Hear me read from Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 Friday night on podcast Sex Out Loud

This Friday night, August 19th from 8 pm ET to 9 pm ET (that's 5 pm PT to 6 pm PT), I'll be on the podcast Sex Out Loud hosted by the wonderful author, sex educator and anal sex expert (among her many other esteemed titles) Tristan Taormino, reading from Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 along with contributors Tara Betts ("A New Canvas"), Lazuli Jones ("Starstruck"), Rose Caraway ("The Carnalarium") and Amy Butcher ("Waiting to Pee"). In other words, we'll be reading about travel sex, painting and sex, sex at Comic-Con, polyamorous sex in a unique location and a very unique form of clandestine sex with a trans man in Dolores Park, as well as answering questions about our writing. I got to read with Rose, who also narrated the audiobook, and Amy at a live event in January, and Tara at one in May, but have yet to speak with Lazuli myself, so I'm really looking forward to hearing her read from her very hot story, which you can get a sneak peek of over at Ravishly.

Listen at sexoutloudradio.com and follow @SexOutLoudRadio on Twitter for updates. You'll also be able to listen afterwards. And a reminder: the deadline to submit original fiction to Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 3 is December 1st, 2016.

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.

Why "A New Canvas" by Tara Betts opens Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 plus free excerpt

I'm devoting this year to promoting the book I'm most proud of, Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1, and the next few weeks to getting as many women erotica writers from around the world to submit their stories to Volume 2 (the call for submissions is here; deadline is April 1). As part of that, and to give a sense of why I've chosen the stories I have for this first volume, I'm going to be blogging about each of them this month. I also want to give these authors the praise they deserve.



I'm starting with the first story, "A New Canvas" by Tara Betts, and I want to encourage you to come hear her read from it live on March 31st at from 6 to 7:30 pm at The Pleasure Chest in Chicago. Can't make it? Please help spread the word! In my ideal world, one that would require being independently wealthy, I would travel all over and do readings with every author in the book. Since I live in the real world, I can only do a limited number of readings, so I want to make those as spectacular as I possibly can. So if you live in Chicago, will be there for CatalystCon, or know anyone there who'd appreciate a free, sexy erotica reading, please let them know.

There were a few things I liked about this story. One was that it was about friends forging forward with a sexual relationship they've danced around. That part felt very realistic to me; Angela and Troy aren't star-crossed lovers or over-the-top romantics, but friends who are attracted to each other. I also liked how art played a role in their seduction dance; it's both creative and intimate and gives the reader time to get drawn into what's happening. There's also an element of awe that this is actually happening which I appreciated, such as when Betts writes, "Angela's mouth fell open. She was still stunned that her tea kettle might not be the only vessel making a high-pitched sound."

One of the things I balance in my anthologies is who's telling the stories. This opening story is in the third person, and Betts does something that's not easy to do, which is seamlessly give us insight into two characters at once. While Troy is drawing on Angela, there's this sentence: "He loved how every word fell from her tongue, and he wondered what her babies might be like inside her." There is a tenderness and passion in this story that certainly goes beyond sex, which I especially appreciated because it closes on an open-ended note. Betts captures how powerful a sexual encounter can be even when two people are not in an official relationship, but are engaging in much more than a hookup.

I chose this story to open the book for two reasons: One was the title, "A New Canvas," which signified a beginning to me. This is the beginning of a new aspect of their relationship, although it's one that's been simmering. The other reason is that for those who either use the "look inside" feature on Amazon or otherwise read the first few pages or pick up the book in a bookstore and start reading, they will see from the very beginning that even though the cover model is white, this is not just a book of white women's erotica, nor will Volume 2 be.

I wanted readers who, whether they read the whole book or not, to pick it up and know that there are diverse characters and scenarios. And that those who found the book lacking in certain aspects of women's lives or sexualities will submit stories precisely about what they found missing in the first volume. I'm honored that I have the opportunity to edit another book in this series, and it's not something I take lightly. I received over 200 submissions to Volume 1, and I hope to receive as many, if not more, this time around, and will do my best to create a book that is a complement to this first volume, and one that will appeal to as wide a range of readers as I can manage in my limited word count.

Here's a short excerpt from "A New Canvas" by Tara Betts, which you can read in full in print, ebook and, very soon, listen to in audiobook form, in Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 from Cleis Press.

Excerpt of "A New Canvas" by Tara Betts:

At first, the cool, firm tip of each pen chilled her skin. She felt the goosebumps rise as he wrote Uhuru, the Swahili word for freedom, on her left forearm. He colored in the purple letters with pink and blue chevron-like stripes. He moved on to the right forearm and wrote if, the Yoruba word for love, in black. He colored in that shorter word with red and green. On the left side, he started drawing a purple arrow along the length of her body toward the pubic bone. "Directions for later," Troy explained. When he was done drawing that arrow, he capped the pen and traced the tip around the lips of her opening, which had been wet when he began. He stroked her clitoris a few times with the pen and Angela shuddered. When he touched her with his fingers, he smiled, reached for the black pen and drew the second arrow between her breasts, right next to the purple one.

Just above the collarbone, he etched in a purple and navy skyline, but included an array of tiny gold stars across her hips. A few outlined the constellation Cassiopeia between her shoulder and breast. When he got to her thighs, he started to sketch out anatomical images of the brain and the heart on one side and the uterus and tongue not he other. He leaned over and kissed her, and told her that her eyes and lips always drew him in, but the brain and the heart made it better

Get Best Women's Erotica of the Year now in print or ebook at the following online stores, or click here to see a full list of independent bookstores and sex toy stores where you can buy it:

Amazon (print)

Kindle

Barnes & Noble (print)

Nook

Powells

Books-a-Million

IndieBound (find your nearest local bookstore)

Cleis Press

Amazon UK (print)

Amazon UK Kindle

Amazon Canada (print)

Amazon Canada Kindle

Happy Monday: Library Journal likes Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1!

Got some great news this morning from my publisher, Cleis Press: Library Journal gave my new book Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 a great review! I'm overjoyed. You can read the introduction to the book on Tumblr. This book is near and dear to my heart, and part of my excitement is that I want to introduce the authors who are newly published in the book, or are starting out in their erotica writing careers, to a wider audience. So I was very happy to see "A New Canvas" by Tara Betts and "Scents & Sexuality" by Doriana Chase receive praise in this review. Also cool: Tara Betts will join me and contributor Rose P. Lethe at our Chicago reading on March 31st at The Pleasure Chest. It's free and I'm sure will be a lot of fun (bonus: free wine and other beverages). I typed up the review (which I don't think is online yet, but I'll link to it if they post it):

Library Journal review

Edited for the first time by frequent anthology contributor and erotica veteran Bussel, this annual volume features short stories from a number of notable genre names, including L. Marie Adeline (“S.E.C.R.E.T.” trilogy) and Tiffany Reisz (“The Original Sinners” series). Bussel makes a point in the introduction to emphasize that all 21 selections were chosen for their strong depictions of nuanced, intelligent female characters with whom readers should identify, offering erotica that titillates while it “respects your mind.” The book lives up to that promise, opening with Tara Betts’s poetic “A New Canvas,” in which friends Angela and Troy redraw the lines of their relationship using their bodies for their canvas. Some pieces set a slow burn (a longtime work crush blossoms into something more when Ivy meets her boss Lennon at a kinky party in Reisz’s “The Assistant”), while others jump right into the action, such as Doriana Chase’s wry “Scents & Sexuality,” wherein Chase’s unnamed protagonist finds her senses kicked into high gear by the aroma of hot, hardworking gardener Jax.

VERDICT: With plenty of creative scenarios, styles, and positions, this impressive anthology is sure to be a hit among quality erotica fans.