Email: rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com



 

Lusty Lady

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Tuesday, May 31, 2016

BDSM erotica anthology Dirty Dates is on sale for $1.99 - ends today!

I just found out about this Dirty Dates: Erotic Fantasies for Couples sale and it ends today, May 31, so act fast! Get these 21 BDSM erotica stories for Kindle, Nook, Google Play, iBooks or Kobo.

Dirty-Dates-Promo

I really loved getting to edit these 21 stories about kinky couples because so often erotica generally is about strangers meeting and having a passionate encounter, or the very beginnings of a sexual relationship, which I adore too, but I especially with BDSM, I appreciated the chance to delve into what kink can mean over the course of a couple's time together. Some are new couples, some are long-time couples, some are relatively new to kink, some aren't. There are male submissive and dominants and female submissives and dominants and generally all sorts of sexy adventures. And at only $1.99, it's worth taking a chance on if this intrigues you (I hope).

Here's the book's blurb, table of contents and introduction.
What happens when date night involves a blindfold, a corset, handcuffs, or a spanking? The couples in Dirty Dates combine kink and romance in this collection of erotic stories that provides plenty of ideas for your next sexy outing. Your 50th date can be even hotter than the first ones if you play by the rule of Rachel Kramer Bussel, which means NO rules at all except for an emphasis on pure pleasure. Rachel Kramer Bussel has quickly become America's favorite erotic writer with dozens of best-selling books, awards, and deeply satisfied readers to her credit. Dirty Dates is a delectable collection of stories redolent with romance featuring two people in lust. From first dates to long-term lovers to hook-ups and missed connections, the common theme is coming together in every sense of the word!
Introduction: Kinky Is as Kinky Does
The Corset Dorothy Freed
The Swap Jade A. Waters
Slow Burn Morgan Sierra
The World in My Pants Valerie Alexander
Lying Down Kathleen Delaney-Adams
The Rabbit Trap Nik Havert
Closing Time Elise Hepner
A Thousand Miles Apart Tilly Hunter
Switch Mina Murray
The Birds and the Bees Giselle Renarde
Potluck Alva Rose
Magic Words Emily Bingham
Polka-Dot Dress Erzabet Bishop
Baby Steps Justine Elyot
On Location D. L. King
Well Lit Sara Taylor Woods
A Soundproof Room with a View Leigh Edward Gray
Recipe for Punishment Jacqueline Brocker
Cry to Me Skylar Kade
Needles Kathleen Tudor
Admitting It Is the First Step Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: Kinky Is as Kinky Does

What does it mean to be a “kinky couple”? Does it mean both partners hit the dungeon every night—or have one in their home? Does it mean wearing a collar? Does it mean a 24/7 BDSM lifestyle? Yes, yes, yes—and no. The truth is, like so many aspects of sex, “kinky” is in the eye of the beholder. One half of a couple may be kinkier than the other—in fact, those kinds of stories often yield extremely powerful transformations. If you were to pass some of these couples on the street, you might peg them immediately as a little bit naughty. Others, you’d stroll right by, without any sort of erotic antennae tuning in. Many of them take pains (pun intended) to hide their kink—or exult in the thrill of maybe, possibly—hopefully—getting “found out.”

The thrill here, what makes these dates “dirty” in the best sense, is the tension between tops and bottoms, doms (and plenty of dommes!) and subs, those craving control and those who desire nothing more than giving up control. Actually, there’s a third category of sub, one who teeters on the edge between giving up and exhorting his or her own control. That fine line is teetered upon perfectly in “Switch,” by Mina Murray, when narrator Cass notes: “He smiles, a sly look that does nothing to warm his eyes. That’s when I start to get nervous.” Keeping a sub on edge is all part of the kinky fun, but Murray makes it clear that this dom’s mastery comes from the heart when he tells Cass of her new chains: “‘I had them made especially for you. With padded cuffs, to protect that creamy-soft skin of yours. See how much I love you?’”

These couples act out their kink in many ways—some at play parties, some outdoors, some long distance. Some do it with bondage, spanking, service, a corset, a look, a location—for many, their instrument of choice is words. Emily Bingham takes one extremely charged word in “Magic Words” and lets readers know exactly what the prospect of saying it does to her character: “The shame is a scalding tickle that takes over every cell in my body. Looking down at his lap to hide from his gaze, I feel more embarrassed than in any naked-in-front-of-a-crowd nightmare. It’s the one word I promised myself I would never say, yet he has managed to make even this taboo titillating, something I want to explore with him. I’m annoyed at myself for being so aroused by this lone, little word.”

What is that magic word? You’ll have to keep reading to find out. There’s a sensual beauty to these stories that I believe will speak to those who practice kink in their lives and those who don’t, because in some ways the tenderness, the charge, the power shifting back and forth between partners, transcends kink. It speaks to ideals of worship, wonder, adoration—from both sides. Even the most sadistic men and women whose worlds you’re about to enter clearly value those they are asking to give them their bodies, their minds, their words, their beings. They are living out their most vivid fantasies with the person they most cherish. I hope you enjoy their dreams, fantasies and explorations, and that they inspire your own.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
Red Bank, New Jersey

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Saturday, May 28, 2016

Open marriage, abortion and using Tinder in new Elle.com interview

My latest interview for Elle.com is with a woman in an open marriage using Tinder. I'm always looking for women to interview for this series, so if you have an interesting sex/dating life and would be open to talking to me anonymously about it, email me at ellesexstories at gmail dot com - and please check out what I've covered so far to get a feel for what the interviews are like. This one touches on it, but I'm especially interested in talking to a woman about what sex is like after having an abortion.

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Friday, May 20, 2016

Weekend writing inspiration from me

I'm thrilled to report that my latest LitReactor writing class, which began this week, sold out - thank you for spreading the word if you did, or just reading my posts about it. I'll share when I'm teaching there again in 2017; I have a lot on my plate the rest of the year and won't have the time to devote to it again in 2016, but I'm cooking up other offerings and also do private erotica writing consulting. One of the most interesting things is hearing about how those in the class came to hear about it and decided to sign up. That's private, but for me it's always eye-opening, when someone takes that leap and opts to devote themselves to whatever it is they're passionate about.

I'm working on assorted essays and articles and pitches that I'm excited about and have been delving into some new arenas, including some much more lighthearted blogging over at the newly launched OMJ.com, which is all about New Jersey celebrities, culture, events, entertainment, beauty and fashion. If you think that might be up your alley, check it out. Thing I most enjoyed working on: posting a video of Snooki doing pushups with her 3-year-old son. I also got a crash course in using Wordpress and am feeling like I did back when I started blogging for the first time on Tripod back in 1997 or so.

But what I really wanted to share was my latest Lady Smut post, entitled "Please keep writing, because the world wants your sexy words". I had another subject in mind, but this felt more urgent. I've also struggled over writing a mission statement, because it's felt pretentious and daunting, so I managed to settle on this, which I put on my Amazon profile: "My mission is to tell powerful stories and encourage others to get their words on the page and into the world." That's simple but something I really strive to accomplish, whether I'm writing an essay, a fiction story, interviewing someone or anything else.

I'll leave you with a shot of me signing my books at BEA, which was a whirlwind to do in one day and not something I recommend (although three full days is a lot too!). I had a great time and returned really energized and excited about books and book people and my upcoming titles. I hope you'll read the Lady Smut post, or bookmark it for a time when you need a little boost of inspiration.

signingatbea2016

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Thursday, May 19, 2016

Sex and depression interview for Elle - Mental Health Awareness Month

For my weekly Elle.com sex interview, I focused on sex and depression. While it's not the place for it in the interview, I can say that I've dealt with depression and it's certainly affected my relationships, all the more so my current one because I live with my partner, and it's something I know many other women struggle with. I'm looking to interview more women (anonymously, unless you want to use your name) about their sex and dating lives, about anything and everything related to sex, whether you're partnered or single. So far I've talked to women about everything from polyamory to BDSM to sex after childbirth to sexual fantasies and affairs. You can email me at ellesexstories at gmail.com and tell me a little more about yourself and what you'd want to discuss in the interview.

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Monday, May 16, 2016

3 spots left in my LitReactor online eerotica writing class - no prior writing experience necessary!

So tomorrow, May 17th, is the start of my final LitReactor online Between the Sheets erotica writing class of 2016. I love teaching for LitReactor but my workload will be too heavy in the second half of the year to devote to it, so this is the last one for the year. There are 3 spots (of 16) left right now, and I can't wait to dive in again. (And no, we can't add any extra people if it sells out; one of the great things about LitReacdor is that the classes are small enough that everyone gets attention and can get answers to their questions, and you can truly get to know your fellow classmates.) I wanted to let you know in case you were thinking about taking the class, and if you have any questions about it, email me at rachelkramerbussel at gmail dot com with "LitReactor" in the subject line.

betweenthesheetsmay17

I can tell you that in the previous six classes I've taught for them, we've had students from around the world who've brought vastly different life experiences. There's a real camaraderie that forms amongst classmates as we get to know each other over four weeks. You can use a pseudonym and share as little or much about yourself as you'd like. What I wanted to emphasize is that there's no prior erotica or writing experience necessary. Something I've appreciated is that many who've taken the class have come into it completely new to erotica. I encourage that because I had no erotica or even fiction experience when I started down this path with my very first erotica story, "Monica and Me," which got published in two anthologies, Starf*cker and Best Lesbian Erotica 2001. You are not required to send out your work, but I do strongly encourage students who've completed stories to send their work out, even if they don't come into the class intending to submit their writing, both because I believe it's a valuable process to go through and because I know that so many publishers and editors need and want new voices.

Whether you're looking to simply try a new type of writing or want to get published and sell your writing and create a name (or pen name) for yourself, this is a wonderful place to ask all the questions you'd like, write weekly short stories and get feedback from me and your fellow students and really dig into modern erotica writing.

Can't take the class but have erotic writing you want feedback on or interested in private learning? I also offer individual consulting with writers that can cover plot feedback and line edits, advice on pitching publishers, pseudonym and social media suggestions and more. My rates are listed at my site eroticawriting101.com and you can always email me at rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com with "Consulting" in the subject line.

More information:

"What my LitReactor students are saying about my erotica writing class"

"Why I Encourage My Erotica Writing Students to Submit Their Work"

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Friday, May 13, 2016

After divorcing at 55, she's having multiple orgasms and the best sex of her life

I was thrilled to get to conduct this interview about multiple orgasms at age 77, among other topics, for my Elle.com series Love, Actually, which so far has covered subjects like a swingers cruise, coming out to your husband as a submissive into BDSM, a spouse's gender transition, sexual desire after childbirth and dating while disabled.

ellemultiple

I found my subject this week an inspiration and hope you will too. And no, it's not because she's having multiple orgasms (though I'm happy for her), but because I think her story exemplifies how your life can be going in one downward direction for a long time and then you can make positive changes and steer it in a better direction. Did this happen for her overnight? Of course not, but it did happen, and that's something I think we can all relate to and strive for, whether in the sexual arena or not. (That was my personal takeaway; the goal of these interviews isn't to be "inspiration" but simply to be honest, I just wanted to share why this week's resonated so much with me.)

I actually asked senior sex expert Joan Price if she could put out feelers to her network for women over 50 who'd talk to me and that's how this came about, and I'd love to profile more women over 50 (see below for other women I'd like to speak to for the series, which features anonymous women sharing what their sex and dating lives are really like).

Check out all the rest of these sex interviews and if you are a woman who wants to be profiled and has an interesting sex and/or dating life, please email me at ellesexstories at gmail dot com - I'm deliberately keeping that vague because if you think it's interesting, if there's a burning secret you have or something you frantically rush to discuss with your friends, I'd love to hear about it. Specifically, I'm looking to interview a single woman who's actively dating (whether sex is involved or not), a woman to talk about what sex is like after an abortion (and dating, if applicable), a woman with a specific fetish, a woman in a long distance relationship or one who travels frequently for work, a woman in a relationship with another woman, and a transgender woman. Those are a few of the types of women I want to interview, but by no means an exclusive list. And for anyone who's asking, why women? Well, Elle is a magazine geared toward women and this is for their website.

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BEA book signing today and flash giveaway of 5 copies of Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 ends tonight!

Two quick things: I'm off to Book Expo America (BEA) at McCormick Place in Chicago and if you'll be there, come get a signed copy of Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 from 2:30-3 pm in the autographing area, Table 9.

RKB-BEA-Promo-2016

I'll be Instagramming my favorite book finds too (rachelkramerbussel) because for me, BEA is really about being surrounded by fellow book lovers, absorbing all the new books and excitement over books and exulting in stuffing my tote bags full of gifts for myself and others. It's a wonderful celebration and place to learn about this industry and I intend to take full advantage of it.

If you can't make it (or even if you can!), I'm doing a giveaway of 5 copies of Best Women's Erotica of the Year on my Facebook page (open to all, your choice of print, ebook or audiobook). Ends tonight at 11:59 pm EST so enter fast!

Rachel BWE

And bonus news: the wonderful Rose Caraway, my very favorite narrator, who narrated the audiobook and contributed to it, has shared her hot, wild story "The Carnalarium" on her podcast The Kiss Me Quick's. Listen and enjoy!

Carnalarium

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Thursday, May 12, 2016

On stepping out of my literary comfort zone

Last week, while battling a head cold, I also ventured into new professional territory: copywriting and entertainment blogging (for a retail business and a soon to launch site, respectively). And let me tell you, I was nervous. I have found over the last four and a half years of supporting myself as a freelance writer/editor/teacher/consultant that, even though every day is different, I can easily get into a rut. The status quo can seem like the only option because it's hard to imagine someone taking a chance on me in a new field when they could just as easily hire someone who's been doing it for years.

Both of those small gigs came about by referrals from friends, and I'm not sure if either will pan out into something larger. But whether they do or not, I'm grateful for them because they forced me to revisit all the other times I felt confused and uncertain about the work I was doing. Trust me, the first day, first month and many of the months that followed as I learned all the intricacies of copyediting marks as an editor at Penthouse Variations, I was baffled as to how it all came so easily to my coworkers. It was like learning a new language, but somehow, doing it every single day, I learned that language so well that now my mind can't help but copyedited everything I see, whether it's a sign on an office wall or the website a new friend is showing me or random billboards.

I felt the same way when I taught my first LitReactor writing class, that panicky feeling of everyone's-going-to-know-I'm-totally-winging-this. I would not say I in any way enjoy that sensation, those thoughts looping through my mind of how-the-hell-do-I-approach this? In both cases last week, I had moments of wondering if I should simply give up and say that I wasn't the right person for the job. In the past, I have given up when I couldn't get past that negative feedback loop, and in all those cases, it's haunted me ever since.

But this time, I didn't give up. I let myself acknowledge that my work wasn't perfect, that I'm a beginner, no matter how much other writing I've done, and I have to embrace that fact. I reminded myself that if they didn't like it, they could edit or tweak my work, or kick it back to me. I thought about all the times I've been edited heavily, all those notes that often on initial receipt feel overwhelming but ultimately produce work that's both stronger and more in line with what my editor is looking for.

I also thought about how many of my LitReactor students have posted some variation of "I've never thought about writing erotica before." That always blows my mind, because I went into teaching that class assuming that anyone shelling out a significant sum would have their mind set on becoming a professional erotica writer. Some students are, but others are simply open to trying something new, ready to take a chance, even if they don't know the outcome. I want to emulate that sense of literary risk-taking.

I am proud of myself for being able to say yes to something new, although it's far more challenging than staying with what I know, and hope that the future brings more newness, even if it comes with a steep learning curve. Coming out on the other side of that learning curve makes me feel like I can do anything I set my mind to.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Why I don't post many personal updates on social media these days

You can read all about my transformation from incessant social media oversharer to middle-aged social media observer over at Ravishly. I love writing for them and encourage you to bookmarked them; they're one of my favorite sites to read. This is an essay I've been mulling over and tinkering with for months and Monday I got so sick of my procrastinating I just wrapped it up. It wound up being longer than I'd planned, and feels a little vulnerable to write because it's such a stark contrast to the old me, but it felt incredible to hit send. I've got to do more of that rather than overthinking, which is all too easy for me most days.

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Monday, May 09, 2016

Do you like free books? Sign up for my newsletter and visit my Facebook page on Friday (plus a BEA giveaway)

I'm getting ready to head to Chicago later this week to attend Book Expo America (BEA), where on Friday at 2:30 I'll be signing free copies of my favorite of all my anthologies, Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 at Table 9 in the autographing area.

RKB-BEA-Promo-2016

BEA is a book publishing industry event so most likely, if you're not an author, editor, publisher, librarian or press, you won't be there, but that doesn't mean I don't have free books for you too! If you aren't already a subscriber to my newsletter, get on that ASAP (at the left-hand side of my Lusty Lady blog or at rachelkramerbussel.com) so you can enter to win a signed copy of Dirty Dates in my next newsletter giveaway exclusive, coming this week. And so that nobody feels left out of the Best Women's Erotica love, on Friday, May 13th I'll be posting a flash giveaway on my Facebook page, so stay tuned for that - you'll have to act fast to win!

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I want you to write your book and get all the readers you can, especially if you hated my new book

Writers are often told not to read our reviews, but for me, I do read my reviews on sites like Goodreads and Amazon. I may use those collectively to guide me as sI edit future anthologies, or simply to know, because knowledge is indeed power (so if you loved or hated an aspect of Best Women's Erotica or there's something you want to see in future editions, I'm all ears!). I actively want to know what turns readers off as much as what turns readers on, because I appreciate every single person who's so much as picked up and read the back cover of one of my books, and certainly am honored when anyone takes the time to truly engage with the stories and give feedback.

I appreciate the opportunity to get a feel for what readers are thinking, what they liked, what they didn't. But sometimes, a review really tells us nothing of the sort. Such as this recent one, which reads, "I will write my own book. This was poorly written and extremely boring."

It's actually not the latter part that I take issue with, although of course I fully believe the 22 stories in Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1, which I consider my best work as an editor and the high point of my 16-year erotica career, has excellent writing and fully realized plots and characters. But I can't argue with someone's opinion; they didn't like it, that's cool. But the part where they wrote "I will write my own book" seems to imply that that's antithetical to this book and my job, and the truth is, it's not.

One of the reasons I love erotica so much is that there's room for everyone. Obviously not in one given anthology, or necessarily with any one publisher, but as a genre, it's an incredibly welcoming one. You don't need any degrees or experience or writing credits. You need a good imagination, creativity and stamina. You need to go deep into the heart of what makes a person tick (not just what turns them on), and spin a story that will make readers keep flipping pages, even if the subject is something they wouldn't normally care about. Some of my favorite pieces of erotica I fell for precisely because they covered sexual acts that squicked me in real life, but the writing was so good, I didn't care.

Ultimately, who I answer to are my readers, and I know that I cannot please everyone with every selection. That's never what I'm trying to do when I edit an anthology. I'm trying to capture something special about sex and storytelling and weave it together with many other special somethings to craft a book that delivers a punch, to have stories that collectively give a glimpse into, in this case, women's sexuality. Not the glimpse or the grand summary or every possibility; that would be way beyond anything one book like this is capable of.

On a broader level, the work I've been doing the last few years is precisely about encouraging writers, many of whom have never written erotica or considered it, to push themselves beyond the boundaries they think they're capable of and write, write, write. As I prepare for my final LitReactor online erotica writing class of 2016, I'm thinking about all the students I've taught before, many of whom keep me posted on what they're up to. Some them are self-publishing their debut novels. Others have successfully submitted stories begun in class and are published with independent publishers in anthologies like Order Up: A Menu of Lesbian Romance and Erotica and Sex & Sorcery 2.

Most of all, what I see from those who have kept at it, is that they're writing. They aren't sitting back and taking rejections to heart, or giving up, but they are writing stories and books and pursuing their interests, wherever that may lead. I am a fan of this genre first, before any particular anthology I may be editing at any given moment. If I stop editing anthologies tomorrow, I will still be a huge fan and reader of the genre, and supporter of those making their way as published authors for the first time.

To give you a little perspective: with most of my anthologies, I only have room to publish about 10% of the stories that are submitted. So that figure alone should tell you that even brilliant, exquisite, amazing stories by the very numbers game that is publishing and word counts will get rejected at some point. It's part of life, and part of writing. I have no illusion that my version of "best" is truly "better" than someone else's, but one thing I've learned, by trial and error and plenty of self-doubt and failure along the way, is that all I can ever do is my best. When I try to be someone else's version of "best," I always get myself in trouble. When I assume whoever has hired me for any job wants someone else's talents, or I tell myself I'm a worthless hack and shouldn't have gotten the gig, which has happened both in the past and far more recently, I always falter because it's an impossible expectation to be someone else and do what they would have done. I can't promise that. I can only deliver what I know how to deliver, and when I focus on that job, I do pretty well. When I strive to please some mythical version of perfectionism where I lull myself into thinking everyone will love everything I do, I may as will give up before I've even started.

So in a way, it's actually fabulous for me that someone thinks my new book is "poorly written" and boring because it shows that we all have different tastes and opinions, as we should. If that opinion spurs that reader on to further her own career, I consider that a win for the creative world too. It may not be personally pleasant for me, but it's perhaps a backhanded compliment that I am happy to accept, because I want my books to inspire people to write, whatever their opinion about the content. I was a failing law student when I wrote my first erotica story; I had no clue what I was doing, but I did it anyway. If my little books can be that catalyst for someone, that's awesome.

All that to say, I love erotica for its endless possibilities, for all the new writers flocking to it every day and all the ones who've been doing it for longer than I've been alive. I hope everyone who's ever read anything, be it a book, magazine, newspaper, blog post (ahem) and thought, I could write something better than this stops reading immediately and busts out their pen and paper or computer and gets to writing their story.

It's every bit a work in progress, but I launched eroticawriting101.com because I want to help those who face hurdles, internal or external, to doing exactly that, get over those hurdles, get writing and, if they so desire, get their writing in front of readers. If that's your goal, don't let anyone else's book or words or your own fears stop you. That's what I'm all about, that's what we'll be exploring in my LitReactor class starting next week, and that's what I've been thinking about ever since I read that review, the one I'm supposed to be stoic and pretend I didn't see. But I did; I'm human, and that's another thing I refuse to apologize for. Whatever you like to do with words: writing, reading, speaking, I hope you do it with gusto!

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Friday, May 06, 2016

Last day for $1.99 erotic romance sale plus watch the sexy kissing book trailer and read hot stories

Today is the final day of the Passion erotic romance $1.99 sale so if you want 20 sexy stories, get them now for Kindle, Nook, Google Play or Kobo (it's already back to regular price on iTunes though, sorry!).

Passion-Book-Promo

Since the sale is ending shortly, make sure to check the price before buying and I will post when there's another sale up on my books! (In other sale news, sometimes my print book prices drop drastically and then change quickly. It's hard to tell when or why this happens so I do try to spread the word and right now, as of this posting, you can get Best Bondage Erotica 2011 in print for under $6, if either of those are your cup of tea or you want to get someone a kinky gift.)

Whether you take advantage of the sale or not, I wanted to share the book trailer and five sexy passages from the book. It is National Masturbation Month, after all!

The kissing-filled book trailer. So many memories!



Here's a few sexy passages I particularly enjoyed:
From "My Dark Knight" by Jacqueline Applebee

“You must think I’m weird, but I’m really into the whole reenactment scene.”

“I don’t think you’re weird, it’s just a bit unexpected,” I explained, but Omar looked at me warily. “I just never believed I’d meet a knight in shining armor.” It was true, I’d heard of reenactment fans, but I’d always pictured them as geeky white boys running around a field, hitting each other with wooden swords. “Hey, are you a black knight?” I asked jokingly.

Omar rolled his eyes, although he still smiled. “Sure I am. Why do you think they called it the Dark Ages?” I hit his arm playfully as he continued. “The armor is European, but there were plenty of knights in Africa; the ancient kingdom of Bornu and Sokoto had armored soldiers on horseback who were feared throughout the land.” He closed the distance between us as his voice dropped. “But I like the whole age of chivalry, the romance and the adventure that English knights embodied,” he murmured against me. “My fair princess,” he whispered, and then no more words were said as we kissed. Everything I had ever dreamt about Omar was eclipsed as his adventurous mouth pressed against mine. His tongue touched me, swept over my teeth and sucked on my lips. I found myself making contented noises as he held me tight. This was better than any fantasy I could have.

I felt the heat of the evening as Omar’s hands stroked my back. I felt sweaty, a little disheveled but completely wonderful. I pulled off my top and stepped out of my shoes. Omar looked lovingly at my breasts before he kissed first one and then the other through the lace of my bra. He then dragged his T-shirt off, messing up his short hair as he did. I wondered briefly what he must look like wearing the armor.

“Bed,” he whispered urgently. I nodded my head.

Omar held me about the waist, and then he shocked the life out of me as he lifted me up and put me over his shoulder. The whole room seemed to tip upside down as I was carried bodily to the bedroom.

Omar carefully let me down, and I lay giggling and panting on top of the bed. I shuffled out of my skirt and watched as Omar pulled down his trousers. I’ve seen a naked man before, but as Omar disrobed, I suddenly felt incredibly shy. He was so visibly turned on that I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his cock.

“I’ve got some protection,” he said shyly. “I didn’t want to assume, but I thought it best.” Omar opened his hand and produced a little foil packet. He may have enjoyed being a knight of old, but he was a thoroughly modern man.

Omar clutched at my backside. “I’ve been longing to feel this,” he said, giving my bum a squeeze. “I’ve wanted to stroke it, lick it and spank it,” he said with a hoarse voice. I was completely surprised at his admission; I’d never thought my backside was anything special. I’d certainly never had anyone want to spank it before.

“You can, if you like,” I whispered, nervously looking up at him. “You can spank me.”
From "The Silver Belt" by Lana Fox

Now here she was in the silver belt that both kept her and frustrated her. The cord around her wrists dug blissfully deep and as she rolled onto her back, the silver belt groaned, its weight like a metal collar, its links gripping her through the open dress. She raised a leg, which burst more buttons, and flexed her foot inside the stiletto. Candlelight danced across her body as Art returned to her side, half-undressed, his chest now dark and bare. Kneeling, he circled her ankle with the whole of his hand and drew it away, opening her thighs. He knelt between her knees, his eyes flicking across her body, and, in a soft growl, explained that he would fuck her until she could take no more: “…until you’ve had your fill.”

Then, in sudden frenzy and without touching the belt, he began to tear the dress from her, his swelling biceps tightening as he worked, his skin gleaming as the candlelight swept across him. Soon she was half-bare in black silk lingerie edged with lace, and stockings teamed with garter belt and stilettos. He raised her bound wrists high above her head and, rubbing her nipple beneath the black silk so it pressed against the pad of his thumb, he fell on her, biting her shoulder, her neck and the cleavage that swelled from the delicate lace. He unzipped himself and fell on her wildly, entering her so swiftly that she cried out, pleading for his frenzy. Suddenly he was rutting with the power of a lion, telling her through shuddery breath that he’d often seen her in the store and had dreamed of possessing her many times but he’d held back because of the ring on her finger, glinting there, like a trap. “What changed your mind?” she asked.

“I couldn’t bear how sad you looked.”

The silver belt leapt on her waist as his body lunged against it, again and again, and with her bound wrists raised above her head, he pulled out of her, groaning and fell on her breasts, peeling back the lacy cups of her bra. “You’re exquisite,” he whispered, licking her nipple with the flat of his tongue. She glanced down at his dark, muscular back, where the skin was glossed with perspiration, then at her saliva-streaked breast, and she felt a wonderful burn in her pussy.

“Take me,” she pleaded. She strained at her ropes, longing to touch her clit, but this only caused them to dig more deeply.
From "Lingua Franca" by Justine Elyot

Instantly I am caught up in his embrace once more, my legs held up by his in case they give way, which is not unlikely. He walks me backward, painstakingly, until I fall onto one of the red plush sofas, and then he is looming over me, one hand next to my head, preventing my escape, and the other takes hold of my white uniform blouse and rips it open. A pearl button pings onto a nearby table and I gasp, part thrilled and part outraged. “Karel!”

“I sew it,” he grins, then his head is down there, his hair brushing my throat while he explores my cleavage with the full force of his lips and tongue. His hand works busily at my other buttons, undoing them in a less destructive way, until my lace bra is exposed to him, and his stubble prickles downward, seeking out the overspill of my breasts.

He lures my nipples out of the cups using the tip of his tongue, licking and sucking, taking his time, savoring the flavor. I plant my fingers in his hair, which is reddish-brown and falls over his brow, plentiful and sometimes a little lank. I stroke and knead automatically, my wits absent, all of me concentrated at my nerve endings, especially those between my legs.

He seems to understand instinctively that attention is needed there. He lays me down along the length of the sofa, pulling off my skirt and burying his face in my belly while his fingers stray down beyond the elastic waistband of my knickers. They almost dance, they are so light and nimble. I arch my back and squirm, inviting him to increase the pressure and move on downward, but he loves to tease me and watch my expression as it grows more frantic with need, laughing softly, looking up at me through the valley of my breasts. “Touch me,” I gasp.
Read these stories in full plus 17 more sexy tales in Passion: Erotic Romance for Women (of course male readers are more than welcome!). Right now it's only $1.99 for Kindle, Nook, Google Play or Kobo but you can also get Passion in print and audiobook form.

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Monday, May 02, 2016

What it's like to talk about sex for a living (and the lowdown on a swingers cruise)

One of the best parts of my job is that I get to talk to people. I almost write "talk to people about sex," and that is definitely a large part of it, but just the talking to people, getting to know them, even when they are total strangers, feels like an incredible gift. My average day is spent alone in my house, except when I'm traveling, so getting to hop on the phone and have genuine discussions and feel like the person I'm talking to is processing and learning about themselves along the way is a major perk of what I do. That they are willing to go there with me, even when my questions may be awkward or uncomfortable or something they've never thought about makes me feel good about what I'm putting out into the world. When it comes to talking to them about sex, I'm all the more grateful for their openness, because often what we're discussing are things probably nobody else is asking so bluntly. Things like, "What makes this kind of sex you're having now better than sex you've had in the past?"

I've profiled people about their sex lives for over a decade for various publications, but with my new Elle.com sex and dating interview series Love, Actually, each week I get to go in depth with a woman about her sexual history and each time. I've learned both about how to be a better interviewer and come away with a newfound respect for the way these women analyze and talk about their most intimate selves. It's an honor, although I admit sometimes I feel awkward, and likely they do too, but what I've heard again and again is that they welcome getting to talk about these topics, whether having an affair or dating while disabled or sex after childbirth. In the process, I've learned quite a bit too. What I especially like about this series is that all I have to do is represent these women's individual stories. I'm not trying to tie them to a trend or make them stand in for every woman who's been in that situation. That's not what this column is about. It's about telling one woman's story, and trust me, they are fascinating.

The most recent interview is with a woman who went on a swingers cruise with her husband and that process set them off to be part of "the lifestyle" (the term swingers use to describe what they do). If you're curious about what happens on a swinging cruise and what "full swap" means, do check it out. Here's a snippet from the interview:
After the dance club closed, we all went to the 24-hour outdoor play area. There were beds spaced about every six feet with small tables between them. We all went to one bed and started by getting undressed and making out with our own partners. Soon I felt the woman's hand caressing my breast as I was kissing my husband. Then her husband, while still kissing her, started to finger me.

At one point my husband went to the restroom. While he was gone, the other guy went down on his wife while I kissed her and played with her breasts. Then we shifted and I went down on him while she went down on me. When my husband came back, he watched for a minute, then joined us.
You can read the full swinging profile here and if you're a woman with an interesting sex and/or dating life (single ladies are especially welcome!) and would be interested in being profiled anonymously, email me at ellesexstories at gmail.com and tell me a little bit about you.

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