Free book offer and giveaways - act fast!

I've shared these book promotions at various times and in assorted ways, so I wanted to gather them together in one post for easy access, especially since the deadlines are coming up relatively soon. The first two are giveaways; the third is a commitment to post a review in exchange for an electronic copy. Thank you for signing up and remember, I do monthly giveaways in my newsletter! I just bought a bunch of different titles, from Tasting Him and Tasting Her to my mile high club anthology Flying High to give away later in the year.

Win my femdom erotica anthology She's on Top - enter by Friday, June 16, 11:59 pm EST (newsletter subscribers only, open worldwide)


The She's on Top giveaway is open to anyone who subscribes to my monthly newsletter (you must use the same email address as your subscription). I select a lot of winners for these monthly giveaways who I then have to reject either because the email address listed doesn't show up in my subscriber list or they've left an incomplete mailing address, so make sure both of those fields are filled in correctly! Fun fact: This is one of my favorite book covers for my books, and one I've gotten a lot of wonderful comments on. I don't generally have anything to do with my book covers aside from weighing in with my opinion (ultimately that choice is ultimately left to the publisher in almost every case I've been involved with, though I'm lucky because with over 60 books, I only truly hated one, Glamour Girls, put out by a now defunct press), so it's always exciting when a cover image really wows me.

Win a copy of Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2 - enter by June 15, 2017 (U.S. only)


The BWE of the Year 2 giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. (Why? Because overseas postage is astronomically expensive. It leapt up a lot over the last few years, so while I do newsletter giveaways overseas, I can't do them all that way and still afford to buy books for giveaways!)

Get On Fire: Erotic Romance Stories free in exchange for an honest review - sign up by June 18, 2017, 11:59 pm EST


This one is the easiest; sign up, and I email you the book! The final giveaway isn't a contest, but an offer of a free copy of my summer anthology On Fire in exchange for an honest review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Since, for reasons stated above, I can't send free print copies to everyone I encounter, I'm doing an electronic copy giveaway and hoping to give this book a little extra attention online with the reviews. These help authors immensely (as in, I consider them my number one way of promoting my books), because of things like Amazon's algorithm and because potential readers/buyers can see what others liked or didn't like about the book, and act accordingly.

So I consider this a win/win; lots of people are getting to try a free book they may or may not have picked up on their own, and I and my authors are getting invaluable feedback. And if the words "book review" intimidate you, fear not; all I ask is that the review is honest and at least one sentence long and, as you'll see in the signup above, contain the line "I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review" to comply with FTC standards. Beyond that, anything goes and on Amazon you get an email confirming your review has been posted, and on Goodreads you can see your review immediately. Lastly, if this goes well (meaning if the large majority of people actually follow through and leave reviews), I will likely do this for future books I've edited, so keep that in mind.

Help me edit my next erotica anthology!

Right now I'm in the process of wrapping up the manuscript I'm submitting to my publisher, Cleis Press, for Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 3 (they have final approval over all stories), and then later this month I'll be issuing the call for submissions for Volume 4 (first to my newsletter subscribers, then everywhere else; if you're not a subscriber, you can get on the list on the left-hand side of this blog or at rachelkramerbussel.com). In the meantime, though, what would be very helpful is to know what those who've read Volume 1 or Volume 2 thought: the good, the bad, the ugly. Why? Because without readers, I wouldn't edit anthologies. The readers are the whole point, and the only way I really know which stories resonated and which didn't is from reader feedback.



The ideal way to let me know is by leaving a public review, which also lets other potential readers glean your opinion. You can leave a review of Volume 1 on Amazon or Goodreads and of Volume 2 on Amazon or Goodreads. You don't have to have bought the book on Amazon to leave a review there; you just need to have an Amazon account you've purchased from before. Now, when I say "help me edit," I don't mean I'm crowdsourcing which story to pick over another. I use my instinct and intuition and what I think makes for a good anthology to do that.

Rather, I like to know which stories resonated most with readers; which they liked, which they didn't, what they want to see more of, what they want to see less of. Yes, even reviews that praise some stories and savage others are helpful. Obviously, I'm a fan of all the stories I publish, but I do take into account the most liked and the least liked as I make decisions for future anthologies. Yet the only way I can know which ones are popular is from reader opinions, which helps guide me in my general selections. So if everyone loves the historical stories, I will consider adding more; if people want to see more femdom, or more queer stories, or more literary stories, or longer stories, or whatever it is, I want to take that into account when I make my selections. Right now, I'm only contracted to edit up to Volume 4, but my dream is to get to edit 10 volumes in the series and publish 200+ authors in the process, and your reviews help me with that goal because more reviews equals more discoverability equals more sales, equals I can make a better case for why I'm a kickass editor. When I say "make a better case" I mean both to my publisher and to myself. Plus it gives me more funds to pay authors (pay is going up to $200/story for Volume 4), organize events and generally spread the word about the series.

My goal with the series hasn't been just to throw any old books out into the world, but to learn as much myself about the anthology editing process as I can with each one, to better amplify the voices of my authors online and offline, and to bring these stories into the mainstream in every way I can. I would love to see more stores stocking erotica, like the 52 independent bookstores that have stocked Volume 2. I would like to see erotica treated as legitimately as any other genre. And I want to encourage women who might not think of themselves as "erotica writers" (or even "writers" necessarily) to submit work to the series. That's why I only allow authors who haven't been published in prior Best Women's Erotica of the Year books to submit work; I'm sure past authors have brilliant stories to tell, but my aim is to publish as many authors as I can. So your reviews also help me with that goal because the more readers who know about the series, the greater the pool of potential people who'll consider sending me their work.

I do my best to improve with each book, both with the breadth of stories, what I provide for my authors and how much I do to get the books out into the world. I'll soon be going into brainstorming mode for Volume 3 so I can have it make even more of a splash than 1 and 2, and then will be crafting Volume 4, so your feedback counts greatly. If you'd prefer to email me, you can at bweoftheyear@gmail.com - thank you! I truly appreciate everyone who's shared their thoughts.

For those who want a free sample of Volume 2, here's some ways to get a peek:

Listen to sexy San Francisco erotica story "Taste" by Jocelyn Bringas as read by Rose Caraway on her podcast The Kiss Me Quick's!



Read a free sample of lesbian BDSM erotica story "Wordless Surrender" by Janelle Reston.



Read an excerpt of kinky opera erotica story "Performance" by Jordan Monroe.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for getting me over halfway to my goal of 40 Dirty Dates reviews for my 40th birthday!

So, I'm 40. Most days I feel more like 14 or 24, possibly early thirties, but in fact, I'm 40. Turns out, being 40 doesn't automatically mean I'm wiser or more knowledgable. I still fuck up. I still get flustered and confused and panicked and all the other things I did in my twenties and thirties. But for the most part, I like it. I've decided to invest in myself, which means I'll be launching three new websites in the new year, and doing live readings across the country and hopefully teaching webinars and other things.



One of my hopes for my 40th birthday and Dirty Dates: Erotic Fantasies for Couples, the book that dubbed on that day, November 10th, is to get to 40 reviews of it on Amazon. So far, the book has 23, and here's a sampling:

"Justine Elyot’s Baby Steps is a story about a new mother who is determined to get her kink back on. Any parent can relate to this story about how relationship dynamics change once a baby comes along. Nik Havert’s The Rabbit Trap is playful and imaginative. Valerie Alexander’s The World in My Pants and D.L. King’s On Location are both super-hot pieces of Femdom."

"What feels unique about "Dirty Dates" is the focus on committed couples exploring kink. That relational background adds a sweet sexiness to many scenes, which I loved. There's also a strong emphasis on consent in these stories - which makes me feel more excited to recommend it to people newer to kink world. For example, there are a lot of sentences like this one, from Emily Bingham's story: "I run one finger along my labia, shocked at how excited I am. I blush as I realize that daydreaming about the events I've agreed to has made such an impression..." Depending on your tastes, the reminders that everything has been "agreed to" can be distracting or quite a turn-on. More than other erotica anthologies I've read, "Dirty Dates" gives a template for how couples can actually explore kink together, which definitely makes it stand out. "

"Slowburn by Morgan Sierra is a femdom story told from the male submissive’s point of view. I don’t think that I’ve read a Femdom story told this way and it was a nice change of pace. It pulled no punches on the muddled and conflicting thoughts that tumbled through his mind while involved in a scene with his mistress.

The World in my Pants by Valerie Alexander gives us another dose of femdom with some juicy public humiliation and dirty alley sex. Of all the stories in the book, this is easily my favorite. All the girls crowding around him in the bathroom and writing on him with their makeup was especially fun to read.

Switch by Mina Murray tells the story of a couple reuniting after he’s been away for work. Blindfolded and handcuffed to the radiator in front of a picture window she comes to the realization that this was her fantasy made real."

So if you've read Dirty Dates or will be soon, whether you bought it on Amazon or not, I'd love if you'd leave a review there (or on Goodreads or Bn.com or anywhere else readers might see it). The review can say anything you want (although on Amazon, it can't have any curses or "dirty" words). It can be one sentence or 100 sentences. If you're stumped, I suggest sharing what your favorite story was and why, or your favorite stories. Or just what the book was like versus what you expected. Thank you for being interested in Dirty Dates in the first place! I was thrilled to have a book come out on my birthday, and while my focus now is on launching Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1, I'm still keeping an eye on Dirty Dates and happy its reaching readers.

Starred Library Journal review of Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica

Want to know how to make my day as an editor? Sing the praises of my book, including my authors, most of whom I've never published before (but hope to again)! Thank you, Library Journal, for this starred review of Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica. I'm eagerly awaiting more store names to add to the list of who stocks it, and this will help with convincing stores this is a hot and sexy book! I was right that a story from the point of view of a sex toy, "My Life as a Vibrator" by Livia Ellis, is a crowd pleaser, which I already knew, but it feels good to see that a top publication agrees with me.

Here's review, in text and jpeg form:

GROWN-UP FUN
Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica. Cleis. Apr. 2015. 240p. ed. by Rachel Kramer Bussel. ISBN 9781627781251. pap. $15.95; ebk. ISBN 9781627781350. EROTICA
Cleis here offers yet another inventive anthology, this time focused on the concept of sex toys. This collection runs the gamut within the first seven pages, with Jillian Boyd’s humorous, sweet “Dare You To,” wherein a soon-to-be-wed couple blow off marriage-planning stress with a series of escalatingly naughty dares. Some plots go according to plan, such as Zee Giovanni’s “Lost and Pounded” tale of a missing dog bringing two strangers together, while others have a touch of conflict; E. Bellamy’s “The Superman Dildo” tells of a jealous lover who struggles with his new girlfriend’s favored toy. A majority of the selections seem to involve heterosexual trysts, such as Malin James’s “The Prototype,” in which a young couple test out a new invention between the sheets, and J. Crichton’s “Icy Bed,” which is anything but cold, as a couple use a webcam and a few other handy tools to make the miles apart seem shorter. Things wrap up with Livia Ellis’s long-awaited anecdote “My Life as a Vibrator,” a playful exploration of pleasure from an unconventional perspective. VERDICT Though a broader depiction of diverse pairings and partners would have been appreciated, these quickies make excellent work of embodying the sexy, silly attitude that often accompanies creative toy use in the bedroom. Readers will have fun perusing for solo and partner play inspiration.

It's free book month: claim your copy of Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica by March 15th!

I'm new to Canva, where I made this image, but I hope what I lack in skill I make up for in enthusiasm

Yes, it's almost time for me to trundle off to the post office and mail lots of packages of autographed copies of Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica to Amazon.com reviewers! (U.S. only) I've got more copies left, but the deadline to sign up is March 15th (or when I reach 100 reviewers, whichever happens sooner). Interested? See below and sign up today. If these arrive by March 18th, I'll mail them then, or else I'll mail them on March 30th when I return from my events in Virginia and Maryland. Either way, I'll email you once the book has been mailed so you know when to expect it. I'm excited to send out lots of free books! I've already got a pile of envelopes waiting to be addressed. My dream is that this book sells so well I get to edit another book of super creative, over the top, funny, smart and sexy stories, and I'm going to do everything in my power to try to make that happen, starting with this one, the most fun (because who doesn't love free books?).

Here's how to request your free book and more about this hot anthology:

1. By March 15, 2015, email sextoyantho at gmail.com with "Amazon" in the subject line AND your name, U.S. mailing address and URL of a previous Amazon.com review, which will look like this: http://www.amazon.com/review/RZR12JEVAAK0Z/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0062076000&nodeID=283155&store=books. Click on your review's title and then copy and paste the URL for it. If you can't do this, you can send the URL of your Amazon profile which has a link to your review(s).

2. I will reply to everyone, either confirming you are one of the first 100, or letting you know that you're not (and I will update this post once the 100 have been spoken for).

3. For the first 100, once you receive your book, please post an honest review on Amazon.com by May 31st.

4. That's it! Some other ways to follow and support the book: @comeagainbook on Twitter, our Facebook page and Tumblr. Come Again is also on Goodreads, where you can mark that you want to read it (thank you!) and rate it.

To read the introduction and table of contents, go to the book's Tumblr. I'll also be sharing a list of independent stores where you can find Come Again once that information is available, and am working on booking book tour events.

Free sex toy erotica book offer ends March 15, 2015

Just a heads up that in order to keep my mailing manageable, I've set March 15, 2015 as the cutoff for requests for free copies of Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica for U.S. Amazon.com reviewers (or when I reach 100 requests). And yes, if I were a rich lady, I could send these to anyone anywhere in the world, but I'm not, so I have to limit this to those in the United States. The bonus is you get the book before it's in stores, and will have two months to review it (you should receive yours by the end of March, and I'm asking people to post their reviews by the end of May, aka Masturbation Month).

So get your requests in if you want this free book and are up for posting a review on Amazon. I'm working on a post about all the sex toys that are in the book, but I can tell you there are a few fictional ones as well as jangling nipple clamps, remote controlled vibrators, dildos, metal claws, a thigh harness, a sex doll and much more!



Here's how to request your free book and more about this hot anthology:

1. By March 15, 2015, email sextoyantho at gmail.com with "Amazon" in the subject line AND your name, U.S. mailing address and URL of a previous Amazon.com review, which will look like this: http://www.amazon.com/review/RZR12JEVAAK0Z/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0062076000&nodeID=283155&store=books. Click on your review's title and then copy and paste the URL for it. If you can't do this, you can send the URL of your Amazon profile which has a link to your review(s).

2. I will reply to everyone, either confirming you are one of the first 100, or letting you know that you're not (and I will update this post once the 100 have been spoken for).

3. For the first 100, once you receive your book, please post an honest review on Amazon.com by May 31st.

4. That's it! Some other ways to follow and support the book: @comeagainbook on Twitter, our Facebook page and Tumblr. Come Again is also on Goodreads, where you can mark that you want to read it (thank you!) and rate it.

Email sextoyantho at gmail.com with any questions and thank you for reading.

Here's more information about Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica:

Table of contents and introduction:

Dare You To Jillian Boyd
The Prototype Malin James
Icy Bed J. Crichton
Surprise Katya Harris
The Superman Dildo E. Bellamy
Lost and Pounded Zee Giovanni
In the Pink Rob Rosen
Dalia’s Toy Corrine A. Silver
Vegetable Love Susan St. Aubin
The Cure for the Common Lay Valerie Alexander
Claws Out Rachel Kramer Bussel
Sex Kitten Errica Liekos
Standard of Care Sybil Rush
Bikery Oliver Hollandaize
Pencil Dick Kathleen Delaney-Adams
A Tale of Two Toys Chris Komodo
Prickles Elizabeth Coldwell
Gift Dena Hankins
Get Your Rocks Off Jocelyn Dex
Byrd and the Bees Kamala St. Deeds
The Secret Shopper Kitten Boheme
Must Love Dolls Giselle Renarde
Sex Sells Adriana Ravenlust
My Life as a Vibrator Livia Ellis

Introduction: Sex Toys Are Everywhere

I love sex toys, both the kinds you can find in sex shops and the kinds you can find pretty much anywhere. Because the truth is, anything can become a sex toy in the right hands, and Come Again proves that.

In these pages, you’ll read about vibrators, butt plugs, strap-on harnesses, dildos, nipple clamps, a sex doll and even a Superman dildo. But you’ll also read about characters so smitten with sex toys they’re willing to go to great lengths to create their own, whether it’s a special bike designed to make pedaling a woman’s favorite sport (in “The Bikery,” by Oliver Hollandaize) or an inflatable ball on a stick (as in “The Prototype,” by Malin James). Perhaps in the future, we’ll have sex toys like the orgasm machine being peddled in “Sex Sells,” by Adriana Ravenlust, or the Simulsphere that provides “The Cure for the Common Lay,” which Valerie Alexander so masterfully serves up.

Sex toys are a perfect complement to a kinky relationship, offering one person the power to control how the other uses his or her toys. In “The Secret Shopper,” by Kitten Boheme, the act of shopping takes on an extremely risqué overtone, while in “Sex Kitten,” by Errica Liekos, a tail and a transgression provide the perfect entrée to a hot scene.

Toys are a wonderful way for couples to double the fun, and that concept is taken to humorous and wonderful heights in “A Tale of Two Toys,” by Chris Komodo, in which the popularity of remote-control vibrators is celebrated. I was awed by the way Giselle Renarde detailed the romance, wonder and pleasure a Japanese sex doll brings to a couple sharing her as they expand their sexual repertoire. Are Honor and Tom having a threesome with Natsuki? In their own special way, yes indeed. Dena Hankins’s “Gift” shows that you’re never too old to explore a new toy.

Nature lovers will appreciate the ingenuity of “Vegetable Love,” by Susan St. Aubin and “Get Your Rocks Off,” by Jocelyn Dex, and I know I’ll be thinking about J. Crichton’s “Icy Bed” every time I take out ice cubes from my freezer.

You’ll find proud toy users and those whose private pleasures wind up being exposed in stories like “Dare You To,” by Jillian Boyd, where the jangling of nipple clamp bells is a little too loud for comfort, and “In the Pink,” by Rob Rosen, in which a masturbatory moment in the office turns into some hands-on sex education.

All of these stories celebrate sex toys for the ways they can shake up a routine, enhance an orgasm, transform an identity or simply add new delights to your sex life. Once you’re done reading, I’m pretty sure, like me, you’ll start seeing sex toys—or at least, potential sex toys—everywhere you go!

Rachel Kramer Bussel
Red Bank, New Jersey

My review of mystery City of Darkness and Light by Rhys Bowen

Rhys Bowen's early 20th century Molly Murphy (now Molly Sullivan) mystery series has become a favorite of mine, with its wonderful historical detail and intrepid sleuth. I got to review/preview the latest, set in 1905 Paris, City of Darkness and Light, for mystery site Criminal Element.

A video review of The Big Book of Orgasms!

Pretty sure someone has to like your book a lot to take the time to make a video review! Thank you, Ande Lyons, for praising my favorite of all my books, The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories, and for interviewing me for The Loving and Lasting Show! Follow her @AndeLyons on Twitter for the latest news.

My book is on PostSecret and Amazon's most gifted erotica book list!

The good news keeps pouring in for the best book I've ever edited, The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories! I've been honored and thrilled that the book is making such a connection with readers and am looking forward to our January 3rd reading at The Museum of Sex as part of Between the Covers. I got an email last night that someone took the book's postcard, wrote some kickass news on it, and sent it to PostSecret! I hope that all erotica writers can do what they love for a living, and that all my The Big Book of Orgasms contributors have smashing success in their writing careers. Thank you, fairy book mother or father, for helping this little book reach a whole new audience. You made my weekend!



I also saw that The Big Book of Orgasms is the 26th most gifted erotica book on Amazon, right behind mega blockbuster Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James. Go us!



Speaking of Amazon, here's what some reviewers are saying, such as DeDe Deylnn, who you can read more of on her blog:

So many steamy scenes happen and this book has opened up my perspective on new places, scenarios, and perspectives on having a good orgasm. There are plenty of queer stories, by queer writer, included in this book that would make anyone very happy. Two of my favorites: a story about two men at a construction site and the other a dominate woman and a man playing with power, control, and orgasm denial. It's so hot. I totally suggest you check this book out.

And Alex:

Another great thing about this compilation is that the stories, while short, are long enough to get both the mind and the juices flowing. Explicit enough to intrigue and leave you wanting more without being blatant and overbearing. These stories are involved enough to spark discussion and desire.

One of my favorites is "Under the table," by Elizabeth Caldwell, which creates the setting for a hot fantasy about getting hot and bothered in a restaurant but leaves enough of the picture left for me to finish the scene on my own. Another is "The Massage," by Lady Cheeky, which gets a bit detailed as the author goes from anticipation to post-orgasm jelly... there are very few things, in this world, as great as either giving, or receiving, that kind of whole body, orgasm.

BDSM erotic romance Matzoh and Mistletoe First Look at Heroes & Heartbreakers

I reviewed BDSM erotic novella Matzoh and Mistletoe by Jodie Griffin over at Heroes & Heartbreakers, a must-bookmark site for romance readers!

Exciting news: San Francisco reading and Publishers Weekly review of The Big Book of Orgasms

I'm very excited to share the news that I'll be heading to San Francisco for a reading from The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories, featuring me and 8 other contributors (and possibly a few more), many of whom are reading for the first time. If you're not in San Francisco but know someone who is who'd like a night of free orgasmic erotica read to them, please pass this on. The official details are on Facebook as well as below.

November 6, 6:30 pm, free
The Big Book of Orgasms reading in San Francisco
The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories (Cleis Press) is editor Rachel Kramer Bussel's latest and greatest erotica anthology. This climactic collection of pansexual short shorts are perfect for bedtime reading to a lover or on your own. Whether getting off from exhibitionism, voyeurism, hot wax, dirty talk or a very special pair of blue jeans, the characters in The Big Book of Orgasms go all out for the Big O. From vanilla to kinky, and everything in between, there's something for all erotic readers here. At this special reading, Bussel will be joined by contributors Lily K. Cho, Malin James, Crystal Jordan, Sinclair Sexsmith, Donna George Storey, B.D. Swain, Virgie Tovar, Jade A. Waters and Xan West for an evening of steamy stories that's sure to leave you hot and bothered.
Good Vibrations, 1620 Polk Street (at Sacramento Street), San Francisco, 415-345-0400


I didn't want to look too dorky, but my smile should stretch all the way across my face to encapsulate how excited I am about this book!

I also had a "pinch me" moment when I saw that Publishers Weekly gave The Big Book of Orgasms such a glowing review (I'm cutting and pasting but the authors' names should be Cecilia Tan and Jade A. Waters):

Erotic editor Bussel (Baby Got Back) proves less is more in this collection of nibble-size erotic stories that are just long enough to fuel the imagination. There is something for every mood—funny, kinky, touching, spontaneous, and even vengeful. In Thomas S. Roche’s “How You Christen a Bed,” the surprising delight is in the woman’s postorgasmic statement. Celicia Tan’s “Her Lover Is a Flame” and Bussel’s own “I’m on Fire” give a new meaning to hot sex. Riley Shane’s “Feast for the Senses” entertains with sensory pleasure. Evoë Thorne’s lovely “Squirt” illustrates how longtime partners avoid lesbian bed death. An unused toy comes to life with a proper lover in Jade A. Wata’s “The Flogger.” Everyone will find something to appreciate here, and all the stories are easy to read as they titillate and entertain. (Nov.)

We are off to a brilliant start and any day now the book should be in stock online! Thank you so much - I believe so strongly in this book and am looking into more events, online and off, and am handing out postcards and talking it up everywhere I go. This is not just "the big book" of orgasms but my big book, one I feel good about staking my career on. I think it's also one of the biggest bargains around: at $12.12 from Amazon, that works out to just under 18 cents a story! Follow us @BigBookofOrgasm on Twitter and read excerpts (all of them are coming soon!) on Tumblr.


Bonus photo from last night. L to R: Nicole Audrey Spector, Kim Triedman, Vica Miller, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Liesl Schillinger. I highly recommend signing up for Vica Miller Literary Salons - they rock and are free!).

Help me fulfill my birthday goal of 100 reviews for The Big Book of Orgasms

Update: I've received well over 100 requests, so am not offering any more free copies, but if this book does well, there will be more free books in the future (the best place to find me giving them away is @raquelita on Twitter), so please help make that happen and check out the table of contents and introduction and show it some love on Goodreads and Amazon. Free excerpts on Tumblr. Thank you for fulfilling my birthday dream!

I'm turning 38 on November 10th. I'll be in Albuquerque, ahead of my workshop on November 12th at Self Serve Toys, and I've decided what I want for my birthday is 100 reviews on Amazon.com for my new, gorgeous anthology The Big Book of Orgasms. Follow along on the Tumblr, @BigBookofOrgasm on Twitter and Facebook for excerpts from all 69 stories.

So, how can you help? You must have a U.S. mailing address (sorry, I can't afford to send books overseas), an Amazon.com account you've made a purchase from and be willing to post your review by November 10th; I'll be sending books by media mail as soon as I get them, by the end of September. Reviews can be short - Amazon recommends 75 to 300 words, and the stories are all 1,200 words or less so you can read several in an hour. You get a free, autographed book and my thanks, and the knowledge that you helped me celebrate my birthday and helped my book succeed. Email orgasmantho at gmail.com with "Amazon" in the subject line and your name and U.S. address in the body and I will send it to you very soon. Please only sign up if you can commit to posting your review by November 10th!

I'm putting everything I have into making this book a raving success, the bestseller of my 54 anthologies, and if it does as well as I'm hoping, I will hop on board to edit many more. I'm considering this a sort of test case/Ouija board to help direct me in my next career choices, and I love erotica so I want to keep doing it, but it only makes sense to do so if there's a wide audience for my books, so anything you can do to spread the word is wonderful. I have such a good feeling about this book and think it truly is a book of erotica that offers something for any reader.

The funniest use of my books ever

This totally made me smile, as did its corresponding awesome review of Serving Him at Clitical! Jenne wrote:

Many of the stories refer to the freedom that is often experienced by the very act of submitting. I adored the story, Silver Fish In The Crystal Pool by Gina Marie which is an awesome example of this. In the story the female sub is bound to a tree, but it’s more than that she becomes one with the tree as she feels the pleasure her Master administers. I loved the imagery the authors words create in my mind. I loved these lines for example: “ You’re not wet, lover. Why aren’t you wet?” The breeze catches the river of juice streaming down my thighs and my mind is tumbling. There is symbolism in this story that reaches far beyond the juices that I found running down my own thighs as I read.

10 free copies of Cheeky Spanking Stories for Amazon reviewers

If you've signed up to review Serving Him, your copy has been sent; please post that review first before requesting this one. And thank you for your continued support! I want this book especially to succeed so I can go on to edit many more spanking erotica books. It's my favorite topic!

Another freebie for U.S. Amazon reviewers - I’ve got 10 copies left of Cheeky Spanking Stories! Click the title to read my introduction and click here to read an excerpt from my nudist hotel spanking story “Marks." You must have an Amazon.com account you’ve made a purchase from and promise to review it within 6 weeks of receipt (books are being sent next week via media mail). In return you get a free, autographed copy of this spanking erotica anthology and my thanks! Email me at spankingantho at gmail.com with “Amazon" in the subject line. If you’d like to review the Kindle edition, same terms apply but you can be anywhere, just email spnakingantho at gmail.com with “Kindle" in the subject line and your email address (CANNOT be an @kindle.com address).

Sweetening the Kindle pot: review Only You or Irresistile and I'll send you the other one free!

This sale and promotion have now ended (sorry, the sale ended earlier than I thought it would). This sale is over, thank you for your support! Passion and Obsessed are now only $2.99 on Kindle AND if you click through you'll see my special BOGO promotion. To celebrate the Kindle sale price of $3.99 for erotic romance anthologies Only You and Irresistible, I'm sweetening the pot for a very limited time: if you review either Only You Or Irresistible on Amazon.com, I'll send you the Kindle version of the other one. Email me at rachelkb at gmail.com by May 16 5 pm EST (firm deadline as I won't be near a computer after that) with a link to your review on Amazon and the email address where I should send the ebook (I can't gift to @kindle.com addresses). Thank you!



Introduction: Very Happy Endings

Driven Angela Caperton
Overcome Alyssa Turner
Forgotten Bodies Giselle Renarde
In the Doghouse Hanna Martine
Autumn Rain Michael A. Gonzales
The Love We Make Kristina Wright
In-Flight Entertainment Catherine Paulssen
Republicans Don’t Like Kate Dominic
Mom’s Night Out Lolita Lopez
Slow Fire Donna George Storey
The Nude, Stripped Naked Jeremy Edwards
Edge Skylar Kade
Unfolding K D Grace
Married Abigail Grey
Cook’s Treat Elizabeth Coldwell
Hollywood Romance Veronica Wilde
Matters of the Heart Tenille Brown
September Song Anna Watson
Saved Cassandra Carr
For the Very First Time Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: Very Happy Endings

“Honey, are you happy?” is the question with which Cassandra Carr opens her story, “Saved,” about a marriage that needs reviving, pronto. Haven’t we all been in relationships where we longed to ask our partners what they were truly thinking and feeling; whether they were happy; whether they had fantasies, regrets, dreams—but didn’t ask because we were afraid of the answer? I certainly have, so I have extra admiration for this lonely wife who dares to ask for what she wants, realizing it’s never too late. That is the same spirit that enlivens every story in this collection, where sexual pleasure and romantic happiness are not guaranteed at the outset. Couples in various stages of their romances experience tricky territory and have to ask, pursue, explore and test the boundaries of their love in order to reach new peaks, learn about themselves, and make their relationships stronger. Yes, these stories are hot, and I fully encourage you to read them with one hand, but I also find them heartwarming. They explore what happens within a marriage or relationship behind closed doors, for the most part, when you’re stripped bare in the literal and figurative senses, and are truly seen by someone who knows you inside and out.

You very likely know the feeling of being captivated by a lover, wanting to be with him morning, noon and night; dreaming about her when you’re away; reveling in the heights of passion as well as the tender comforts of togetherness when you’re not. The stories in Only You celebrate that feeling of knowing the ones you love for all their high points and their faults, of seeing beyond their outer image to what truly makes their heart beat, sometimes knowing them better than they know themselves. The stories you are about to read all explore the theme, in some way, of lovers who are drawn to each other, whether they fully understand why or not. Some are pulled apart by obstacles they have to overcome, and others simply can’t wait to tear each other’s clothes off. Some serve as teachers, guides or gurus into matters of the heart.

What I especially like about these tales is that the lovers here join forces, using their knowledge of what the other person gets off on to spur them to risqué acts, even under circumstances that may not seem ideal at first glance. “Forgotten Bodies,” by Giselle Renarde, addresses the ways we can forget our own bodies, not to mention our partner’s libido, in long-term relationships. Susan goes so far as to hide in the bathroom to avoid sex with her husband, only to discover that he’s cooking up something new and naughty for them to try. In “The Love We Make,” by Kristina Wright, fighting leads to the hottest sex imaginable, and means there’s no excuse too petty to pick a fight over, if they get to “make up.” Sex-starved Sidney in Lolita Lopez’s “Mom’s Night Out” engages in a one-night getaway with her husband, Owen, where they forget all about the draining daily duties of parenthood and rediscover how much they still hunger for each other.

Some of the lovers here are less experienced, such as M. in “Autumn Rain,” by Michael A. Gonzales, and Dean in my story “For the Very First Time.” Each delicately touches on the ways our first time leaves an impression, makes us fall that much harder for the person we’re sharing the momentous occasion with. Even when the characters aren’t actually virginal, when they approach their relationships anew, finding something novel in their partner’s kiss or touch, they can invoke Madonna and feel “Like a Virgin,” only with the bonus of a shared, special history.

As I’ve edited this collection, I’ve been listening to Adele’s achingly gorgeous album 21. Those songs are about lost loves, but they contain all the tenderness you will find here as well, and rest assured, not to give too much away, the tales in Only You have happy, sweet, sexy endings.

I wish you only pleasure in enjoying the stories you’re about to read.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City



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

Amazon.com reviewers wanted - free copy of Cheeky Spanking Stories

I'm looking for 3 more Amazon.com reviewers for Cheeky Spanking Stories - I'd send you a free autographed copy of the book, you are in the U.S., have an Amazon.com account you've made a purchase from at some point, and agree to review it on Amazon within 6 weeks. Interested? Send name and mailing address to eroticspankingantho at gmail.com with "Amazon" in the subject line and I'll send it out to the first 3 takers. For more on the book, see the introduction and table of contents and read 17 reviews of it. If you have a blog or are on Goodreads, etc., I'd love for you to review it elsewhere too, but this offer is specifically requesting Amazon.com reviewers.

BDSM Book Reviews gets my taste in bondage, which means more to me than 5 paddles

Who doesn't love a rave review? I'm vain enough to cop to saying that of course I love reviews that say nice things about my books. But not all great reviews are equal. There are some that let you know the reviewer gets what you were trying to do, and as both an anthology editor and book reviewer, I'm not trying to suggest that "what the author/editor was trying to do" is the only way to interpret a book. There is no "correct" one true way of interpreting a work of art (see this post) but in this case, especially as I'm in the midst of editing Best Bondage Erotica 2014, I was thrilled to see that the things BDSM Book Reviews highlighted in its review of Best Bondage Erotica 2013 were precisely the things I look for when selecting stories:

What is really appealing about this book is the creative ways people are bound. The ones where there is a treat of exposure outside are exhilarating. The reader can feel both the excitement and the anxiety of being caught. One of the bondage stories includes walking through a hotel where others could see their sexy restraints before the Domme and her female submissive retires to a lush hotel room. Each one of these stories will appeal to many reader’s fantasies.

More on the book:



Buy Best Bondage Erotica 2013 at:

Amazon

Kindle (ebook)

Bn.com

Nook (ebook)

IndieBound (find your local independent bookstore)

Cleis Press

Foreword: Uncomfortable Truths Graydancer
Introduction: Loving Bondage Anywhere and Everywhere
An Introduction to Shibari Elizabeth Coldwell
This Is Me Holding You Annabeth Leong
Tying the Knot Tiffany Reisz
The Great Outdoors Teresa Noelle Roberts
What Vacations Are For Thomas S. Roche
Lights Out Mina Murray
Feeling the Heat Lucy Felthouse
You Can Look… Evan Mora
The Moons of Mars Valerie Alexander
Interlude for the Troops Louise Blaydon
Hot in the City Sommer Marsden
Passion Party Purgatory Logan Zachary
Steadfast Andrea Dale
Tree Hugger Giselle Renarde
A Public Spectacle D. L. King
Seven More Days N. T. Morley
A Bit of a Tangle Monocle
Wheelbarrow Position Danielle Mignon
The Longest Afternoon Medea Mor
Plastic Wrap Shoshanna Evers
Wiped Kay Jaybee
Foot and Mouth Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: Loving Bondage Anywhere and Everywhere

One of the main things I look for when editing the Best Bondage Erotica series is variety. I want a mix of types of people being tied up, a range of implements used to bind, a diverse setting for these kinky scenarios. This year, I got all that and more—much more.

I was especially pleased to see that several authors threw open the bedroom door and took their kinky play outside. In “The Great Outdoors,” “Wheelbarrow Position” and “Tree Hugger,” you’ll find some very creative bondage that borders on exhibitionism, as well as full-on exhibitionism in “A Public Spectacle.” The excitement of being exposed, of baring your body to the elements and not being able to escape should someone walk by, is expounded on with kinky delight in these tales.

The variety doesn’t end there. There are newcomers, whether to bondage or specific types of bondage play, from shibari to a simple rope harness, plastic wrap to handcuffs to a chastity tube. There are sex toys, all manner of them, from a special pink ribbon to a Hitachi Magic Wand, and they come into play in ways that will surprise and delight you, but what I’m most thrilled about with this collection is what the men and women feel once they are tied up, bound, restrained, at someone else’s mercy. Here’s a sampling:

“…this is a stranger for whom I want to be the very best toy ever.” (“The Moons of Mars”)

“She focused on her breathing. Taking slow, deep breaths, she stared back at him, daring him to do his worst.” (“The Longest Afternoon”)

“The blatant hunger on his face almost made up for the last year of neglect. But he was struggling against his bonds now, and that just wouldn’t do.” (“Lights Out”)

“Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker that I fall for it every time. Maybe I just want to. But when I see and hear him taking out the duct tape, I squirm in anticipation.” (“Foot and Mouth”)

These characters find themselves appreciating even the discomfort of bondage, trading their autonomy for something greater, something that sets them free—from convention, from daily life, from their usual roles. It’s that freedom to exult, straight, mouth off, give and take pleasure that I hope comes across the strongest in these pages. For while these stories take place in a variety of settings, using all sorts of implements and household items, what they have in common is desire, curiosity and a willingness to pursue them, even when you’re not sure where the journey will take you. I hope dedicated bondage fans, newcomers and those of you who share that curiosity about the thrills of being tied to a tree or a chair or a bed, will keep this book handy and be inspired to dream up, and live out, your own fantasies.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

And here's a bonus of a few paragraphs of my story "Foot and Mouth," a very sex toy filled tale!

"Foot and Mouth" by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Shiny silver bondage tape. Dangling bells at the ends of matching nipple clamps. A black leather paddle. A Wartenberg wheel, that tiny, mean, metal medical implement. Pink feathers. And an evil grin. I shiver not so much because Bennett has those sadistic items in his hands, save for the last, which he sported on his lips, but because I can already feel the sticky heat of the tape trapping my mouth, the brush of the light feathers against the overly sensitive skin under my arms, the wheel winding its maddening way along my tender, ticklish soles. Even more than those inanimate objects that my man loves to animate, though, it’s him who makes me shiver. Bennett knows even better than I that he and he alone can make me stay stock-still, can make me tremble in fear and arousal so closely combined I have no idea where one starts and the other stops.

My entire body strains toward these kinky accoutrements, and toward him, the pull so deep I can barely remember a time before I was at his mercy, even though I know there exists such a time. Now it’s just me and him and however he wants to use me. Sometimes he only wants my mouth, sometimes my ass, sometimes my pussy, sometimes my mind. Sometimes I put on shows for him, sometimes I tell him stories, sometimes I bend over.

Today I know it’s not about what I want or can do for him at all; he wants to hurt me, and therefore he will, and I will like it, because that’s how I respond to him. My nipples can already feel the press of the clamps, the deep heat that seems to burn its way through me, and stays there. Bennett’s smile is a little mysterious, small, playful, which usually means his mind is concocting grand plans to torture me. If he could read my desire for pain, for service, for full immersion in being completely his from day one, then now, well past day one thousand and one, it’s like he knows me better than I know myself.

He’s not the kind of person you can ever tell what you want straight on. Or you can, but it doesn’t do you any good, not as a sub. Or more accurately, it doesn’t do me any good. Bennett gets a perverse pleasure out of denying me what I crave, out of only giving in when he knows I’m so mad with desire I almost no longer want it. Then he unleashes every ounce of sadistic determination on me, but not a moment sooner. He’s not interested in the “You like to be spanked, therefore I’ll spank you” kind of equation. Too straightforward, too boring. He’s told me as much. “If you just want some man to play Dom, or play Daddy, go find someone else,” he told me on our first date. I hadn’t intended to tell him all about my kinkiest fantasies; the ones I’d never told anyone, even the men I let tie me up and have their way with me. I hadn’t ever truly gone there, hadn’t even realized where “there” was until, without even a drop of wine, Bennett coaxed the truth out of me. The very naughty truth that made my cheeks burn, as I whispered it across the flickering candles and elegant tablecloth and forgotten meal.

It’s not just because he’s a genius, literally, and his mind moves too fast for that to be at all interesting to him. And it’s not the wealth of lovers he’s had before me on whom he’s honed his Dominant skills, either. It’s that he wants each time to be better than the last. He wants it to matter. He wants me to feel it not just on the tender surface of my skin but inside, deep down, all the way, where it counts. When he takes out his knife and traces it along the swell of my breast, he wants me to wonder, even for a split second, if he’ll be careless⎯or, worse, careful⎯and break the skin. He wants me to wonder, when he tells me he is bringing guests while I’m all trussed up, if he really is, and how many. He wants me to be uncertain whether he’d actually try to get his gigantic fingers inside my tight but eager ass without lube. Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker that I fall for it every time. Maybe I just want to. But when I see and hear him taking out the duct tape, I squirm in anticipation. I know I will miss the chance to mouth off, or to simply tell him basic things like, “Yes!” or “Fuck,” or “Please,” or “More.” We are both attuned to the verbal nuances of power play, so it’s rare that he takes away my power of speech. He does like to see me drool, but gags aren’t his style. He’s more the type to shove four fingers in my mouth and wait until the saliva starts to spill down my throat, or hand me a particularly large cucumber and insist I take it as far as I can.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t know that a part of him, and, yes, a part of me, is already thinking about how the tape will feel coming off, how it will rip at the tender skin of my upper lip, my chin, my cheeks. Will it leave red marks? Will my lips burn? I whimper as the future pain whispers to me, and he looks down at me with what would typically be called contempt, except I know it as love. That’s his way, and when he pinches my lips closed with his fingers, I instinctively spread my legs. Trust me, we have plenty of truly tender, TLC moments, but not when we’re about to indulge our deepest desires. I’d say “do a scene,” but there is nothing of performance art about this.

“You want the tape, don’t you, Sophie?” he asks, even though it’s not really a question. He peels the shiny silver tape so close to me I hear its separation from the roll loudly. When I nod, he frowns at me.

“Yes, Bennett, I do, I want the tape. You know I want the tape.” Except it’s not about knowing, it’s about acknowledging these truths, saying them out loud, admitting them.

In 12-step programs, they say that admitting it is the first step, but in kink, at least my kink, admitting it is not about disowning it, but the very opposite: owning every ounce of what makes me so perverse as to want that tape on my most tender parts. It’s a good thing I’m so clear on my own perversions, because that’s the very next question Bennett asks me. “Where do you want the tape?” Oh, but is that ever a trick question. Do I want it on my nipples⎯and will I want it when it comes off my nipples? Do I want it binding my ankles together? Do I want it wrapping my wrists together so that I can see myself like a glinting Christmas present, all wrapped up and waiting for its proud owner to tear apart?

My review of The Feminist Porn Book

My review of The Feminist Porn Book, edited by Tristan Taormino, Celine Parreñas Shimizu, Constance Penley, and Mireille Miller-Young, is up at The Hairpin, and I will be covering next month's Feminist Porn Awards and Conference, so stay tuned!

Book review gratitude and inspiration: Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and Only You: Erotic Romance for Women

Sometimes I need a little good news to push me through the tough editorial times, though I'm thankful for a few days in snowy New York to get my bearings, clean/unearth/declutter, catch up on old stories and brainstorm new ones (and browse my favorite fashion sites with the excuse of incorporating them) and file the last two books I'm contracted to do (I hope there will be more at some point, but I'm trying this radical new thing of not to get too crazily ahead of myself, lest I trip and ruin myself for the now, as I've done, oh, several hundred times before), my true sex essay anthology and my book of erotic short stories, both for Cleis Press. Here are two reviews from places I hold in high esteem: Good Vibrations and Publishers Weekly (perhaps a first for me, or if not, a rarity, so I feel special and bigtime), respectively.


Best Bondage Erotica 2012

reviewed at Good Vibrations (click to read the whole review, with shoutouts to "A Night at the Opera" by Elizabeth Coldwell, "Knot Alone" by Kathleen Tudor and "Laced" by Elizabeth Silver):

The stories in this collection balance the swirling apprehension, arousal and curiosity about one’s own limits that makes BDSM so thrilling and sexy. ...For kinksters who are new to erotica, or simply just want a new collection to peruse for ideas and stimulation, Best Bondage Erotica 2012 is a handy way of exploring fantasy and sexuality through literature. Use it to brainstorm new ideas, provoke conversations with your partners, or simply read it as a bedtime story that will do anything but put you to sleep. Your mind can paint a picture of submission, one sketched by the writers in this collection and fleshed out fully by the reader – you.

Order Best Bondage Erotica 2012 from:

Amazon

Kindle ebook

Barnes & Noble

Nook ebook

Powell's

IndieBound (find your local independent bookstore)

Books-a-Million

Cleis Press


Only You: Erotic Romance for Women

reviewed by Publishers Weekly

Bussel (Anything for You: Erotica for Kinky Couples) has assembled a solid collection of 20 sexy, romantic tales featuring male/female couples at different stages of their relationships, all taking different, intriguing routes to their happy endings. Issue-driven stories are some of the hottest and most thought-provoking. A woman’s waning physical desire is renewed when her husband unexpectedly spanks her in Giselle Renarde’s “Forgotten Bodies.” A couple embrace the anger inextricable from their sex life in Kristina Wright’s “The Love We Make.” A woman who thinks her vulva is ugly meets a man who finds it incredibly sexy in K D Grace’s “Unfolding.” Thirtyish Ruthie falls for Sol, who’s 75, in Anna Watson’s “September Song.” Other standouts introduce sexy politicians (Kate Dominic’s “Republicans Don’t Like”), the parents of triplets (Lolita Lopez’s “Mom’s Night Out”), and a middle-aged woman who deflowers her younger lover (Bussel’s own “For the Very First Time”). The couples are not terribly diverse in race, class, or culture, but their stories are otherwise wide-ranging enough to have fairly broad appeal.