See you soon in Baltimore, New York and Jersey City for the Best Women's Erotica book tour!

This past week I've been home after our wonderful Best Women's Erotica of the Year book tour kickoff in Los Angeles has flown by, so I'll keep this short and sweet: I'm hitting the road again Thursday in Baltimore at sex toy store Sugar, then heading to amazing Lower East Side bookstore Bluestockings in New York on Saturday (where I organized my very first reading for my very first short story way back in either 2000 or 2001 - it's been so long I can't remember!) and then Monday, Galentine's Day, our panel on women, writing and erotica at WORD Bookstore in Jersey City. You'll get free baked goods in Baltimore, the first 24 people will get a free cupcake from my favorite NYC bakery Sugar Sweet Sunshine, and at WORD on Monday we will be raffling off a bag full of sexy goodies from Brooklyn sex toy store Shag! All the details are below - plus at each we will be dishing on the inspiration behind our stories and answering all your burning questions about how to get published, pseudonyms and anything else you want to ask! And we will sign your book to you (or as a gift) if you are looking for a sexy Valentine's Day present.

And I do have a favor - these readings are funded and organized entirely by me, and while they are something I hope to continue in future years, I can only budget for that if we get good turnouts. So if you know anyone in the Washington, DC/Baltimore or NYC/Jersey City areas who might like an evening of free sexy entertainment as we lead up to Valentine's Day, please let them know. All the details and links are at bweoftheyear.com/events or the individual store links below. I'm thrilled that I get to hear my amazing authors and support these wonderful independent stores.

February 9, 6:30 pm
Best Women's Erotica of the Year reading
Join Best Women's Erotica of the Year series editor Rachel Kramer Bussel along with contributors to Volumes 1 and 2 including Abigail Ekue, Annabeth Leong, Jordan Monroe, D.R. Slaten for a rousing reading, followed by a Q&A and book signing. You'll hear some of the sexiest stories around starring women characters who travel the world in search of satisfaction, and find out what it takes to be successful in the thriving erotica genre. Light refreshments will be served. Free. Wheelchair accessible.
Sugar, 1001 W. 36th Street (corner of 36th and Roland Ave.), Baltimore (Hampden), 410-467-2632
Facebook event page



February 11, 7 pm
Best Women's Erotica of the Year Volume 2 reading
Join editor Rachel Kramer Bussel and contributors Ella Dawson, Abigail Ekue, Annabeth Leong, Stella Watts Kelley and Vierra Lai for a rousing reading from hot new anthology Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2. The authors will participate in a Q&A and book signing immediately following the reading. Free. Wheelchair accessible. Free cupcakes to first 24 guests.
Bluestockings, 172 Allen Street, New York, NY 10002, 212-777-6028
Nearest subways: F to 2nd Avenue, J/M/Z to Essex Street, B/D to Grand Street
Facebook event page




Can you really resist a free cupcake?

February 13, 7:30 pm
Galentine’s Day women, erotica and writing panel
Join editor Best Women's Erotica of the Year series editor Rachel Kramer Bussel and BWE Volume 2 contributors Abigail Ekue, Stella Watts Kelley, Vierra Lai, and Annabeth Leong for a fun Galentine's Day panel on erotica, writing and culture. We'll chat about what makes a story sexy, the writing process, how to get published, and the cultural impact of writing stories that reflect a wide range of women's experiences. Free. Wheelchair accessible. Win a sexy Temptation bag from sex toy store Shag in our raffle.
WORD, 123 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ, 201-763-6611
Facebook event page



One lucky winner will take home a prize worth $56 from Williamsburg, Brooklyn sex toy store Shag, which contains Temptation bag (see below), Shag mini massage candle, clothespins for sensation play, Shag coffee mug and a $10 gift certificate to Shag.

On polyamory and writing what you don't know

The introduction to my ebook essay collection Sex & Cupcakes is called "Writing What You Know When You Write About Sex." That I think does apply to personal essays, which make up the bulk of the book, but in my work as a sex columnist, I'm primarily writing about other people's sex lives.

To research my recent polyamory and metamour column, "Love the one you're with - and the one they're with, too," I posted a question on a polyamory forum and someone asked me if I identify as poly. It's complicated, and there's more on that in my essay "Monogamishmash" (in Sex & Cupcakes) but the short answer would be no. I'm in a monogamous relationship right now, although I wouldn't say I truly identify with the word "monogamous" as a way to describe me. But that's part of why I was all the more interested in exploring polyamory. I may be doing monogamy right now, but I still hate the way monogamy is shoved down our thoughts from the youngest of ages as the one and only way to go about love, the biggest goal, the most glittering trophy. Metamours seemed like a way to link that to Valentine's Day to keep it timely and offer some different POVs on the topic.

There's a gap between my experiences and those of the people I profiled, and I value that. I learn from that. Always. I don't think I could bring myself to write essays about myself and my sex life every day, or even every week. part of what keeps my mind alive and alert is talking to other people, being professionally nosy, and then, on a personal level, processing that information back into my life, figuring out what I can learn from people who are different me.

Certainly, when I finally get around to zeroing in on my biggest experience as a metamour, it will be nothing like that column. It will be dark, ugly and messy. It will be about my lowest, in a way, moment, a rock bottom that I think about often as a way to stabilize myself and remember how I do not want to behave. It's something I'm not sure I'd say I'm ashamed of, or even regret, but that was deeply impactful in all aspects of my life. I remember it like yesterday, which is probably why I feel this need to write about it three years later.

It calls to me because I'm often dark, ugly and messy, and always deeply, deeply imperfect. I will never be otherwise. But I think what I try my hardest to do is both write about my own experiences when a piece calls for it, but also look beyond my own experiences, because they will always be a narrow, singular, strictly subjective view. I'm honored and grateful to have the opportunity to write these sex columns, and if they end tomorrow, I will have been proud of the work I've done on them. So with that, Happy Valentine's Day, one day early.

Valentine's Day kink: BDSM erotica featuring female submission and femdom and kinky couples

I was inspired by this Valentine's Day gift guide from Toronto site She Does The City (with help from the wonderful sex toy store Come As You Are), which paired Best Bondage Erotica 2014 with bondage cuffs to round up my BDSM erotica books, which are by far the most popular of all my books, into one post, in case you're looking for a holiday (or anytime) kinky gift. Again, until I believe tomorrow, February 14th, you can get 3 books for the price of 1 from my publisher Cleis Press by using the code VAL14.

You can find more about my 3 spanking erotica anthologies and all 4 editions of the Best Bondage Erotica series by clicking on those links. This post is already long so I'm not including the full tables of contents but will tell you that Serving Him, Surrender, Please, Sir, Yes, Sir and He's on Top all feature female submissives and male dominants (there are occasionally more than two people in the stories but that is the theme) and Please, Ma'am, Yes, Ma'am and She's on Top have female dominant/male submissive (femdom) themes. Surrender features stories that have been in assorted other books of mine, so if you're a completist and have read all my anthologies, you have probably read these, but if you're new to BDSM erotica and want a taste of the kind of submission that happens in Fifty Shades of Grey and similar books, I recommend any of the submissive female books.

I'm also including Lust in Latex: Rubber Sex Stories here because while it isn't an exact match in terms of a BDSM book, it's very kinky and has a bit of variety in terms of sexualities and fetishes and I think BDSM inclined readers will enjoy it. Incidentally, She's on Top has one of my favorite covers ever. I just love the smile on his face! For you audiobook listeners, you can listen to free samples of all my books directly on Audible.com.


Serving Him: Sexy Stories of Submission

Who knew that BDSM would become the biggest trend in book publishing? Rachel Kramer Bussel did and has emerged as one of the top writers, editors and experts on the subject. Serving Him pays homage to those irresistible men who control their partners with a glance, a pair of handcuffs, or a firm smack on the bottom. As true tops, the bossy hunks in these stories understand that erotic BDSM is about exulting in power that is freely yielded. Rachel and her coterie of contributors cover the full range of the male dom’s brand of sensual sadism, from spanking and bondage to public sex and power exchange.

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Surrender: Erotic Tales of Female Pleasure and Submission

Rachel Kramer Bussel's bestselling books of submissive women and dominant men showcase our fantasies, desires, and deepest wishes. For those (and there are MANY) who love to be tired up, spanked, blindfolded, bound, or "used," for another's pleasure, these are books of inspiration. And, of course, these smart subs are getting exactly what THEY really want in very many ways.

Good BDSM erotica makes us understand all the emotions that can come into play when, well, playing: there can be uncertainty, nervousness, fear, excitement. Each of the 22 stories in Surrender are blazingly hot and because they illuminate some aspect of submission. The authors of the stories understand the art of submission and the thrill of surrender, whether that’s personal space, sight (“Without Eyes” by Terri Pray) or culinary choices (“Lunch” by Elizabeth Coldwell).What the women here want is to give up part of themselves to gain something else. They may still be skittish, but overcoming their fears, surrendering to them, yields beauty, pleasure and, in its way, power.

Winner of 2012 NLA Samois Anthology Award

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Anything for You: Erotica for Kinky Couples

Rachel Kramer Bussel is at the top of her game in BDSM erotica and now shares the pleasure in a one-of-a-kind book, custom-made for couples. Anything for You is stimulating reading, both for experienced players and those just discovering the joy of tying up your lover or bending over for the one you love These explicit stories of obsessive desire unlock the door to a world of obsessive desires, the passion that lies just beneath the skin. Bondage is the stuff of fantasy for a shockingly large segment of the population and true happiness is discovering what makes your partner tick. In this case, it might well be the tickle of rope on naked skin, or a firm paddling. Rachel Kramer Bussel's is a guidebook to great sex, told story by delicious story of uninhibited, adventurous sex sure to keep the home fires burning Each boldly wrought tale shared with your lover is another door opened into the erotic mindscape.

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Lust in Latex: Rubber Sex Stories

Editrix extraordinaire Rachel Kramer Bussel tried on a latex dress and instantly discovered the very special and very sensual pleasures of fetish fashion, "It was way better than being naked. I felt divine, trapped inside this sleek, erotic cave. I never wanted to get out." Thus inspired, she set about collecting the sinfully seductive stories in Lust in Latex.

Rubber, latex and PVC all cling to the skin and have the power to make their wearers feel sensual, sexy, and aroused. In this collection, the world's hottest erotic authors make the most of the sensual potential inherent in getting suited up. Hang out with a "Tire Stud," learn "How to Liven Up a Boring Party," and go "From Solid to Liquid" in these tantalizing adventures. Get ready to enter a world where the most sensual material gets slipped on tightly, then polished, stroked, and caressed while the bodies inside heat up with desire. Find out why everything, from flirting to spanking to going all the way, is better in rubber.

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Please, Sir: Erotic Stories of Female Submission

The fortunate women of Please, Sir are not docile pushovers by any means. They make the rules and negotiate with their masters — though sometimes they also get off on being pushed just a little too far by men they know they can trust. It's as if the doms who enter their lives see the potential for submission in these women and want to arouse them more than ever before by providing an opportunity for them to let go. The editor of the bestsellers He's on Top and Yes, Sir, Rachel Kramer Bussel has chosen 22 stories that celebrate the thrill of submission by women who know exactly what they want. The characters in Please, Sir may be doing the bidding of their dominants, but the tops are just as much subject to the will of their subs, in their own way, by making them ache, moan, and quiver. With stories by Shanna Germain, Elizabeth Coldwell, Alison Tyler, and more.

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Please, Ma'am: Erotic Stories of Male Submission

Women Who Rule

"I crave the pain she gives me, but it's more than that...I crave the person she becomes." —from "I'll Do It. For Her."

Go ahead, say the words out loud: "Please, Ma'am." If these words make you long for a woman to grab you by the scruff of your neck or control you with one fierce, all-knowing look, then this book is for you. Whether playing servant, student or nude model, the submissive men in Please, Ma'am revel in the attention of stern mistresses who know exactly what punishments they need. With stories by Michael Hemmingson, D.L. King, Graydancer, and many more, bestselling erotica editor Rachel Kramer Bussel has gathered today's best erotic tales of men who crave the cruel intentions of a powerful woman.

Includes contributions by Teresa Noelle Roberts, Charlotte Stein, Isabelle Gray, Elizabeth Coldwell, Remittance Girl, Craig J. Sorensen, Madeline Elayne, A.D.R. Forte, Sommer Marsden, Dominic Santi, Michael Hemmingson, Heidi Champa, Giselle Renarde, Ariel Graham, D.L. King, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Lee Ash, and Graydancer.

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Yes, Sir: Erotic Stories of Male Dominance

The lucky women in Yes, Sir give up control to irresistibly powerful men who understand that dominance is about exulting in power that is freely yielded. Bound, gagged or spanked—or controlled with just a glance—these erotic adventurers experience the breathtaking thrills of sexual submission. With stories by Donna George Storey, Alison Tyler, Stan Kent, and many more of the best writers in the field, Yes, Sir shows that pleasure is best when dispensed by a firm hand.

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Yes, Ma'am: Erotic Stories of Female Dominance

Experience the thrill of submission to the woman who dominates you day and night. In this collection, naughty boys get what's coming to them from wicked wives and stern mistresses. From a naked party plaything at the mercy of a room full of powerful women to being tied up and shown how to truly please the woman of your dreams, these men get fully teased and taunted, receiving the punishments they truly deserve and crave. Featuring stories from Alison Tyler, Debra Hyde and Ellen Tevault, Yes, Ma’am gives a whole new meaning to "mean girls," one that will be sure to delight and arouse you.

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He's on Top

He’s on Top pays homage to those irresistible men who control their partners with a glance, a tickling whip, or a measured smack on the bottom. As true tops, the bossy hunks in these stories understand that erotic BDSM is about exulting in power that is freely yielded. Contributors such as Amanda Earl, Mackenzie Cross, Alison Tyler, Mike Kimera, and others cover the full range of the male dom’s brand of sensual sadism, from spanking and bondage to public sex and power exchange.

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She's on Top

Turning the tables on rigid gender roles, the stories in She’s on Top honor the Amazon, the dominatrix, the handcuff-toting, whip-wielding she-devil of the male bottom’s deepest dreams. Employing every item in their bag of tricks, from strap-ons to metal cinches, these hot dommes like nothing better than teasing and tormenting their devoted subjects – often at the same time. With stories by some of the best writers in the field of BDSM erotica such as Stan Kent, Debra Hyde, and Saskia Walker, She’s on Top shows that pleasure’s best when dispensed by a firm female hand.

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4 erotic romance anthologies for Valentine's Day and 1 book trailer full of kisses

I'm known more for my erotica than erotic romance, but these 4 erotic romance anthologies have plenty of hotness, sensuality and desire mixed in with the romance, and all make perfect Valentine's Day gifts. From now through Valentine's Day, use code VAL14 when shopping directly from publisher Cleis Press and get 4 for the price of 1. Here are the links to cleispress.com for these books: Irresistible, Obsessed, Passion, Only You. Do I have a favorite? Well, Irresistible has my favorite cover, but they are all sweet and sexy in their own way. Here's the book trailer for Passion to give you a little teaser, in which I make out, show off my "open" tattoo and sparkly fishnets and along with some special friends:

Love and sex have always been intimately intertwined--and Passion shows just how delicious the possibilities are when they mingle in this sensual collection edited by award-winning author Rachel Kramer Bussel. Be swept away as you travel to Paris and Greece (and Beverly Hills). Get stuck in an elevator, take a bubble bath, and explore nature in some very luscious ways. Indulge in "Big Bed Sex," get geeky with "My Dark Knight," find "An Easy Guy to Fall On," discover why there's "No Risk, No Reward," go to work with "The Efficiency Expert," and "Rekindle" an old flame. Featuring work by talented authors, Passion offers succulent stories sure to quicken heartbeats while appealing to the most romantic of souls.

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Irresistible features loving couples who turn their deepest fantasies into reality—resulting in uninhibited, imaginative sex they can only enjoy together. Engage in a little sexting in A.M. Hartnett's sizzling "Safe for Work" office tryst, and follow a kinky candidate for public office—and his lusty wife—in Alyssa Turner's intriguing "Hypocrites." Cole Riley's moving "Same As It Ever Was" shows that makeup sex can be worth fighting for. As editor Rachel Kramer Bussel notes, the lovers in this daringly romantic anthology are "able to open up in the ways they do precisely because they have another person to rely on...We get to see how the layers of trust that have been built up get used to stoke the fire that burns between them."

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We've all been there—so taken by a lover that you just can't stop thinking about him. Your imagination runs wild, fueling your fantasies. You feel hot, feverish, out of control. Your only hope of release is to possess and be possessed. In Obsessed: Erotic Romance for Women, Rachel Kramer Bussel has curated a gloriously explicit collection of riveting romance with an edge. Whether just-blooming passions, rekindled sparks, or reinvented relationships, these lovers put the object of their obsession first. From the almost-divorced couple in "Aftershocks," by Bella Andre, who finally confess their deepest desires during an earthquake to a woman who tells her boyfriend just how much she lusts after another man in Emerald's "Then," these lovers push the boundaries of their trust, and are rewarded for taking those risks. Obsessed lovers don't always do what is rational; sometimes they chase their dreams, as in Kayla Perrin's "One Night in Paris," across the world and across the landscape of their lovers' bodies. Lustful and literary, Obsessed asks just how far you'll go for the man you love.

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Only You is full of tenderness, raw passion, love, longing, and the many emotions that kindle true romance. The couples in Only You test the boundaries of their love to make their relationships stronger. These lovers don't just go along for the ride—they want to take control and see how daring they can be. New parents rediscover their hunger for each other at a hotel in Lolita Lopez's "Mom's Night Out" while first class passengers get creative with ice cubes (and each other) in Catherine Paulssen's "In-Flight Entertainment." Kristina Wright's quarreling couple ends up having the hottest make-up sex imaginable in "The Love We Make." Whether it's a woman wanting to surprise her husband with cuffs and a blindfold, cooks exploring the sensual possibilities in the kitchen, or young artists who simply can't keep their hands off each other, Only You showcases twenty stories that are as loving as they are lusty.

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Have drinks and chat with me and Melissa Petro on February 13th

Writers Bloq has been kind enough to invite me to co-host this February 13th event along with Melissa Petro. Click through to their Facebook page to participate and get an invite. This will probably be my last New York City event before I move in May. I'll have a few books with me to sell, and am happy to sign any if you've got them. Looking forward to it! And if you're coming to the dinner, I will very likely have hot off the press copies of Serving Him: Sexy Stories of Submission with me and I'll be extra happy if you tell me you liked it on Amazon.

Irresistible BOGO offer: Buy the book, get a free signed book from me, through January 31st

A new promotion for the New Year and a perfect Valentine's Day gift! Pre-order Irresistible: Erotic Romance for Couples in ebook or print form, from any seller, and I'll send you any of my in print Cleis Press books free (and autographed!). All you have to do is have a U.S. mailing address. Want to see if you'd like what's inside Irresistible? It has 16 longer-than-usual hot sexy romantic stories, and you can read excerpts from all of them at the Irresistible blog.

To get your free book (books will be sent by mid-February), email your receipt or a snapshot of it to irresistibleantho at gmail.com with "BOGO" in the subject line, your choice of the books below, and your name and US mailing address (sorry, US only). And thank you for your support!

Pick from: Best Bondage Erotica 2011, Best Bondage Erotica 2012, Best Sex Writing 2008, Best Sex Writing 2009, Best Sex Writing 2010, Best Sex Writing 2012, Caught Looking, Do Not Disturb: Hotel Sex Stories, Fast Girls, Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex, He's on Top, Hide & Seek, The Mile High Club, Obsessed, Orgasmic, Passion, Peep Show, Please, Ma'am, Please, Sir, Rubber Sex, She's on Top, Smooth, Spanked, Surrender, Tasting Her, Tasting Him, Women in Lust, Yes, Ma'am or Yes, Sir. See all the covers at Cleis Press.

Coming in January: Irresistible: Erotic Romance for Couples, edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, published by Cleis Press.

This Irresistible read features loving couples turning their deepest fantasies into reality, resulting in uninhibited, imaginative sex they can only enjoy together. You’ll delight in discovering all the exciting erotic possibilities, from serving tea naked to a very intimate massage to a reminder that sometimes best friends make the best lovers. Engage in a little sexting in A.M. Hartnett’s sizzling “Safe for Work” office tryst, and follow a kinky candidate for public office—and his lusty wife—in "Hypocrites." Cole Riley’s moving “Same As It Ever Was” shows that makeup sex can be worth fighting for. Dirty talk leads to lustful surprises and inspiration for the neighbors in “The Mitzvah” by Tiffany Reisz. As editor Rachel Kramer Bussel notes, the lovers in this daringly romantic anthology are “able to open up in the ways they do is precisely because they have another person to rely on, coax them, challenge them, tease them and seduce them into traveling down a new sexual path. Whether that means outdoor sex, kink, a trip to a strip club or a very sensual massage, we get to see how the layers of trust that have been built up get used to stoke the fire that burns between them.”



Pre-order Irresistible: Erotic Romance for Couples:

Amazon

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BN.com

Nook (ebook) available February 13

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Cleis Press

Introduction (see below)

Twice Shy Heidi Champa

Safe for Work A. M. Hartnett

Repaint the Night Janine Ashbless

Same As It Ever Was Cole Riley

Out of Control Karenna Colcroft

Warrior Kate Pearce

Hypocrites Alyssa Turner

The Pact Elizabeth Coldwell

Exposing Calvin Rachel Kramer Bussel

Six Eyes, Two Ears Kris Adams

Renewal Delilah Night

The Netherlands Justine Elyot

Predatory Tree Craig J. Sorensen

The Mitzvah Tiffany Reisz

After The Massage Kay Jaybee

Pink Satin Purse Donna George Storey

Introduction

A lot of the erotica that comes across my desk focuses on the spark of attraction when strangers meet, the cataclysmic sensation of falling, hard, for someone new and exciting. That makes sense, because there’s built-in drama and erotic tension when two people discover there’s intense chemistry between them. With this anthology, though, I wanted to explore what happens after that, once those people have been together a while (even a short while). I wanted to see what sparks fictional couples could produce on the page, and the results are, well, scorching.

The couples in this book explore all sorts of exciting sexual possibilities, and one of the main reasons they’re able to open up in the ways they do is precisely because they have another person to rely on, coax them, challenge them, tease them and seduce them into traveling down a new sexual path. Whether that means outdoor sex, kink, a trip to a strip club or a very sensual massage, we get to see the ways the layers of trust that have been built up get used to stoke the fire that burns between them.

In addition to enjoying naughty, wild adventures, the couples here also work out differences between one another and handle issues like infidelity in ways that ultimately strengthen, rather than destroy, their relationships' longevity. In Cole Riley’s “Same As It Ever Was,” Joanne suspects her husband of cheating, but with a little help from her best friend, manages to recapture the sensual spirit and passion that’s been missing as both husband and wife make amends and move on, knowing what it was they almost lost. Rekindling a romance that’s threatened to go stale is also the theme of “Renewal” by Delilah Night, where she writes, “That touch sent a long-missing ripple through my body. I hesitated, hoping he’d remember what I love.”

In “The Pact” by Elizabeth Coldwell, a woman rediscovers a man she’d once passed over, only to find that the years they’ve spent apart have made him someone she’s sorry she overlooked. How a couple deals with a death in the family, as well as religious tradition, is the subject of “The Mitzvah” by Tiffany Reisz, as Grace and Zachary find that embracing desire can be healing. Kris Adams takes us into an African village and some complicated relationship dynamics, along with a lot of voyeurism, in “Six Eyes, Two Ears.” Kay Jaybee takes a common fantasy, that of a man watching two women make love, and breathes new life into it by showing both halves of a couple as they live out this dream.

Individual characters work through their own issues with the help of their partners, getting support, love and, of course, very hot sex. “Repaint the Night,” by Janine Ashbless, is about public sex, but, even more, a woman who is conquering a fear of the dark after being mugged ten years before. The erotic power of that story is heightened by Leah’s awe at being able to enjoy what she and Callum are sharing, as she recovers a part of herself she lost and deepens the level of trust between them.

For those who likes things a bit spicier, there’s "The Netherlands” by Justine Elyot, in which a nude Loveday serves guests tea and takes orders, while fulfilling a longtime fantasy of being “used,” with her true love there to watch.

Make no mistake: though these are stories about couples, they are not light or fluffy. They are full of joy, lust and kink, as well as realistic elements of mistrust, uncertainty and confusion, which the couples work through in ways that don’t gloss over or ignore their differences.

These couples, however long they’ve been a team, push the envelope by pushing themselves to try something new, even when they’re not sure where it will lead them. They go to those exotic, erotic places, to those recurring fantasies, because they know they have someone who will travel there with them. I hope this book will inspire nighttime reading--out loud--and erotic adventures, as well as conversations that have been bubbling under the surface, waiting to be exposed, just like the fantasies in the tales you’re about to read.

Rachel Kramer Bussel

New York City

I wish there were more long-term relationship erotic stories like Christen Clifford's "After Ten Years"

Christen Clifford

I wasn’t really in the mood for a reading last night, and I was running really late. As I walked fast from SoHo to the Lower East Side, I got a voicemail from D.L. King that Bluestockings was packed. We had a good crowd, despite the umpteen other events, and as I listened to Christen Clifford read her story “After Ten Years” from Gotta Have It, I was struck by how rare it is that I get a perfect story like that about a long-term relationship. It was tender and sexy and real; it wasn’t trying to pretty sex up, make it funny or perfect. There are moments of friction between the characters, ways they don’t get along, aren’t quite in sync in bed, and yet the narrator isn’t looking elsewhere. She wants what she wants from the same person after ten years.

I’ve known Christen a long time; I once did an event she organized at Makor, along with Julie Atlas Muz and I can’t remember who else. I’ve seen her perform her one-woman show 17 Guys I Fucked while I think 7 or 8 months pregnant. Hearing and watching her read, seeing her blush or squirm, was so moving. I wish I could do readings with all the authors (66, since 3 of them are me), and hear what they bring to their work. I hope more people will send me stories like that, especially for my next erotic romance anthology, but even for the “erotica.” It was perfect and moving and in 1,200 words or less, she captured sex in a long-term relationship. THAT is what I look for when I edit an anthology, that mix that doesn’t shield sex from the rest of the world, or use sex to shield characters from the rest of the world. It mixes them together, and she brought all the italics in the story to life as she read. I wish I had a recording of it, but maybe part of me doesn’t; maybe you had to be there, and maybe that’s as it should be.

I wanted to select a short segment of the story for you, one that captures what I’m talking about, but you know what? You have to read it. I’m not even asking you to buy it (and, shhhh….I’ll give you a copy if you ask nicely and promise to write a review for me on Amazon, until I run out), but go to your local bookstore. Look at page 173 and take five minutes and tell me if that doesn’t move you. Or, yes, you could buy the book (see below for options). But really, I'm sick of the relentless selling, the postcard mailing, the posting in a bazillion places, the utter uncreativity of book promotion. Who knows if I'm good at it? Who knows when those statements arrive whether anything I've done has made a difference? Right now, I just am moved by a story...the whole reason I got into this crazy thing called erotica editing.

There’s love and hurt and lust and pain and desire and raw need. There’s so much in that short short story and I listened, me, someone who is likely never to be in a relationship for ten years, someone for whom that seems inconceivable. There is a line in the story that is not at the end, but near it, that is, I think, the backbone of it, what makes all the surrounding words so meaningful: “I want him to fuck me forever.” So yeah, that reading reminded me why I say yes to these things even when they’re often the last thing I want to do. I was in a sports bra and t-shirt and ratty sweater, no time to change. I was ratty and wheezing and didn’t really care, and I read some other people’s stories and my own. I knew I’d be reminded of D.L. King’s librarian late fee punishment story “Punishment Befitting the Crime” every time I pay the New York Public Library for my overdue fees. I remembered that way back when, in, 2001, I think, I organized my very first reading, and it was at Bluestockings. It was a nice way to end a long day, to sign off from doing readings and focus on words on the page, on the screen, words in ways that don’t involve quite as much relentless ubiquity and self-promotion and stress, words that have room to breathe and give the reader a chance to read them alone, in private, not be blasted with them live. That is not really my thing anymore, and the freedom of not having to corral people anywhere every month is one I feel immensely. I’m grateful every time anyone shows up, and was pleasantly surprised at the crowd last night, at the readers, and at myself. So thank you for that, for a last hurrah (though I will be asking questions about art, morals, death [her book opens with a suicide], love, sex, pornography and more of Pleasure Bound author Deborah Lutz Thursday night at 7 at McNally Jackson, which will also have copies of my books ,but interviewing, where the burden is on someone else to talk, I’m happy to keep doing).

Order Gotta Have It from:



Amazon.com



Kindle edition (coming soon)



Bn.com (Barnes & Noble)



Books-a-Million



Borders



Powell's



IndieBound (find your local independent bookstore)



Cleis Press

Blisstree gives Valentine's Day shoutout to Do Not Disturb: Hotel Sex Stories

Blisstree gave my book Do Not Disturb: Hotel Sex Stories a Valentine's Day plug! They're part of B5 Media, which also publishes Crushable and The Gloss (and Blisstree is on my list of Sites I'd Love to Write For).

5. Take a cue from the youngsters and sext.

The written word can be an easy and powerful way to transition into more sexual adventure — sort of like storytime for adults. Herbenick says to read erotic stories in bed or text your significant other with a few lines from your favorite story. (Herbenick recommends checking out Do Not Disturb: Hotel Sex Stories by Rachel Kramer Bussell for inspiration.) “It may give you ideas to try the next time you have a weekend alone, and at the very least, it can help you explore fantasies and use texting as foreplay.”



Here's the book trailer too:

Ooey Gooey Valentine's Comedy Party tomorrow night!

You know what two things I love are? Comedy and The Skint. They join forces tomorrow night for a great event, get your tickets here. And when I know the pub date I'll post it, but look for my interview with Hannibal Buress soon in Penthouse. On Monday, actual Valentine's Day, if you're not on a date or at one of the bazillion other events awesome New Yorkers are hosting (seriously, I don't think I've ever seen SO many outstanding events in one night here), please do join me for free cupcakes and sexy stories at Bluestockings from 7-8.

Whether you're alone or in love, the skint's "Ooey Gooey" Valentine's Comedy Party will bring you a mega-heartshaped-box full of laughs!

Your cupid of comedy and host, Kurt Braunohler ("Hot Tub", Penelope: Princess of Pets) and funny folks Hannibal Buress (SNL, 30 Rock, Comedy Night at The Knitting Factory), Claudia Cogan ("Turtle Tank", Last Comic Standing) and Jessica Delfino will charm you with their first, best and worst Valentine's stories and titillating tales of love (and lust!) that are sure to put Hallmark to shame. To spice things up, we'll turn the lights down low for cringe-worthy love and dating videos presented by the Found Footage Festival as well as a special performance by the Little Top Circus and Medicine Show.

Submit your tales of dating disasters, snap sexy photo booth pictures, and win treasured raffle prizes. Indulge in $1 mini cupcakes from Robicelli's (Serious Eats' 2010 People's Choice winner) and sexy $2 tacos + $3 hot dogs from Oaxaca.

What I want for Valentine's Day: the Jimmyjane silk and suede blindfold

Sex toy company Jimmyjane is selling a few Valentine's Day gift sets, including the one above. I'm coveting the blindfold. Details from their site:

PLAY

$44 (value $93)

Elevate “fooling around” to a new art form. This twosome will get you started, but where it leads is up to you.

– Silk and Suede Blindfold – gives a whole new meaning to “blind date”

– Natural Massage Oil Candle – scented with TRUFFLE + GARDENIA

My book recommendations video from Booksmith

How much do I love San Francisco indie bookstore Booksmith? They took me around their store and I blabbed about which books I love...and hate. And they wound up giving me the copy of Kemble Scott’s novel SoMa for free! Check it out, just in time for Valentine’s Day (a holiday I’m trying to remain as oblivious to as possible).