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

Monday, February 29, 2016

When a book gets a second chance makeover, or, erotic romance anthology I Want You Bad is just $1.99 this week

To cut to the chase, my anthology I Want You Bad: Obsessed Erotic Romance for Women (formerly titled Obsessed), is only $1.99 this week on Kindle, Nook, Google Play, iBooks and Kobo. I don't know exactly how long the sale lasts, but probably until Friday, so if you're interested, grab it now for a cheap and sexy download!

Iwantyoubadcover

Longer version: Sometimes, despite my best efforts, my books just fail to reach a wide audience. It could be the timing, the cover, the competition. Who knows? Sometimes it's that a major chain like Borders is closing right then the book comes out. I've edited over 60 anthologies and some of them are major sellers, and some, not so much. One of the latter was my erotic romance anthology Obsessed, despite the book cover cupcakes I had made for the book launch party and the usual attention to promotion I put into it. But what's very cool is that this book I could have considered a failure for not selling well got new life last year with a new cover and title: I Want You Bad: Obsessed Erotic Romance for Women. So if you read Obsessed, you don't need this one because the content is the same. But if you didn't, now's the perfect time to do so at a bargain price.

Many of my non-Cleis Press books were published with publishers like Alyson that have since closed up shop, and are no longer available. Those early titles never came out in ebook form so they don't get to live on in any way that helps me make a living (yes, you can buy used copies, but I get no royalties). That's a shame to me, because I love those books just as much as the newer ones, although I'd like to think my skills as an anthology editor have improved over the 12 years I've been doing it. My point is, getting a do-over on a book feels like a wonderful gift. How often in life have we bombed and would love to get the chance to start afresh? I know I have countless moments where that would be extremely welcome. In the rest of my life, I don't get those chances very often, but with this book, I did, and I treasure that because I believe in the stories and my authors and the collection.

I Want You Bad table of contents:

Foreword: Behind the Mask of Obsession Caridad Piñeiro
Introduction Rachel Kramer Bussel

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
(this one is my free erotic romance story gift to you, part of my Big Handsome Man stories and from a period where I was naming stories after songs) Storm Surge Teresa Noelle Roberts
Undercover Kink Louisa Harte

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, February 15, 2016

The Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica ebook is only $1.99 this week on Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Google Play and Kobo!

I'm happy to start the week off by letting you know that what I think is one of the most fun books I've ever worked on, Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica, is only $1.99 this week in ebook form on Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Google Play and Kobo! I don't know exactly how long the sale lasts but I believe it's at least through Friday, February 19th.

comeagaincover

I loved working on this book because there's humor, playfulness and a lot of creativity going on (from ice play to a sex doll threesome and much more). There are sex toys you've likely heard of (and maybe even used), and ones that are purely function. There are toys used for very creative purposes and some used in the ways you'd likely expect, as a means of enhancing pleasure, surprising a partner or simply doing something that the human body alone cannot. I'll be posting some excerpts during the course of this week to pique your interest, but wanted to share the news since this is a limited time sale. Here's the blurb:
In the latest collection from award-winning editor Rachel Kramer Bussel, sex toys take on a life of their own as they bring couples, singles and strangers to new heights of pleasure. From two couples who happen to share the same remote controlled device, to some very hot rocks, a perfectly icy bed, a Superman dildo, and a day in the life of a very lucky vibrator. This fun collection will give you plenty of ideas for toys you’d like to try, and ones you wish someone would invent! From “The Secret Shopper” and “The Cure for the Common Lay,” these stories in Come Again are best read with your favorite sex toy handy.

Sex toys are more popular than ever and make life so much more fun! Nowadays, there are sex toys for every occasion and every act. And, to add to the joy of toys, they also come in all sorts of playful designs, from sweet little bunny vibrators to glamorous glittery harnesses, feather light smackers to heavy duty paddles. Whatever your favorite playtime is, you can probably find exactly the right toy—or make your own! Rachel Kramer Bussel, toy enthusiast and self-confessed spanko has gathered a delightful set of stories sure to give you ideas to try at home, or wherever your nearest toy box may be!
To further pique your interest, here's the table of contents; the final story, "My Life as a Vibrator" by Livia Ellis, is told from the point of view of a vibrator, from factory to being used in very intimate, hot ways. It's one of the most creative stories I've ever published and a wonderful way to round out this collection!

Dare You To Jillian Boyd
The Prototype Malin James
Icy Bed J. Crichton
Surprise Katya Harris
The Superman Dildo E. Bellamy
Lost and Pounded Zee Giovanni
In the Pink Rob Rosen
Dalia’s Toy Corrine A. Silver
Vegetable Love Susan St. Aubin
The Cure for the Common Lay Valerie Alexander
Claws Out Rachel Kramer Bussel
Sex Kitten Errica Liekos
Standard of Care Sybil Rush
Bikery Oliver Hollandaize
Pencil Dick Kathleen Delaney-Adams
A Tale of Two Toys Chris Komodo
Prickles Elizabeth Coldwell
Gift Dena Hankins
Get Your Rocks Off Jocelyn Dex
Byrd and the Bees Kamala St. Deeds
The Secret Shopper Kitten Boheme
Must Love Dolls Giselle Renarde
Sex Sells Adriana Ravenlust
My Life as a Vibrator Livia Ellis

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Buy my erotica books in Berlin at vegan sex shop Other Nature

Yesterday, I read an article at Upworthy about feminist sex shops, specifically Other Nature in Berlin. They describe themselves on their site as "Other Nature is a feminist, queer-oriented, eco-friendly, vegan sex shop in Berlin Kreuzberg." Well, imagine my delight when I discovered that they carry my women's erotica anthologies Dirty Girls and the German translation of Fast Girls, which has a much sexier cover than the U.S. version, which is hot in its own way and is one of my favorite of my books:

othernature
on the Other Nature site

Both editions side by side:

fastgirlsboth

Naturally (pun intended), I Tweeted about it, and here's what they said:

othernaturetweet

To inspire you wherever you are in the world as we head into Valentine's Day, here's my naked bubble bath book trailer for Fast Girls, whose title was inspired by the song of the same name by one of my favorite bands, Sarge (read more about that in the introduction to the book). Watching this again makes me miss making book trailers. People ask me sometimes whether they help sell books. Short and succinct answer: I have no idea, but I really enjoyed the process. As someone whose only real artistic talents lie with words, getting to work with images, to be onscreen and plan out these videos, was a lot of fine. It's not feasible to do these days, but I consider them a fond memory and wonderful learning experience.



For those outside Berlin, here's where you can grab a copy in print, ebook or audiobook form:

Amazon.com

Kindle ebook edition

Bn.com

Nook ebook edition

Powell's

IndieBound (find your nearest local bookstore)

iBooks

Google Play

Audible audiobook

Cleis Press

Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, February 11, 2016

I love the first day of (erotica writing) school

Today is the official start of my sixth LitReactor erotica writing class, and I'm thrilled to be back. While it's a major immersion in the genre for my students, for me it's an immersion in doing something I love that is a wonderful complement to the loneliness of writing: working with other people. I am first and foremost a people person, and my erotica work has always involved working with others. From the very first short story I published, I didn't want the words to just live between the pages of a book, but to come alive in the air, so I organized a reading at New York's Bluestockings back in, I believe, 2001, for Best Lesbian Erotica 2001.

What's great about teaching online is that I am not limited to working with people in a specific geographic location. Students from around the world have taken my LitReactor class and shared knowledge of how sexuality works where they live that has helped inform others' stories. It's a space where camaraderie rules and people get intimate on the page in ways, I'm pretty sure, they didn't expect to.

I think back to the first online class I taught, which was only in 2014, but I admit I was incredibly nervous. I wasn't sure how what I had taught in person dozens of times would translate online. What I found was that I actually love the process of teaching online because there's more time to connect, think, experiment, write and learn. Students aren't stuck with only a few minutes to write the first thing that pops into their mind (which is a process that has value in itself). They can allow their imaginations to take flight, work on recurring characters if they choose, get detailed feedback not just on a few minutes' or writing but on completed stories, and spend quality time with their work. It's now my preferred method of teaching and where I will be focusing my efforts this year and beyond, because I believe I can offer the best of the knowledge I have in that form. That's not to diminish the work I do in live workshops, but I'm convinced that for me, online teaching is where I can have the most impact, connect with the most students from the widest range of places, and provide the most steady encouragement, support and tools to help writers go deeper and flesh out their erotica.

I'm at work on a website that will expand on my offerings as a writing coach and teacher, informed by what I've learned in these classes and working with private clients. It's a leap for me to focus on that arena, but since just this morning I got an email from a student who sold an erotica story, it feels like the right leap. For the next four weeks, I'll be devoted to my LitReactor class, but stay tuned here, in my newsletter and on my Facebook page, where I'll be sharing relevant advice, links and helpful hints for writers. I admit this year has been off to a somewhat rocky start for me in a lot of ways, with much upheaval and it's taken me a while to get my bearings, but today, I feel like I'm very clear on where I want to go and what I want to be doing.

Labels: , , , , ,

Tuesday, February 09, 2016

My new short story "Triple Threat" in Kristina Wright's The One Who Got Away

I'm thrilled to share that just in time for Valentine's Day, I have a brand new short story titled "Triple Threat" out in Kristina Wright's anthology The One Who Got Away. It's out today in paperback and ebook (I link to Amazon via their affiliate program, meaning I get a small fee if yo purchase through my links, but I also encourage you to ask for the book at your local bookstore). Here's more about the book:
We all have... that One, the one who got away. The one we fell for or simply were attracted to, but we never got. That One, but not necessarily The One, at least not the first time around. That One who slips into our fantasies late at night when we’re feeling melancholy or nostalgic. Maybe we took a chance once and it simply didn’t work out. Maybe we never took the chance... and we wish we had. We all have the name of the One Who Got Away tattooed on our heart, always with us, never forgotten.

There is something hopelessly romantic about the idea of connecting with a long lost love. This luscious Cleis Press collection of second chance stories celebrates longing and loves that, whether by fate or by design, are at last requited and fulfilled.
And isn't the cover hot?

onewhogotaway

Here's a very brief teaser from my story, which is about jealousy, polyamory, love lost and happy endings.
I used to think I knew everything in my twenties. Now, in my early forties, I can laugh at my younger self, who’d race from bar to bar, bed to bed, living utterly in the moment. I rarely stopped to think what would happen after last call, after the sun came up, or whether all those late nights and flings would catch up with me.

Then I fell for Luke, with his big brain, big body, big dick and the most self-confidence I’ve ever seen in anyone. He would walk into a room—any room—and be sure that everyone would want to talk to him, if only he gave them the chance, which he did, most nights. He’d close out bars, with men and women alike buying him drinks, eager to soak up a few moments of his brainpower, of those pale blue eyes and soft as silk hair—well, maybe that was me. I couldn’t get enough of that rumbly voice, of the way everything he said made me look at the world around me in new ways. He made me swoon before he even kissed me, so you can only imagine what he was like in bed. The only problem?
Read the whole story in The One Who Got Away!

Here's the table of contents:

The One Who Got Away
Introduction: Always on my Mind
Homecoming by Alex Tobin
Again by Renee Luke
Polygot by Skylar Kade
Sunshine by Emerald
Overexposed by Brandy Fox
How to Get Your Wife Back in Only About a Million Steps by Claire de Winter
Proof by Mia Hopkins
The One Who Came Instead by Tamsin Flowers
In the Dark, so Bright by Laila Blake
Triple Threat by Rachel Kramer Bussel
A Few Grey Hairs by H. Keyes
Photographs by Jillian Boyd
Danish Affair by J. Crichton
Beginnings and Endings by Kristina Wright

Labels: , , , , , ,

Monday, February 08, 2016

For Fortune, I wrote about what millennial women think of Hillary Clinton

For Fortune.com, I asked millennial women across the political spectrum what they think about Hillary Clinton as a candidate and whether or not they associate Bill Clinton's affairs, sex scandals and the allegations of sexual assault against him with her campaign. Many of their answers surprised me, and just may surprise you too.

This was a little different than my usual beats, and I welcome that. As I said earlier, I've been trying to figure out, to put it mildly, "what to do with the rest of my life," and knowing that I can write about new topics for new publications helps energize me to and remind me what makes freelance life interesting and lively. Whatever you think of the election and who you're backing (or not backing), I hope you'll check it out.

fortunehillary

Labels: , , , , , , ,

Everything old is new again, or a deep dive into some of my earliest BDSM erotica anthologies

In my world, new is what's in. The next article or essay I'm writing, the new book to hit the shelves, the next call for submissions. Yesterday's news may as well be last century's, it often seems. The new whatever it is is the one warranting attention, both mine and my editor's or publisher's and, presumably, readers'. This plays out in how I earn a living, in that the books that sell the most are usually the newly released ones, although sometimes an older title will surprise me by taking on an extended life of its own. I certainly don't spend much time contemplating my older work, save for what's been my annual moves when I unpack all my books (I'm hoping this year broke the annual move cycle and we get to stay in our current place for a long long time).

It can be easy to forget about the work that came before when you are always focused, by necessity, on the now, on the present and future. I've had somewhat of a crisis of confidence in the last week and have been soul searching and trying to figure out my next professional steps, asking myself the hard questions about whether I'm the kind of person who makes bold moves like the people I most admire or whether it's time to retreat to something safer, more stable, less scary and risky. Yes, I get signs from the universe, but I often question them, and question myself. I've been at this crossroads lately trying to make sense of what to do next, and I don't have any major answers just yet, although I'm hatching new projects that I'm equally excited and nervous about and working to creatively visualize them and believe in them, and therefore, in myself.

I also think it's natural to hope/want your work to improve over time, which is why when I do move and pull out artifacts from long ago, things like my old zine I'm Not Waiting, begun almost half my lifetime ago and lasting three blessedly short issues, or that time I was flunking out of law school but decided to write for the NYU paper instead, or my writing for websites that are now defunct, I cringe and quickly move on. I know all those experiences are part of me, but perhaps as a mental self-preservation measure, I look toward what I can do with the knowledge I have now, at 40, how I can move forward toward my goals.

hesontopshesontop

So I admit it's equally flattering and unnerving that writer LN Bey did an incredibly deep dive review into six of my BDSM erotica anthologies: He's on Top; She's on Top; Yes, Sir; Yes, Ma'am; Please, Sir; Please, Ma'am. I think it's safe to say my work has never been analyzed this closely. I never in a million years would have imagined someone reading and rereading these books, analyzing them so precisely (if I had imagined that, most likely I never would have completed them, because hello, terrifying). I say that not because I'm not proud of them, just because they seemed like books I put out, and then moved on from. I know that book buyers are fickle and bookstore space is often ephemeral (though thankfully these are all available in ebook form). So to see them treated as worthy of study, to see favorites dissected and all that care taken with my little books is both a surprise and a new way of me thinking about my books. They are not dead, but very, very alive.

If you've enjoyed those books or even if you've never heard of them, it's worth checking out and warms my heart to see someone so passionate not about my books per se, although that is obviously an ego boost, but about the erotica genre. That reverence for erotica is something I see occasionally, but not all that often, and at a time when I'm, say, forbidden from buying ads or boosting posts on Facebook, and often sex is treated as utterly unwelcome in online and tech spaces, it's refreshing to see my chosen genre treated with such high regard.

For me personally, it's very easy to look at those older books simply as numbers on a royalty spreadsheet, as books I'm proud of but that are part of history, not the present. I'm grateful for the reminder that books are forever, and that even when I'm not always sure of it, my work matters to someone. It's a feeling I will take with me as I work on editing my next anthology, especially as I seek out women writers who might not come across an erotica call for submissions but just might have insights worth sharing with the world. That's my highly personal take, at a particularly charged time in my life. If you are interested in the dynamics of BDSM as they play out in these books and/or BDSM fiction, definitely check it out.

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, February 05, 2016

Join me for 29 days of erotica writing in my LitReactor class starting February 11th

I just wrote out my daily lesson plan and posting schedule for my upcoming LitReactor online erotica writing class, which runs February 11-March 10, and I'm so excited about it and wanted to share because the last day to register is next Wednesday, February 10th. There's information about each week's topics, lectures and assignments at the LitReactor site, but I wanted to give you a breakdown of what else happens in class. I just mapped out my 29 days of posting which cover everything from threesomes to humor to point of view to author branding to self-publishing to pen names, and beyond.

litreactorfeb11

In addition to the weekly writing assignments and critiques (from me and fellow students) which form the core of the class, I will be posting daily in the LitReactor bulletin board with additional information. That includes at least 17 exclusive to the class Q&As with successful erotica writers (both traditionally published and self-published) as well as publishers, anthology editors and literary agents seeking new erotica authors. Want the inside scoop on a publisher but don't know who to ask? I will get as much information for you as I can.

You may be thinking, Wow, that sounds great, but I have a job and a family and a life, how am I going to keep up with posts every day? Well, the good news is, LitReactor will give you access to the classroom materials indefinitely (pretty much forever, as far as I know). I prefer students focus on turning in their homework every week so they can get feedback, and read the additional materials if/when they can. But your login and class access won't expire so if there's something you're interested in and want to return to, you can.

I'm also available throughout the 29-day period to answer any questions students may have about their writing process, publishing, marketing, branding, etc. Plus, not an official part of LitReactor but part of what I give back to my students: you'll get invited to join my private online group to extend any questions and discussions and share camaraderie and information with others who've taken my classes.

What do I know about erotica? Well, I've been published in the genre since 2000, in over 100 anthologies, including the Best American Erotica, Best Women's Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica and Best Gay Erotica series. I've edited over 50 anthologies, hosted an erotic reading series in New York for five years, and use my journalism experience to go in depth with erotica writing professionals to bring my students practical tips about how to break into the field.

This will be my sixth time teaching the class, and I believe each one gets better as I learn and expand my knowledge to best offer students relevant, useful support, encouragement and feedback. I recommend having at least five hours a week to devote to the class in order to get the most out of it, but if you are interested in erotica writing at all, I believe you'll learn a lot. Questions? Email me at rachelkb at gmail.com with "LitReactor" in the subject line. Can't make the class but want one-on-one feedback? See rachelkramerbussel.com for private consultation rates (and stay tuned for my new erotica teaching focused site launching in the next few weeks).

Find out more:

Q&A with me at LitReactor

"6 reasons I encourage my erotica writing students to submit their work"

"How journalism helps me teach my erotica writing classes"

What my most recent LitReactor students said about the class

What previous LitReactor students have said

Labels: , , , , , , , ,