Why I picked it: "Chemistry" by Velvet Moore in Orgasmic

If you've ever taken an erotica writing class with me, you've likely heard me quote from one of my favorite stories of the many hundreds I've published: "Chemistry" by Velvet Moore. It's about, yes, chemistry, as in labs and scientists, and it's in Orgasmic: Erotica for Women, which, even though it's about 25 women and their 25 different orgasms, is really "for everyone." It's also currently on sale for 99 cents on Kindle, to end any moment (it was supposed to end yesterday). It's also 99 cents on Google Play.



What I love so much about it is that it taps into an unusual fetish, portrays a woman of science who's hot for scientists, uses the senses, especially the sense of smell, and brilliantly takes us inside the mind of the narrator and her fetish. It jumps right into what she's all about and doesn't let up. Part of why Orgasmic is the model I use when editing anthologies, such as Best Women's Erotica 2016, which I'll be reading all the submissions for next week (deadline is June 1, writers!), is that it is so wonderfully varied. No, it doesn't have every possible way a woman could come; I don't have the space for that. But it looks at single women, coupled women, kinky women, queer women, and so many more. Just as the book as a whole is a model for me for what I aim to achieve as an editor, this story is a model I offer as one example of an exquisite erotic story.

Here's a snippet, and I hope you'll like it enough to check out the book. As I said, the 99 cent sale is probably ending very soon. You can also get it in paperback and audiobook narrated by Lucy malone. Here's a little snippet of what I love about the story. I hope you like it too:

From "Chemistry" by Velvet Moore:

The smell of science makes me horny.

I narrowly resisted shoving my hands down my pants and rubbing myself to oblivion during my niece’s science fair. My stomach dips with pleasure every time someone lights a match. Each July I’m aroused by the vapors of the noise-making novelty fireworks called “snappers.” Little do tricksters know that when they crack one on the pavement at my feet, I shiver out of excitement, not fear.

Smell is the sense tied most closely to human memory. So when I sense any use of potassium chlorate; a white, crystalline compound well stocked in science laboratories and often used for combustion; I remember how it feels to have the fire of orgasm sizzle its way through my body and melt a liquid path down my legs. The chemical’s odor singes my nostrils and flashes me back to the sensation of a chilly, marble countertop pressed against my back, to the press of fingers digging into my supple thighs, to the slick pressure of rounded glass slipping in and out.

And it’s what I remember most about him.

Most scientists that I’ve met fit the typical stereotypes. Most would rather analyze your genes than pry off your jeans. Yet I suspected that Michael Harrison was capable of much more than stripping me of my pants. With his wavy black hair, broad shoulders and Clark Kent glasses, I believed that stripped of his unassuming attire, he would have something surprising and heroically powerful bulging underneath.

I understood this the first time I shook his hand and caught the scent of chemicals trapped in his clothes and seared into his skin, a smell faint and tangy and far too interesting to be cologne, like the smell of your body after a lengthy swim in a freshly chlorinated pool. I imagined that if I should run my tongue along his perky nipples, my tongue would sizzle as though touched to the tip of a battery.

We needed a scientist to impress the hospital donors with a tour of the lab. I planned to find an excuse to use him.

3 books of women's erotica: Orgasmic, Fast Girls, Women in Lust

I have to admit that of all my books, Orgasmic is one of my favorites because I think the stories as a whole deliver such great variations on the theme of female orgasm. Sometimes people say to me, "Isn't all erotica about orgasms?" Well, not necessarily. People miss the fact that when you are editing a book around a theme, whether it's spanking or bondage or orgasm or submission, the stories need to focus on the theme but also give new life to that theme. It can't just start out "orgasm orgasm orgasm" and end with "orgasm orgasm orgasm." The characters have to grow and change over the course of the story and explore orgasm in some deeper way. That's what the stories in Orgasmic do so brilliantly. So whether you're into chemistry or horse riding or having your private parts struck with a belt or BDSM or Tantric sex or whatever a given story covers, there's a way into the story because the authors lead you there with their characters. There's humor and intensity and love and lust and confusion and frustration and focus. That's true of each of these anthologies, I think. I think the "every bit of erotica has orgasms" mindset means that you go into the story thinking this one thing will happen. Maybe it will--in fact, I can guarantee it will in Orgasmic, but that doesn't mean you really know what you're going to get.

That's probably the most elusive quality I look for when editing anthologies, as I am right now (deadlines are coming up fast!). I like stories that take those reader expectations and twist and turn them until they're almost unrecognizable. That's not to say there's no payoff for the reader, or that the kinky girl at the start of a story suddenly only wants to make out (though in the right hands, that could work), but that there's something extra delivered beyond those early expectations. Or maybe you have no idea what to expect because the premise is so unusual, such as in "Chemistry" by Velvet Moore, one of my favorite stories I've ever published. And a little word on these subtitles: yes, they are billed as "erotica for women" and feature female authors, but I would never venture that only women will enjoy these books. If you like erotica, if you like reading about women exploring their sexuality in different ways, you'll probably appreciate these books. Orgasmic is probably the one book I'd say I'd recommend to get a feel for the kinds of erotic stories and storytelling I enjoy. Fun fact: the entire reason The Big Book of Orgasms exists is because Orgasmic was such a hit! It was a bit of a surprise to me precisely because of the "isn't all erotica orgasmic erotica?" mode of thought, but apparently, orgasms are popular!

Speaking of which, if you've already read these, I'd love it if you'd give them a short review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Even a sentence or two truly goes a long way! Goodreads links: Orgasmic, Fast Girls and Women in Lust.

I'm honored that Lucy Malone, who's narrated novels by bestselling author Jaci Burton, is the narrator of the Orgasmic audiobook. Here's a little bit of what she said in an interview about erotica:

I enjoy how erotica does not seem bound by the limitations that you see in other kinds of writing sometimes and how the sexual element is often a metaphor for personal transformation or a deeper exploration of self. People might assume it’s the book equivalent of porn, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

I often find myself very engaged with erotica because those books are often the most multifaceted—there can be a strong paranormal element, a romance, fight scenes, profound character development, and sex scenes all in the same book.

And a personal high point, one that felt like a full circle from my old law school life, when I discovered the band Sarge, to my erotica editing one? The song that inspired the title, "Fast Girls" by Sarge, is the soundtrack to my bubble bath book trailer for the book:




Orgasmic: Erotica for Women

Orgasmic springs from a delicious idea — a book of erotica that explores every possible type of orgasm. This highly original concept could only have come from the delightfully dirty (and brilliant) mind of Rachel Kramer Bussel. Oral sensations, digital delights, tricks with toys, and the old bump and grind are all featured, along with many more imaginative ways to bring a lover to climax. By taking the reins, one woman finds pleasure on top; an experimental lover discovers ecstasy with a remote-controlled vibrator; body and soul merge in multiple orgasms through tantric sex. Orgasmic covers it all, from the familiar to the uncharted, opening up a Pandora’s Box of scenarios and techniques to bring readers to new heights of pleasure.

Table of contents:

Introduction: Let Me Count the Ways…

The Waiting Game Elizabeth Coldwell
What’s in a Name? Jacqueline Applebee
Chemistry Velvet Moore
The Chair Lolita Lopez
Fixing the Pipes Susie Hara
Share Dusty Horn
Hurdles Rowan Elizabeth
Seeing Stars Louisa Harte
Old Faithful Sylvia Lowry
Paying It Forward Kendra Wayne
The Big O Donna George Storey
Moon Tantra Teresa Noelle Roberts
Feet on the Dashboard Rachel Green
Frosting First Lana Fox
All She Wanted Andrea Dale
Making Shapes Lily Harlem
Rapture Angela Caperton
Belted Rachel Kramer Bussel
Rise and Shine Heidi Champa
Taking the Reins Vanessa Vaughn
First Date with the Dom Noelle Keely
Animal Inside Neve Black
The London O Justine Elyot
Fight Charlotte Stein
Switch Jade Melisande Buy from:

Amazon.com.

Kindle ebook edition

Barnes & Noble (Bn.com)

Nook ebook edition

IndieBound (search for your local independent bookstore!)

Google Play

iBooks

Audible.com audio book

Cleis Press


Fast Girls: Erotica for Women

Fast girls don’t mind being the girl everyone is talking about, as long as all eyes are focused their way. They are wanton, daring, shameless, and bold. Fast Girls celebrates the girl with a reputation, the girl who goes all the way, and the girl who doesn't know how to say "no." Featuring writing by Tristan Taormino, Kayla Perrin, Donna George Storey, D. L. King, Kristina Wright, Saskia Walker, Jacqueline Applebee, Tess Danesi, and others, Fast Girls is a racy, provocative collection of erotica by the cream of the crop of female erotica writers. They take readers on unexpected journeys, from a bedroom with every toy imaginable to a sex club, a communal shower, on set with a personal porn star, and more. These characters revel in their sexual excesses, boldly doing what others only dream about. Race through Fast Girls once, and you will come back again and again.

Table of contents:

Introduction: Fast Is a (Sexy) State of Mind

Temptation Kayla Perrin
Waxing Eloquent Donna George Storey
Five-Minute Porn Star Jacqueline Applebee
Winter, Summer Tristan Taormino
Playing the Market Angela Caperton
Panther Suzanne V. Slate
Communal Saskia Walker
Fireworks Lolita Lopez
Flash! Andrea Dale
Waiting for Beethoven Susie Hara
Confessions of a Kinky Shopaholic Jennifer Peters
Let’s Dance D. L. King
That Girl Cherry Bomb
Oz Isabelle Gray
Married Life Charlotte Stein
Princess Elizabeth Coldwell
Chasing Danger Kristina Wright
Whore Complex Rachel Kramer Bussel
Lessons, Slow and Painful Tess Danesi
Speed Bumps Tenille Brown

Buy from:

Amazon.com

Kindle ebook edition

Bn.com

Nook ebook edition

Powell's

IndieBound

iBooks

Google Play

Audible audiobook

Cleis Press

German edition Leicht zu haben: Heiße Stories (Amazon Germany)


Women in Lust: Erotic Stories

Lust is urgent, overpowering, and potent. While in real life readers may not always act every time desire calls, in fiction, they can abandon the safety of propriety to seek out lust and sex wherever they find them. The characters in Women in Lust may vary in the objects of their lust, and how they go about acting on it, but what connects them is that pure impulse for a lover. Sometimes he is someone she knows well, a boyfriend or a husband; in other stories, he is a stranger, and is desirable precisely because he represents the unknown. Whether watching a lover playing guitar, going out for a smoke or simply engaging in a chance encounter, these women seize the opportunities presented to them, and savor the lovers who teach them about themselves, helping open them up to new sensual possibilities.

Table of contents:

Introduction: Ladies Who Lust

Naughty Thoughts Portia Da Costa
Guess Charlotte Stein
Her, Him, and Them Aimee Pearl
Bayou Clancy Nacht
Smoke Elizabeth Coldwell
Bite Me Lucy Hughes
Ride a Cowboy Del Carmen
Queen of Sheba Jen Cross
Hot for Teacher Rachel Kramer Bussel
Unbidden Brandy Fox
Something to Ruin Amelia Thornton
Guitar Hero Kin Fallon
Ode to a Masturbator Aimee Herman
Orchid Jacqueline Applebee
Cherry Blossom Kayar Silkenvoice
Rain Olivia Archer
The Hard Way Justine Elyot
Strapped K D Grace
Beneath My Skin Shanna Germain
Comfort Food Donna George Storey

Buy from:

Amazon

Kindle edition (ebook)

Barnes & Noble

Nook (ebook)

Powells

Books-a-Million

IndieBound (search for your local indie bookstore)

iBooks

Google Play

Audible audiobook

Cleis Press

Orgasm Night tonight with free chocolate body paint, vibrator, handcuffs & more!

IN THE FLESH EROTIC READING SERIES
ORGASM NIGHT
October 21, 2010, 7:30 pm - 10 pm
AT HAPPY ENDING LOUNGE, 302 BROOME STREET, NYC
(B/D to Grand, J/M/Z to Bowery, F to Delancey or F/V to 2nd Avenue, http://www.happyendinglounge.com)
Between Forsyth & Eldridge. Look for the hot pink awning that says "XIE HE Health Club."
Admission: Free
Happy Ending Lounge: 212-334-9676
http://www.inthefleshreadingseries.com

Orgasms all around! In The Flesh turns 5 and celebrates orgasms with readings from host Rachel Kramer Bussel's Orgasmic: Erotic Stories for Women, an insider look at boudoir photography and more. Featuring boudoir photographer Laura Boyd (ownyoursexy.com), Graydancer (Ropecast), novelist Daniel Allen Cox (Krakow Melt), gambling memoir author Beth Raymer (Lay the Favorite) and Orgasmic contributors Neve Black, Heidi Champa, Lana Fox, Dusty Horn and Velvet Moore. Hosted by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Fast Girls, Orgasmic). Giveaways include Astroglide lube samples, rabbit vibrator, leopard print blindfold and wrist and ankle cuffs, and chocolate body paint kit from EdenFantasys, plus 100 free copies of SexIs Magazine. Free Baked by Melissa cupcakes, candy and chips will be served. This is the countdown to the final In The Flesh December 16th so don't miss a very special night!



Find out more about Rachel's anthology Orgasmic: Erotic Stories for Women at http://orgasmicbook.wordpress.com/about. Click here to read orgasm erotica excerpts by Rachel Kramer Bussel, Heidi Champa, Dusty Horn, Lana Fox and Velvet Moore.

Rabbit vibrator, leopard print faux fur blindfold, wrist & ankle bondage cuffs and chocolate body paint giveaways on October 21st, courtesy of EdenFantasys! Click on each item to be taken to EdenFantasys to find out more.







In the Flesh is a monthly reading series hosted at the appropriately named
Happy Ending Lounge, and features the country's best erotic writers sharing stories to get you hot and bothered, hosted and curated by acclaimed erotic writer and editor Rachel Kramer Bussel. The series was named Best Reading Series by New York Press in 2009. From erotic poetry to down and dirty smut, these authors get naked on the page and will make you lust after them and their words. Since its debut in October 2005, In the Flesh has featured such authors as Mike Albo, Laura Antoniou, Mo Beasley, Susie Bright, Lily Burana, Jessica Cutler, Mike Daisey, Stephen Elliott, Valerie Frankel, Polly Frost, Gael Greene, Andy Horwitz, Debra Hyde, Maxim Jakubowski, Emily Scarlet Kramer of CAKE, Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Edith Layton, Logan Levkoff, Suzanne Portnoy, Julie Powell, Sofia Quintero, M.J. Rose, Lauren Sanders, Danyel Smith, Grant Stoddard, Cecilia Tan, Carol Taylor, Dana Vachon, Veronica Vera, Susan Wright, Zane and many others. The series has gotten press attention from the New York Times’s UrbanEye, Daily Candy, Escape (Hong Kong), Flavorpill, The L Magazine, New York Magazine, NBC New York, New York Post, New York Observer, Philadelphia City Paper, Time Out New York, Flavorwire, Fork in the Road, Gawker, Gothamist, Jezebel.com, Nerve.com, Serious Eats, Tasting Table and Wonkette, and has been praised by Dr. Ruth.

Between studying the classics and surfing the Southern California coastline, Neve Black discovered she also had affection for writing erotic literature, which she believes comes from her interest in scratching at the under-belly of society. Neve's novel Sex through the Zodiac was published in January 2009. You can also read her erotic work in the on-line magazine Oysters and Chocolate, and various anthologies: Sex and San Francisco, Orgasmic: Erotica for Women, Swing: Erotic Stories of Every Flavor, Ambrosia, Men in Shorts, and Sex and Shoes.
www.neveblack.com



Laura Boyd is a photographer living and working in downtown Manhattan. Her work focuses on weddings, boudoir, and portraiture. She also does fine art photography, having recently spent five weeks in Paris working on her Paris in HDR project. She is a recovering attorney with a J.D. from the University of North Carolina. After fleeing the practice of law, she studied photography and design at the International Center for Photography, Parsons, and professional workshops around the world. Visit her websites at www.lauraboydblog.com, www.lauraboydstudio.com, and www.ownyoursexy.com.



Rachel Kramer Bussel is an author, editor, blogger and reading series host. She is Senior Editor at Penthouse Variations and a former sex columnist for The Village Voice. She’s edited over 30 anthologies, including the kink-themed Spanked, Bottoms Up, Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma'am, He's on Top, She's on Top, Rubber Sex as well as Fast Girls, Orgasmic, Peep Show, The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories, Do Not Disturb: Hotel Sex Stories, Tasting Him, Tasting Her, and the non-fiction Best Sex Writing series. Her books won 3 2009 Independent Publisher Awards. Her writing been published in publications such as Clean Sheets, Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast, Fresh Yarn, Huffington Post, Mediabistro, Newsday, New York Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Tango, The Village Voice, and Time Out New York, and in over 100 anthologies, including Best American Erotica 2004 and 2006. Rachel conducts nationwide readings and erotic writing workshops. She has hosted In The Flesh since October 2005.
www.rachelkramerbussel.com


photo by Anya Garrett

Heidi Champa is proud to be back reading at In The Flesh for the second time. On her first visit, in October of 2008, Heidi read her very first anthology-published erotic story. Since then, her work has appeared extensively online and in print, including anthologies like Best Women’s Erotica 2010, Alison's Wonderland, Playing With Fire, Frenzy and Ultimate Curves and websites like The Erotic Woman and Clean Sheets. Her first novella, White Out, was published by Amber Allure Press in August. You can find out more online at heidichampa.blogspot.com.



Daniel Allen Cox is the author of the novel Shuck, published by Arsenal Pulp Press and shortlisted in 2009 for a Lambda Literary Award and a ReLit Award. His second novel, Krakow Melt, is forthcoming from Arsenal Pulp in October 2010. Michael Musto commented on the book: “Dying Popes and gays with matches—two of my favorite subjects.” Daniel’s house burned down in 2007.
www.danielallencox.com



Lana Fox is a Brit living near Boston. Her stories appear or are forthcoming in a variety of books and magazines, including Clean Sheets, Best Women's Erotica 2011 ed. Violet Blue, Passion: Erotic Romance for Women ed. Rachel Kramer Bussel, and two Harlequin Spice anthologies, including the recently released Alison's Wonderland, ed. Alison Tyler. Lana loves writing about sex so much that she teaches erotica writing classes in the Boston area. She blogs at lanafox.com.

Graydancer, Ninja Sex Poodle & Ronin of Love, comes from the bondage capitol of the world, Madison, WI, where he honed his craft to become the world premiere podcaster of rope bondage with “the Ropecast“. He is the author of three novels as well as numerous short stories and essays and has been published in several anthologies, including several edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel. In 2007 he created "Graydancer’s Ropetastic Unconference Extravaganza" (www.GRUE.me) a kink-positive unconference occurring all over North America. A veteran of the stage, Graydancer has performed in many venues such as Foxy Veronica’s Peach Pies caburlesque, Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art show, Kink.com, the Seattle Erotic Art Festival, among others. Currently he plies his trade as an itinerant rope artist, kink educator and sex-positive social media whore, wrangling GRUEs and smiting the evil of sloppy ends wherever they may lie.
www.graydancer.com



Velvet Moore is a twenty-something who began writing erotica-style works during adolescence and officially entered the world of erotic fiction several years ago. She has been published on the web at sites including CleanSheets.com and TheEroticWoman.com, and ForTheGirls.com. She currently resides in Ohio and makes her living as a science writer.
www.velvetmoore.com

Beth Raymer is the author of Lay the Favorite, published by Spiegel & Grau. She is the recipient of a Fulbright scholarship and an MFA from Columbia University.



You will hear from the following books:


Orgasmic: Erotic Stories for Women edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel


Krakow Melt by Daniel Allen Cox


Lay the Favorite by Beth Raymer

Sexy photo slideshow, free rabbit vibrator, chocolate body paint, handcuffs & more 10/21 at Orgasm Night!

As should be obvious, DON'T MISS THIS. There are only 3 more In The Flesh left. I'm beyond freaking honored that people are coming in from across the country for this, I loved Beth Raymer's brilliant memoir Lay the Favorite (and you will be hard-pressed to find the sex work in the mainstream coverage of this gambling memoir), we have FIVE readers from my book Orgasmic: Erotic Stories for Women (I'll have copies for sale) and a sexy photo slideshow of women in lingerie? Not to mention Graydancer and Daniel Allen Cox! We are SO going out with a bang and I hope you'll join us! Plus all the free toys from EdenFantasys!

Get a peek behind the lens as New York-based boudoir photographer Laura Boyd reveals what it’s like to photograph women at their sexiest, as well as sharing photos from her star turn in front of the camera. Special photo slideshow presentation. October 21st, details below.



Rabbit vibrator, leopard print faux fur blindfold, wrist & ankle bondage cuffs and chocolate body paint giveaways on October 21st, courtesy of EdenFantasys! Click on each item to be taken to EdenFantasys to find out more.








In The Flesh logo by Molly Crabapple

There is no RSVP requirement, but if you'd like to RSVP and/or spread the word on Facebook, click here for the Orgasm Night event listing. Note early start time of 7:30. See also the In The Flesh Reading Series fan page on Facebook.

IN THE FLESH EROTIC READING SERIES
ORGASM NIGHT
October 21, 2010, 7:30 pm - 10 pm
AT HAPPY ENDING LOUNGE, 302 BROOME STREET, NYC
(B/D to Grand, J/M/Z to Bowery, F to Delancey or F/V to 2nd Avenue, http://www.happyendinglounge.com)
Between Forsyth & Eldridge. Look for the hot pink awning that says "XIE HE Health Club."
Admission: Free
Happy Ending Lounge: 212-334-9676
http://www.inthefleshreadingseries.com

Orgasms all around! In The Flesh turns 5 and celebrates orgasms with readings from host Rachel Kramer Bussel's Orgasmic: Erotic Stories for Women, an insider look at boudoir photography and more. Featuring boudoir photographer Laura Boyd (ownyoursexy.com), Graydancer (Ropecast), novelist Daniel Allen Cox (Krakow Melt), gambling memoir author Beth Raymer (Lay the Favorite) and Orgasmic contributors Neve Black, Heidi Champa, Dusty Horn, Lana Fox and Velvet Moore. Giveaways include Astroglide lube samples, rabbit vibrator, leopard print blindfold and wrist and ankle cuffs, and chocolate body paint kit from EdenFantasys, plus 100 free copies of SexIs Magazine. Free Baked by Melissa cupcakes, candy and chips will be served. This is the countdown to the final In The Flesh December 16th so don't miss a very special night!

Dirty Sexy Books loves Orgasmic, calls it "a glorious experience"

Check out this amazing review of Orgasmic: Erotic Stories for Women from Dirty Sexy Books (do check them out for lots of other excellent reviews). Also remember that you can hear Velvet Moore read from the excellent chemistry sex story "Chemistry" on October 21st, live and free with free cupcakes, at In The Flesh Reading Series. From the review:

It’s Orgasmic indeed. Some of these stories sent me straight to the moon, and then I drifted back down to earth only to take off again on the next page. After I finished this book it occurred to me that I’ve never read anything that focuses so wholly on female satisfaction. I think men tend to steal the limelight since they express arousal and orgasm in such a visual fashion. Women know how to hide it and fake it like pros, and sometimes that works against us, because our bodies are not simple to decipher, and oh! the frustration when we desperately want someone to break our code and read us like a book. That happens in Orgasmic, and it’s a glorious experience.

“Chemistry” by Velvet Moore starts with the line, “The smell of science makes me horny.” After reading about what happens to a hospital administrator in a laboratory, I can certainly understand why. The heroine in “Seeing Stars” by Louisa Harte suffers on a camping trip until she learns that exposing herself in nature can draw forth her primitive side, and every soft breeze or cool drop of rain is a sensory explosion while making love under the stars. Another couple has stealth sex in a public place while watching a lunar eclipse in “Moon Tantra” by Teresa Noelle Roberts.

As hot as I found the outdoor action, I was just as tantalized when things moved inside. ”Making Shapes” by Lily Harlem portrayed a woman who is my kind of artisan, and she makes functional art based on molds of her client’s most intimate parts. Who ever heard of falling in love with a penis at first sight? Well, it happens here. ”Animal Inside” by Neve Black is a voyeur’s dream, with a hole in the wall and two strangers enjoying their separate, yet shared, experiences. In “The London O” by Justine Elyot, a woman teases her lover with tales of past escapades, only to have him top them all with the help of a special pair of knickers.

These were just some of my favorites from this Orgasmic collection. Ladies, enjoy yourselves.

Orgasmic is out! Plus Orgasm Night October 2 at In The Flesh!

My latest book Orgasmic: Erotica for Women is officially out! Excerpts are coming soon.

What gets you off? How do you like to come? Let Orgasmic count the ways…with 25 stories centered around female orgasm, there’s something here for every reader. The women in Orgasmic climax from Tantric sex, role-playing, piercing, G-spot play, sex toys, horseback riding, BDSM, a belt and even chemistry–the scientific kind. They delight in food, God and handymen. They create their own objects of pleasure; they spy, tease, obey, command, argue, submit. Some are shy about their orgasms and some are bold as can be. They come, and come and come again, and they do it in some of the hottest, most creative ways you can think of. Featuring red-hot erotica by some of today’s hottest writers, these stories will make you want to stop everything and have an orgasm immediately…once you’ve turned the last succulent page.



There will be readings from Orgasmic October 21st at In The Flesh Reading Series in New York City.

Purchase Orgasmic from:

Amazon.com.

Kindle edition

Barnes & Noble (Bn.com)

Borders

IndieBound (search for your local independent bookstore!)

Cleis Press

Introduction: Let Me Count the Ways…

The Waiting Game Elizabeth Coldwell
What’s in a Name? Jacqueline Applebee
Chemistry Velvet Moore
The Chair Lolita Lopez
Fixing the Pipes Susie Hara
Share Dusty Horn
Hurdles Rowan Elizabeth
Seeing Stars Louisa Harte
Old Faithful Sylvia Lowry
Paying It Forward Kendra Wayne
The Big O Donna George Storey
Moon Tantra Teresa Noelle Roberts
Feet on the Dashboard Rachel Green
Frosting First Lana Fox
All She Wanted Andrea Dale
Making Shapes Lily Harlem
Rapture Angela Caperton
Belted Rachel Kramer Bussel
Rise and Shine Heidi Champa
Taking the Reins Vanessa Vaughn
First Date with the Dom Noelle Keely
Animal Inside Neve Black
The London O Justine Elyot
Fight Charlotte Stein
Switch Jade Melisande

Introduction

Let Me Count The Ways…

Orgasm: like sex, it’s one word that means many different things to many different people. For many women, it’s the center of their sexual life, a daily occurrence; something to look forward to, experiment with. For
some it means a gushing rush of pleasure, for others it’s a little wave they delight in cresting.

Every woman who orgasms may describe it differently.

Yet there are many women, myself included, who find orgasm not so easy to achieve much of the time (yes, it’s trueæI love sex, and get turned on, but coming is a bit more complex for me). In “Hurdles,” Rowan Elizabeth writes of such a character: “I can’t win this. And it’s my hang-up, too. I feel like there’s something I’m just not doing right. Maybe if I tighten my legs a little more or squeeze my eyes shut harder, then we’d get there together.”

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines orgasm as “intense or paroxysmal excitement; especially: an explosive discharge of neuromuscular tensions at the height of sexual arousal that is usually accompanied by the ejaculation of semen in the male and by vaginal contractions in the female.” It comes from the Latin and Greek (orgasmus/orgasmos), from organ “to grow ripe, be lustful.” I like that description, though what it leaves out is that for women, orgasm can stretch beyond the boundaries of ejaculation, can continue on and on, can be drawn out for as long as the woman (or her partner) wants to indulge in the experience.

In Lolita Lopez’s perfectly kinky story, “The Chair,” sex toys and submission go hand in hand with orgasm for the protagonist. “Lily’s orgasms changed from separate events to one long and unending oscillation of bliss.” Her “punishment” at the hands of Cal is one she’s very, very happy to absorb.

There are countless articles and books telling you how to have a bigger, better orgasm. I don’t want to add to the clamor of the voices saying, You must orgasm now. Instead, I want Orgasmic to be a fictional showcase of some of the reasons, methods and delights women bring to their orgasms. I want these red-hot stories to help get you warmed up, primed, aroused. I want them to make you squirm with desire, identification, curiosity. I want you to read these stories aloud to a lover…or someone you wish were your lover.

I did my best to capture an array of big (and little) Os, moments where the world feels like it’s exploding in your body, orgasms that rock more than just your world. These stories capture the ferocity, intensity and power of women’s orgasms, however they’re achieved. I couldn’t include every way women come in this book, or it would be much longer than it is now, but I wanted to include a varied look at what gets women off, which means it’s not always a man or another woman, or even a machine that does the trick. Vanessa Vaughn taps into a classic route with “Taking the Reins:”

As I straddle the seat and slowly lower myself down, I feel a familiar tingle of excitement deep inside. I can sense the monstrous size of the body between my thighs, the large chest expanding and contracting broadly with each breath. The smell of fresh, conditioned leather smothers my sensesæwell, that, and also the slight musky tinge of sweat. It is a raw smell mixed with rich, dark dirt.

Speaking of orgasm how-tos, in “The Big O” by Donna George Storey, she both skewers the omnipresent women’s magazine sex advice and adds a saucy twist as her protagonist puts into practice “The Sexercise Prescription: A Stronger Secret You in Six Weeks.”

The women in Orgasmic climax from tantric sex, role-playing, piercing, G-spot play, sex toys and even chemistry--the scientific kind. They delight in food, God and handymen. They create their own objects of pleasure; they spy, tease, obey, command, argue, submit. Some are shy about their orgasms and some are bold as can be.

They come, and come and come again, and they do it in some of the hottest, most creative ways you can think of. Visit me at orgasmicbook.wordpress.com if you just can’t get enough…orgasms, that is.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

Here lots of readers from Orgasmic and others on the topic of orgasm! Mark your calendars. This is also the third to last In The Flesh.


In The Flesh logo by Molly Crabapple

There is no RSVP requirement, but if you'd like to RSVP and/or spread the word on Facebook, click here for the Orgasm Night event listing. See also the In The Flesh Reading Series fan page on Facebook.

IN THE FLESH EROTIC READING SERIES
ORGASM NIGHT
October 21, 2010, 7:30 pm - 10 pm
AT HAPPY ENDING LOUNGE, 302 BROOME STREET, NYC
(B/D to Grand, J/M/Z to Bowery, F to Delancey or F/V to 2nd Avenue, http://www.happyendinglounge.com)
Between Forsyth & Eldridge. Look for the hot pink awning that says "XIE HE Health Club."
Admission: Free
Happy Ending Lounge: 212-334-9676
http://www.inthefleshreadingseries.com

Orgasms all around! In The Flesh turns 5 and celebrates orgasms with readings from host Rachel Kramer Bussel's Orgasmic: Erotica for Women, an insider look at boudoir photography and more. Featuring boudoir photographer Laura Boyd (ownyoursexy.com), Graydancer (Ropecast), novelist Daniel Allen Cox (Krakow Melt) and Orgasmic contributors Neve Black, Heidi Champa, Lana Fox and Velvet Moore. Hosted by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Fast Girls, Orgasmic). 100 free copies of Sexis Magazine will be distributed. Free Baked by Melissa cupcakes, candy and chips will be served. This is the countdown to the final In The Flesh December 16th so don't miss a very special night!



Find out more about Rachel's anthology Orgasmic: Erotica for Women at http://orgasmicbook.wordpress.com/about.

In the Flesh is a monthly reading series hosted at the appropriately named
Happy Ending Lounge, and features the country's best erotic writers sharing stories to get you hot and bothered, hosted and curated by acclaimed erotic writer and editor Rachel Kramer Bussel. The series was named Best Reading Series by New York Press in 2009. From erotic poetry to down and dirty smut, these authors get naked on the page and will make you lust after them and their words. Since its debut in October 2005, In the Flesh has featured such authors as Mike Albo, Laura Antoniou, Mo Beasley, Susie Bright, Lily Burana, Jessica Cutler, Mike Daisey, Stephen Elliott, Valerie Frankel, Polly Frost, Gael Greene, Andy Horwitz, Debra Hyde, Maxim Jakubowski, Emily Scarlet Kramer of CAKE, Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Edith Layton, Logan Levkoff, Suzanne Portnoy, Julie Powell, Sofia Quintero, M.J. Rose, Lauren Sanders, Danyel Smith, Grant Stoddard, Cecilia Tan, Carol Taylor, Dana Vachon, Veronica Vera, Susan Wright, Zane and many others. The series has gotten press attention from the New York Times’s UrbanEye, Daily Candy, Escape (Hong Kong), Flavorpill, The L Magazine, New York Magazine, NBC New York, New York Post, New York Observer, Philadelphia City Paper, Time Out New York, Flavorwire, Fork in the Road, Gawker, Gothamist, Jezebel.com, Nerve.com, Serious Eats, Tasting Table and Wonkette, and has been praised by Dr. Ruth.

Between studying the classics and surfing the Southern California coastline, Neve Black discovered she also had affection for writing erotic literature, which she believes comes from her interest in scratching at the under-belly of society. Neve's novel Sex through the Zodiac was published in January 2009. You can also read her erotic work in the on-line magazine Oysters and Chocolate, and various anthologies: Sex and San Francisco, Orgasmic: Erotica for Women, Swing: Erotic Stories of Every Flavor, Ambrosia, Men in Shorts, and Sex and Shoes.
www.neveblack.com



Laura Boyd is a photographer living and working in downtown Manhattan. Her work focuses on weddings, boudoir, and portraiture. She also does fine art photography, having recently spent five weeks in Paris working on her Paris in HDR project. She is a recovering attorney with a J.D. from the University of North Carolina. After fleeing the practice of law, she studied photography and design at the International Center for Photography, Parsons, and professional workshops around the world. Visit her websites at www.lauraboydblog.com, www.lauraboydstudio.com, and www.ownyoursexy.com.



Rachel Kramer Bussel is an author, editor, blogger and reading series host. She is Senior Editor at Penthouse Variations and a former sex columnist for The Village Voice. She’s edited over 30 anthologies, including the kink-themed Spanked, Bottoms Up, Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma'am, He's on Top, She's on Top, Rubber Sex as well as Fast Girls, Orgasmic, Peep Show, The Mile High Club: Plane Sex Stories, Do Not Disturb: Hotel Sex Stories, Tasting Him, Tasting Her, and the non-fiction Best Sex Writing series. Her books won 3 2009 Independent Publisher Awards. Her writing been published in publications such as Clean Sheets, Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast, Fresh Yarn, Huffington Post, Mediabistro, Newsday, New York Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Tango, The Village Voice, and Time Out New York, and in over 100 anthologies, including Best American Erotica 2004 and 2006. Rachel conducts nationwide readings and erotic writing workshops. She has hosted In The Flesh since October 2005.
www.rachelkramerbussel.com


photo by Anya Garrett

Heidi Champa is proud to be back reading at In The Flesh for the second time. On her first visit, in October of 2008, Heidi read her very first anthology-published erotic story. Since then, her work has appeared extensively online and in print, including anthologies like Best Women’s Erotica 2010, Alison's Wonderland, Playing With Fire, Frenzy and Ultimate Curves and websites like The Erotic Woman and Clean Sheets. Her first novella, White Out, was published by Amber Allure Press in August. You can find out more online at heidichampa.blogspot.com.



Daniel Allen Cox is the author of the novel Shuck, published by Arsenal Pulp Press and shortlisted in 2009 for a Lambda Literary Award and a ReLit Award. His second novel, Krakow Melt, is forthcoming from Arsenal Pulp in October 2010. Michael Musto commented on the book: “Dying Popes and gays with matches—two of my favorite subjects.” Daniel’s house burned down in 2007.
www.danielallencox.com



Lana Fox is a Brit living near Boston. Her stories appear or are forthcoming in a variety of books and magazines, including Clean Sheets, Best Women's Erotica 2011 ed. Violet Blue, Passion: Erotic Romance for Women ed. Rachel Kramer Bussel, and two Harlequin Spice anthologies, including the recently released Alison's Wonderland, ed. Alison Tyler. Lana loves writing about sex so much that she teaches erotica writing classes in the Boston area. She blogs at lanafox.com.

Graydancer, Ninja Sex Poodle & Ronin of Love, comes from the bondage capitol of the world, Madison, WI, where he honed his craft to become the world premiere podcaster of rope bondage with “the Ropecast“. He is the author of three novels as well as numerous short stories and essays and has been published in several anthologies, including several edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel. In 2007 he created "Graydancer’s Ropetastic Unconference Extravaganza" (www.GRUE.me) a kink-positive unconference occurring all over North America. A veteran of the stage, Graydancer has performed in many venues such as Foxy Veronica’s Peach Pies caburlesque, Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art show, Kink.com, the Seattle Erotic Art Festival, among others. Currently he plies his trade as an itinerant rope artist, kink educator and sex-positive social media whore, wrangling GRUEs and smiting the evil of sloppy ends wherever they may lie.
www.graydancer.com



Velvet Moore is a twenty-something who began writing erotica-style works during adolescence and officially entered the world of erotic fiction several years ago. She has been published on the web at sites including CleanSheets.com and TheEroticWoman.com, and ForTheGirls.com. She currently resides in Ohio and makes her living as a science writer.
www.velvetmoore.com