Tonight's our big Chicago erotica reading - please join us and help spread the word!

In just under six hours at 6 p.m. central time tonight, I'll be reading with contributors to Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 and Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica: Tara Betts, Rose P. Lethe and Corrine A Silver in Chicago at The Pleasure Chest, 3436 N. Lincoln Avenue (Brown line to Paulina). If you can help spread the word, I'd greatly appreciate it as I dropped the ball a bit with promoting this one, which I was reminded of yesterday as I wandered Chicago and kept seeing kiosks with all the papers I didn't send my listing to (sorry, Chicago!!!). Here's the Facebook event page. I'm truly honored to have these women join me and look forward to hearing them read their sexy stories in their own words. Plus we'll be doing a Q&A afterward so you can ask us anything about the writing process (or me about editing the Best Women's Erotica of the Year series; the deadline to submit to Volume 2 is tomorrow).



It's been a month, which I'll share more about soon, but to put it briefly, March has been a time of upheaval and change and decision making, and one of the conclusions I reached is that I won't be doing any more work travel this year save for Book Expo in May. Travel is both physically draining and expensive and takes time away from my relationship and my other income-generating work writing, teaching and consulting. I do love connecting with people live, but especially through teaching my LitReactor online writing classes, I've realized I can reach more people and take better care of myself when I work closer to home and that's what I'll be doing the rest of the year.

That being said, yesterday I got to see some lovely and unexpected art as I explored Chicago and took photos I've put up on my Instagram account and the Best Women's Erotica of the Year one (go awesome indie bookstores!), including this:

Chicago Best Women's Erotica reading March 31, Erotica 101 and Sex Writing 101 workshops April 1

I'm gearing up to head to Chicago next week for what will probably be my last live events of 2016 as I wind up my work travel for the year. I hope you can make some of these and if you can't, I hope you'll let Chicago folks know! I highly recommend the conference CatalystCon if you're interested in sexuality and activism. I've loved every one I've attended and while this will be my last for a while as I focus closer to home, I encourage you to attend and also to pitch a panel or presentation for their Los Angeles conference in September. For a glimpse into how my in person erotica writing workshops operate, check out this writeup at Brightest Young Things about my workshop last year at Lotus Blooms in Washington, DC.

I wrote a piece for Lady Smut about why live readings are so important to me, and I'm dedicated to spreading the word about what I think is my best, sexiest, strongest, most diverse book, Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 (so far, until Volume 2 comes out!) however I can. The truth is, traveling is expensive and beyond my capacity in time and funds these days, I'm doing it this time because I believe so strongly in this book and its stories and want to share them and give my amazing author a space to share their words in their own voices. I'm honored that The Pleasure Chest is hosting us and has the book in stock (yes, I list every indie store I know of that has my little book right here and would love to add more store names). I'll be documenting the reading on the book's Instagram account.



March 31, 6-7:30 pm
Free Best Women's Erotica of the Year reading
Join Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 editor Rachel Kramer Bussel along with contributors Tara Betts and Rose P. Lethe, plus Corrine A. Silver, author of Wrecked and contributor to Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica, for a fun, free erotica reading. Q&A and book signing to follow.
The Pleasure Chest, 3436 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, 773-525-7151
http://thepleasurechest.com/workshops-ch-erotica-reading-march-31-19815-prd1.htm or Facebook listing



April 1, 9:15 am-12:!5 pm
Erotica Writing 101 workshop
In this three hour workshop Rachel Kramer Bussel, professional erotica author and editor of over 50 erotica anthologies, such as The Big Book of Orgasms, Cheeky Spanking Stories and Serving Him: Sexy Stories of Submission, 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. The class will also cover branding yourself as a writer, using and selecting a good pseudonym, and using social media to promote your work and do outreach. She’ll also talk about submitting your work and keeping up with the thriving erotica market, including anthologies, ebooks, magazines and websites. Please bring paper and writing implements or a laptop to use for in class writing exercises. A bibliography with erotica resources will be provided. Organized by conference CatalystCon but open to all (you do not have to attend CatalystCon to attend). $45/person. Registration open through March 31 at (or $79 for both Erotica Writing 101 and Sex Writing 101).
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, 9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Rosemont, IL 60018

April 1, 1:30 pm-4:30 pm
Sex Writing 101 (Non-fiction)
In this three hour workshop, writer and editor Rachel Kramer Bussel will cover all you need to know about writing about sex, including blogging, first-person essays and journalism. You’ll learn how to ethically write about your love life, what editors are looking for, where to find experts on sexuality topics, and how to stay abreast of current sex news. Whether you’re looking to write a sex blog, column, articles or books, you’ll find out how to pitch, how much money you can expect to make, and how to maximize your editorial opportunities. The class will also cover branding yourself as a writer, using and selecting a good pseudonym, using social media to promote your work and do outreach, and how to pitch stories. Rachel is the author of Sex & Cupcakes: A Juicy Collection of Essays, a sex columnist for Philadelphia City Paper and DAME, and was a sex columnist for The Village Voice, Penthouse and The Frisky, and has written about sexuality for Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast, Elle.com, Glamour, Inked, Marie Claire, O, The Oprah Magazine, Salon, Slate, Time.com, xoJane and many other publications. A resource list covering markets for sex-related pieces, including editors who are actively looking for pitches, will be provided. You do not have to attend CatalystCon to take the workshop. $45/person. Registration open through March 31 at (or $79 for both Erotica Writing 101 and Sex Writing 101).
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, 9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Rosemont, IL 60018

Saturday, April 2
I'm also speaking on two panels at CatalystCon! I'm moderating "Sharing Your Sex Life on the Page and the Stage" April 2 from 9:30 am-10:40 am and am part of "Partners in Pleasure: Building bridges between sex positive retailers and educators" that same day from 12:30 pm - 1:40 pm. See the full schedule here.

The Best Women's Erotica of the Year series is now on Instagram, or why I'm putting everything I can into using book marketing tips for this title

Warning: You are going to be hearing a lot from me about my 61st anthology, Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1. I'm not apologizing, just letting you know. I've been editing anthologies since 2004, but working on this one feels in some ways like I'm doing it for the first time. Why? Because this one feels special in an entirely new way. It feels like I've been given an editorial gift that I don't want to squander. I will be announcing a call for submissions for the second volume on January 1st at bweoftheyear.com, and the deadline will be April 1, 2016, but for the first half of 2016, I will be focused on getting this book into as many stores as possible, and into the hands (and, later, ears) of as many readers as I can.

It feels momentous, like the culmination of all I've learned since that first anthology. I've done a lot right, and faltered here and there, with my anthologies, but I've discovered some of what both brings me joy about editing and what I think brings strength to the series. One of the things I'm most proud of is giving authors the opportunity to be published for the first time, such as Rose P. Lethe, whose story "Out of the Ordinary," about a couple where the trans man is having a tough time dealing with his disapproving family, and sex helps them bond as a couple. This is her first published erotica story. I hope to publish more authors' first published erotica in the series too.

So because this book is so important to me, I'm going all out in terms of promotion. I've been sending postcards to bookstores and sex toy stores to let them know about the book. I've been doing outreach on Twitter and via email. So far, I can tell you that Good Vibrations, with stores in the San Francisco Bay Area and Brookline, Massachusetts, and Toronto sex toy stores Come As You Are and Good for Her will have Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1, when it comes out on January 12th, and postcards for it in the next few weeks. I hope to add to that list in a big way.

I've planned free readings, happening January 19th in San Francisco at Good Vibrations Polk Street and March 31st in Chicago at The Pleasure Chest, where I look forward to reading with contributors, especially those I've never met in person before.

I'm also trying something new with social media. In addition to Best Women's Erotica of the Year being on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, I've set up an Instagram account for the series.



Due to my making a typo the first time around, the title is not the full series name, but bestwomenseroticaofyearseries, which I think captures what this is: a series devoted to women's erotica. I look forward to posting photos from stores that stock it, and from our readings and events, and maybe even a short video here and there. Please feel free to follow the series, and I'll follow back (my personal Instagram account is rachelkramerbussel).

Thank you for your support for this book! Anything you can do to help it succeed is much appreciated. Here's some suggestions:

1. Follow us on one of the above social media platforms and share the news that the book is coming out.

2. Back our Thunderclap campaign. By doing so, you'll allow Thunderclap to post one time on January 12th on your Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr account letting people know the book is out.

3. Pre-order the book on Amazon or another online bookstore.

3. Pre-order the book at your local independent bookstore.

5. Mark Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 as want to read on Goodreads.

6. Come to one of our events! Or let me know where you'd like to see us do a reading by emailing bweoftheyear at gmail.com

7. On January 12th or afterwards, leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon or Bn.com or Powells or your blog or anywhere else. Tag the book on social media or send the link to bweoftheyear at gmail.com so I can spread the word.

8. On January 1, check out the call for submissions for Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2, and if you qualify, consider submitting your work, or share the call with a writer you'd like to see published in this series.

Thank you for reading! I can't wait to share these 22 amazingly hot, sexy, creative, fun, wonderful stories with the world.