky Naughty Girls

“I’m so lucky to have such a naughty girl like you in my lap,” Jake tells Deirdre in “What You Deserve” by Lori Selke, the opening story in the book you’re about to read. In many ways, that sentence, its promise and passion, its claim and command, is what this book of kinky erotica is all about. There are a lot of naughty girls, a lot of laps and a lot of men who understand that, in fact, they are lucky—whether they ever voice it or not—to have a hot, eager, filthy-minded woman eagerly awaiting the chance to serve them.

The other half of the equation, one that is vital to any BDSM story, but especially those told with an eye toward female submission, is that the naughty girls themselves know how lucky they are—and if they don’t at the start of the story, they do by the end. They know they are lucky to have discovered a seed of submission somewhere within them and someone to complement and nurture that growing seed. They are lucky because they own their darkest, dirtiest desires, even the ones they struggle with, the ones that turn them on despite being taboo or unnerving in some way.

Actually, they are more than lucky; finding a master, a top, a boyfriend, a husband, a lover or simply a man who gets an essential truth about their submissive nature doesn’t just happen. Well, sometimes it does, but I believe it takes a certain kind of prowess to activate and draw forth those kinds of dominants, the kind you can trust with your body and soul, your pussy and your power. What I’m trying to say is that the women here don’t just wander down an alley and find a man to pin them against the wall; even when they encounter a sexy stranger, they are making a choice to obey him, to follow their own lust as much as another’s command.

In “Room #3,” when author Emily Bingham shuts the door on her characters, she invites us into a tale where we don’t know who is touching the narrator, nor does she; we only know how much she likes it. When the narrator offers up her body, she enters into the unknown, a thrill in and of itself. “The moment I knocked on this door, I consented to become his plaything. From here on out I have no say in what will happen. No words are to leave my mouth in this space; I am at his mercy. I can only hope I’ve made a wise choice.” In all the stories you will read here, a woman makes a similar choice, and we get to luxuriate in the ways that actively making that choice, owning up to our most dastardly, wanton, wicked fantasies can be a ticket to a ride we never want to get off.

I’m sitting in a coffee shop in San Francisco as I quote from Kristina Wright’s “Coffee Break,” wondering what I would do if a hot barista said to me, “Go to the bathroom now. Leave the door unlocked. Get undressed. Kneel on the floor facing the door.” Actually, it’s not the barista who delivers that message in her story, but it made me picture what I would do if I were handed a steaming cup of joe and such a command.

The stories in Serving Him are about everything from scenes in dungeons to the ways playing with power can extend beyond what we do when we are “playing.” In “Safe, Sane and Consensual,” by Ariel Graham, she takes that hallmark of BDSM safety and reflects on the ways we “safeword” when dealing with polite society. “May I ask what the spanking is for?” Aaron asks Annie, and his answer just may surprise you.

There are plenty of surprises in store in this book, and whether you’re a novice or a seasoned BDSM player, I hope you’ll enjoy the exchanges to be found here—of dirty talk, power, roles, toys, games. These characters test each other, pushing boundaries from both sides of the top/bottom equation. Often it’s the women who push their men to push them, to stop being polite and start holding them down, making them open wide, forcing them to relinquish a kind of power they are eager to let go off.

Many of the stories here are as intense as the acts described; I see them as tender, but they are likely to take your breath away, make you tremble or quiver, make you just a little bit afraid. That edge of awe and fear, of want and need, of excitement and surrender, is just where I hope these stories keep you. You don’t have to be a naughty girl (or boy), in real life or in your dreams, to enjoy the twenty-two hot stories in this book, but I have a feeling they will bring out your inner naughtiness, whatever form that takes. I feel lucky to get to share them with you.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Off the charts! By which I mean The Big Book of Orgasms is racing UP the charts!

I was thrilled to find that The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories is racing up Amazon's short story anthology bestseller list and also the Kindle edition of that list. Sexy micro fiction for the win! These lists change rapidly so the numbers have shifted, but it's pretty amazing to see my book of erotica amidst Pearl Buck and Sherman Alexie. Not that I should be surprised, since I read widely and I'm sure many people do too!

screenshotamazonshorstorynov25

And for the Kindle short story anthology chart, we're now at 58, with Violet Blue's Best Women's Erotica 2013 at 60, but still great news for the little book that could! (I took the screen shots last night.)

screenshotamazonkindlebboonov25

If you're wondering, anywhere you purchase The Big Book of Orgasms helps me, and if it does well, it means that I get to edit more books like it, so here are the buying links again, since it's holiday gift time!

Buy The Big Book of Orgasms from:

Amazon

Kindle ebook edition

Bn.com

Nook ebook edition

Powell’s

Books-a-Million

IndieBound (find your nearest local independent bookstore)

iBooks

Google Play

Cleis Press

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Monday, November 25, 2013

6 spots left in December 3rd erotica writing workshop in Portland, Maine

There are 6 spots left in my December 3rd Portland, Maine erotica writing workshop at Nomia. Wanted to give you a heads up because there will be an article about the workshop in the upcoming Portland Phoenix and we expect it to sell out. Call 207.773.4774 to reserve a spot. Details:

December 3, 7:30-9 pm
Erotica 101 writing workshop

Nomia, 24 Exchange Street, Suite 215, Portland, Maine
Rachel Kramer Bussel, professional erotica author and editor of over 50 erotica anthologies, such as The Big Book of Orgasms, Women in Lust, Please, Sir and Please, Ma'am, will take you through the ins and outs of modern erotic writing. Learn how to get started, find your voice, and write against type. You'll discover how to incorporate everyday scenarios as well as outlandish fantasies into your writing, and make them fit for particular magazines and anthologies. She'll also talk about submitting your work and keeping up with the thriving erotica market (including anthologies, ebooks, magazines and websites). Whether you're writing to that special someone, penning longtime fantasies, or want to earn cash for your dirty words, this workshop is for you. Please bring paper or writing implements or a laptop to use for in class writing exercises. A bibliography with erotica resources will be provided. Seating is limited and we expect this workshop to fill up FAST!
Please call the shop at 207.773.4774 to reserve your spot! $20 per person.

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Why I only wear dresses and skirts

Check out my first piece for Refinery29, a site I've fast become addicted to: "Why Every Day Is No-Pants Day For Me", with a shoutout to Yumi Kim, one of my favorite designers. I'm not wearing them below, but I love the dresses of theirs I own, and look forward to wearing them in warmer weather.

mewithflowers

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Get social media tips tonight from Gary Vaynerchuk, author of Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook

I brought Gary Vaynerchuk's new book Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World with me from New Jersey to Albuquerque to Santa Fe to Austin. I actually planned to leave my copy there because it's heavy but as I began reading I realized I have oodles to learn from it about how to optimize my professional social media use. That's my little personal two cents. More about the book and Gary's event tonight with New York Observer editor in chief Ken Kurson at Barnes & Noble Union Square at observer.com.

jabjabjab

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New York reading tomorrow night with Slash Coleman, Sweta Vikram and Donna Minkowitz

Tomorrow night, November 26th, I'm reading at Loft 227; all the details are on Facebook and Slash's site and below. I'll have copies of The Big Book of Orgasms, which I'll be reading from, and a few other books to sell, and postcards and bookmarks to give out.

litmischief

November 26, 7 p.m.
Loft 227, 227 W 29th Street Suite 4F, NYC
Literary Mischief w/ Slash Coleman: Season 1 Show 5
New York, NY (NYC) - 11/26
Hashtag: #MissLit

Slash Coleman (PBS producer and author of “The Bohemian Love Diaries”) hosts an evening of inspired literary mischief with three of New York City's most eclectic authors: Sweta Vikram, Donna Minkowitz & Rachel Kramer Bussel presenting stories from their latest books, compelling, offbeat interviews with the writers with time to spare for Q&A and stimulating conversation.

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Sunday, November 24, 2013

I'm on iTunes: erotica books and audiobooks

For your shopping convenience, all my iTunes books and audiobooks in one handy link. This includes the audiobook of Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex, which has outsold the print and ebook versions combined recently, and has outsold my next highest-selling audiobook by 5 to 1 in the last royalty period, all because of podcaster and narrator Rose Caraway, who not only recorded 5 free audio erotica stories from the book, but went out of her way to make it a success, and to whom I owe an endless round of thanks for her dedication, professionalism and all around awesomeness. I am overjoyed that she will be narrating The Big Book of Orgasms. Her passion for her work has led to a wide new audience for my first book of short shorts.

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My book is on PostSecret and Amazon's most gifted erotica book list!

The good news keeps pouring in for the best book I've ever edited, The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories! I've been honored and thrilled that the book is making such a connection with readers and am looking forward to our January 3rd reading at The Museum of Sex as part of Between the Covers. I got an email last night that someone took the book's postcard, wrote some kickass news on it, and sent it to PostSecret! I hope that all erotica writers can do what they love for a living, and that all my The Big Book of Orgasms contributors have smashing success in their writing careers. Thank you, fairy book mother or father, for helping this little book reach a whole new audience. You made my weekend!

9bigbokofo

I also saw that The Big Book of Orgasms is the 26th most gifted erotica book on Amazon, right behind mega blockbuster Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James. Go us!

amazonnovember 232013

Speaking of Amazon, here's what some reviewers are saying, such as DeDe Deylnn, who you can read more of on her blog:
So many steamy scenes happen and this book has opened up my perspective on new places, scenarios, and perspectives on having a good orgasm. There are plenty of queer stories, by queer writer, included in this book that would make anyone very happy. Two of my favorites: a story about two men at a construction site and the other a dominate woman and a man playing with power, control, and orgasm denial. It's so hot. I totally suggest you check this book out.
And Alex:
Another great thing about this compilation is that the stories, while short, are long enough to get both the mind and the juices flowing. Explicit enough to intrigue and leave you wanting more without being blatant and overbearing. These stories are involved enough to spark discussion and desire.

One of my favorites is "Under the table," by Elizabeth Caldwell, which creates the setting for a hot fantasy about getting hot and bothered in a restaurant but leaves enough of the picture left for me to finish the scene on my own. Another is "The Massage," by Lady Cheeky, which gets a bit detailed as the author goes from anticipation to post-orgasm jelly... there are very few things, in this world, as great as either giving, or receiving, that kind of whole body, orgasm.

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Brunch in Brooklyn today with Tionna Smalls

Yesterday I got to write about one of my favorite movies, Preaching to the Perverted, in my New York Observer CineKink writeup, and today I found a fun brunch for those of you in Brooklyn, featuring former Gawker columnist and VH1 star on What Chilli Wants, Tionna Smalls. Please do keep sending me your New York City events, ideally with 2 weeks notice, to 8dayweek at observer.com - I'm doing this until January 8th, though you can always send to that address and find the listings in the print paper every Wednesday and online daily at observer.com. To those not in New York, maybe you know someone who'd like these events. I know not everyone is local, but I'll be posting most of these to spread the word.

hesaidshesaidbrunch

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Friday, November 22, 2013

Getting hyperlocal in New Jersey and Maine

I love the direction that blogging is going with hyperlocal blogs. I live in Red Bank, New Jersey, and we have the wonderful redbankgreen.com to stay informed about all sorts of events and news about our town. I was thrilled that Asbury Pulp wrote this headline about me and The Big Book of Orgasms: "Rachel’s ‘Orgasms’ shake the Jersey Shore – and much of the nation." How could I not be?

Asbury-Pulp-Mast-spec-new-copy

More local love from The Portland Buzz about my December 3 Erotica 101 writing workshop at Nomia in Portland, Maine. At least half the 18 seats are spoken for so if you're interested, I strongly encourage you to call Nomia at 207-773-4774 and register soon ($20/person). I can't wait to return to Maine!

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Thursday, November 21, 2013

BDSM erotic romance Matzoh and Mistletoe First Look at Heroes & Heartbreakers

I reviewed BDSM erotic novella Matzoh and Mistletoe by Jodie Griffin over at Heroes & Heartbreakers, a must-bookmark site for romance readers!

Carina_1113_9781426897450_MatzohMistletoe

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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

6 sex and erotica Kindle ebooks for $1.99 each - limited time flash sale (aka, I have no idea how long this sale will last!)

6 of my Cleis Press Kindle ebooks are on sale for only $1.99 - I literally have no idea how long this promotion will last so if you're interested in my erotica and/or Best Sex Writing 2012, guest judged by Susie Bright, at rock bottom Kindle prices, I'd buy them now. Happy e-reading! Click on covers to purchase and to look inside (that's just how the cover images came through via Amazon).

fastgirlskindle
Fast Girls: Erotica for Women


suiteencounterskindle
Suite Encounters: Hotel Sex Stories


irresistiblekindle
Irresistible: Erotic Romance for Women


onlyyoukindle
Only You: Erotic Romance for Women


instrumentskindle
Instruments of Pleasure; Sex Toy Erotica


bswkindle
Best Sex Writing 2012: The State of Today's Sexual Culture

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Go see Lady Rizo tonight at Joe's Pub for her Violet CD release party!

If you're in New York, go see Lady Rizo's Violet CD release party tonight at Joe's Pub! She gave me the scoop for The New York Observer. Trust me, it'll be an amazing show.

Rizo_Violet_Final_lores-300x271

Lady-Rizo-1

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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

What you'll learn in my erotic writing workshops and other interview questions answered

A journalist contacted me about doing an interview that wound up not running, so I thought I'd share it with you. My upcoming erotic writing classes are December 3rd at Nomia in Portland, Maine and January 17th at the New York Academy of Sex Education in New York and erotica and nonfiction sex writing workshops March 14th pre-CatalystCon; if you're interested in booking me for 2014, email me at rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com with "Workshop" in the subject line about details, timing and budget. Thank you to everyone who came out tonight to Bookwoman in Austin for one of the best workshops I've ever taught!

How did you get started in the world of erotic writing?

I was in law school and reading a lot of erotica, and when I saw a call for an anthology called Starf*cker about celebrities, I knew I wanted to try it myself. This was 1999, so the celebrity I chose was Monica Lewinsky. That first story, “Monica and Me,” got published in Starf*cker and Best Lesbian Erotica 2001, and I’ve been writing erotic stories ever since.

Was there a movie or specific story you remember reading that piqued your initial interest?

Susie Bright’s Best American Erotica series was the first erotica I read. The breadth of stories wowed me. I haven’t read it in a long time, but there’s a story in Best American Erotica 1999 by Tsaurah Litzky, an author whose work I’ve since published in my books, called “The Balm That Heals,” that I still remember. It was about something that I’d have thought would turn me off but was so exquisitely written I was completely entranced by it.

As an editor, what makes a good erotic story?

The story should grab the reader from the first sentence and keep a steady pace. You want to tease the reader and give them a sense of who the characters are before you dive into the sex scene, so they’re more invested in what happens. When I’m editing an anthology, I look for diverse stories in terms of characters and settings and scenarios and sexualities, so if you have a hobby or interest that could be fashioned into an erotic story, that can make it stand out. I’ve published stories set at the opera and in chemistry labs; as long as the characters are believable and can convey their particular fetishes and desires in a way that sounds authentic, I’m going to want to read it.

What are some challenges you face when writing?

By now I’ve probably written over 150 erotica stories, so sometimes I get stuck when trying to create a fresh plot. I do my best to challenge myself and write about characters who aren’t like me. I’ve written gay male erotica, straight erotica, bisexual erotica, lesbian erotica, but I’m always looking to push myself and my work into places it’s never gone before. Sometimes that means trying the second person voice or researching something I’ve never done to incorporate it into a story.

What are your goals when you hold these workshops?

I hope people will walk away realizing that they can write erotica involving their everyday surroundings and lives and get inspiration from unlikely sources. I think sometimes people think erotica has to be all about orgies and sex clubs and hardcore BDSM and while it totally can involve those things, it can also be about couples having hot sex in their own home. So much of erotica is about making the characters’ passions come alive on the page. I also hope people are inspired to send out their work and start getting published!

What advice do you have for people interested in writing erotica?

Don’t try to sound “porny” or add extra sex scenes because you think that’s what editors want. Write in your own voice and use the language for body parts and sex acts you’d normally use, unless they would sound weird in the voices of your characters. Even if you’re writing about something that actually happened, feel free to embellish and change things to make the story flow. Good erotica can feel true even when it’s entirely made up. You can get inspiration from all sorts of online resources, from Pinterest to Google to the news.

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Greetings from Austin, see you tonight at Bookwoman and Thursday at Bedpost Confessions!

Hello from Austin! I hope you'll join me or let your Austin friends know about my 2 events here this week, the erotica writing workshop tonight, Tuesday, November 19th from 7-8:30 at feminist bookstore Bookwoman at 5501 N Lamar Blvd A-105 ($15/person). Call 512-472-2785 to register or you can do walk-in registration too. Many thanks to do512.com, austintexas.org, The Austin Chronicle and CultureMap Austin for listing it.

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Then Thursday night, November 21st, I'm expanding on my age play story at Bedpost Confessions, which sounds like a huge event and which I'm fairly nervous about, since I usually do better revealing those kinds of things behind the shield of my laptop screen, but I'm excited and think it builds character to do the things you're scared of. Bookwoman will be selling my books there too! It's the 21st at 8 at The North Door, 501 N I-35, Austin, TX 78701. Tickets are $10 at the door.

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And a few fun photos from Austin so far, I arrived on Sunday and checked out the East Austin Studio Tour, which I highly recommend, and, of course, a bingo hall:

Amazing art in Austin: #fosterstree

Amazing art in Austin: #fosterstree
Fosters Tree - this was amazing, made with 9 miles of stainless steel!

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I saw some little kids deconstructing one of these and thought it was allowed, like interactive art, until I saw them get reprimanded.

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blue elephant behind Up Collective

Bingo!
We didn't win but I still had the best time playing bingo amongst what seemed like semi-professionals, with computers and words I didn't even know, though I liked that kids were allowed too!

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Monday, November 18, 2013

Free story slam and storytelling in New York tonight

It's the How I Learned/Best in Show Blender tonight and it's free! Full details in my New York Observer writeup - I don't think I've heard of another event where you can tell a story and get professional feedback on it for free! Plus it benefits the wonderful folks at Housing Works, whose mission is "to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS through relentless advocacy, the provision of lifesaving services, and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain our efforts."

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Saturday, November 16, 2013

Sexy nerds and sex geeks: D20 Burlesque in Space tonight in New York

Tonight on the Lower East Side catch D20 Burlesque in Space at Parkside Lounge - my preview iwth all the detials is at The New York Observer. Please keep sending events for consideration (any kind of events you think would appeal to the Observer audience with FULL details including date, time, location, description, price, phone number) to 8dayweek at observer.com for events from November 27-December 25 (I don't know yet if I'll still be doing these after Christmas, but you can always send to 8dayweek at observer.com). 2 weeks notice or more is ideal. Thank you!

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Thursday, November 14, 2013

Happy editor news: my college paper The Daily Californian wrote about my reading

Because I'm determined to make The Big Book of Orgasms not only my best book but my bestselling book, I Google it every day. For whatever beyond me technical reason, that process yields finds that my Google alerts don't. Maybe it's crazy, but today I discovered a happy surprise: my college newspaper The Daily Californian wrote about my recent San Francisco reading at Good Vibrations, complete with illustration:
The stories are well written and surprising. They are personal and political, and each one pushes taboo and reminds us that sex is much stranger and more varied than we think. I lose track of the pronouns, and I stop assuming I can guess what someone will read by how they look.
That made my day! I was also interviewed by contributor Victoria Blisse and at Madison Kink, a site all about kink in Madison, Wisconsin. From Madison Kink:
Do you use any past experiences in your stories?

My first few stories were largely autobiographical. Now I still use elements from my life in my fiction, but it’s less direct, more subtle or disguised. I might take something that happened to me and twist it around or put it into the experience of a very different character. I love the real-life moments that beg to be written about, the ones that seem to find my by chance. I like burying the secrets in the stories like little erotic Easter eggs.
So yes, I'm a crazy narcissistic Googler, but that also means I'm finding hidden gems about my favorite book and that makes it worth it. Authors and editors, I recommend both Google news alerts on your titles and a bit of searching to find what falls through the search engine cracks.

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Greetings from Santa Fe, and my favorite piece of art so far

I'm enjoying just how many art museums and galleries there are in Santa Fe. This Maria Chabot photo of Georgia O'Keeffe and Maurice Grosser is one of my favorite things I saw at the New Mexico Museum of Art yesterday (it's displayed there next to a Harley), and I'm off to explore more art today. You can read more about this photo at The Selvedge Yard. I also discovered the work of Mark Kostabi, which I want to see more of. This one in particular, "Inaccessible People Aren't Worth It," is a message I've needed to learn.

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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

My 5 favorite sex toys and chance to win a free copy of The Big Book of Orgasms

Lady Cheeky, whose true story "The Massage" appears in The Big Book of Orgasms, asked me about my 5 favorite sex toys (hint: one is by Crave, whose Duet vibrator Betty Blac has already paired with some hot erotic reading) for the virtual book tour and she's giving away a copy at her blog. Enter now! And thank you, Lady Cheeky!

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Albuquerque greetings, with a side of head tingling, green chile fudge and Rio Grande susnet

It's exactly 5 a.m., which is pretty typical for my atypical sleep patterns while traveling, especially so on this 38th birthday trip. So far, Albuquerque has been wonderful, not just for the sun and the sights, but for the people, who have gone out of their way to be kind to me, so much so I've even been invited back in May by a new friend, a lifelong resident who was kind enough to show me around. I am looking forward to tonight's erotica writing worskhop at the outstanding Self Serve, which I got to check out the other day while taking a walk and stumbling across it. I bought some cards, which are part of what keeps my relationship alive while I'm traveling, and am looking forward to teaching surrounded by sex toys. I was quite tickled and amused to see my name in the subject line of their recent email along with their head tingler sale:

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Plus they stock lots of my books:

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I was impressed by the bus system - I had walked and taken the bus (only $1) there from the Anderson Abruzzo International Balloon Museum, which was small and a bit out of the way but interesting, where I got to see things like the following, and it made me want to ride in a balloon, though that'll probably have to wait until my next trip (as, most likely, will the tram, so good thing I'm planning to return!):

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I've been wanting to check out The Candy Lady since reading Samira Kawash's book Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure (she is also known as the Candy Professor, which is one of the best website names I've heard). Well, Candy Lady did not disappoint in any way. I tried green chile fudge, ate a piece each of almond toffee and dark chocolate covered peach, dried apricot and dried pineapple and sent some fudge home to my guy. If you are in Old Town, I definitely recommend checking them out:

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I'm enjoying this issue of Albuquerque the Magazine and was pleased to see I'd already tried one place on their must-eat nachos list, Little Anita's. HOping to sneak in a few more while I'm here. One of the best things I've eaten was the green chile cheese fries at Gecko's. Delicious!

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Something I didn't try but nonetheless admired were the fall leaf cookies at Flying Star Cafe:

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And lastly, that sunset on the Rio Grande, where we took a lovely walk and I learned that the Sandia Mountains are named that for the Spanish word for watermelon, sandia, since the sky turns lovely shades of pink and red.

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