Bid on the Romance for Chencia auction for hotel stays, signed books and more

Romance author Chencia C. Higgins is facing homelessness and the romance community is stepping in with the Romance for Chencia auction. I'm part of that because I donated a bundle of signed copies of 3 books, Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 5, 6 and 7. Volume 7 doesn't hit stores until December 14 so you'll be getting your copy a little bit early and supporting a wonderful cause! The auction has 144 items and runs from today through November 26. Check out all the items, including a stay at a Disney Hilton Head hotel, manuscript critiques, bookstore gift certificates and so many signed romance novels.



You can also donate to Chencia directly if you want to help. Via her Twitter feed, here are links to donate directly:

Cashapp

Venmo

PayPal

If you can't donate, please spread the word using the hashtag #romanceforchencia on social media.

20 Sexy Book Recommendations at BuzzFeed Books

Over at BuzzFeed Books, I recommended 20 sexy books to heat up your winter. If you're looking for hot reads, I suggest checking out any that pique your interest. Photos of 16 of them below, but read the article for all 20 covers and to see what I had to say about them. I hope to write more listicls like this again, provided I carve out more reading time!

Bisexual BDSM romance Booked interview and what else I've been up to

Lately, I've been trying to get more into routines. Just as I make coffee for myself each morning, set out my vitamins, get lunch ready, etc., I want to treat my prime writing time that way as well. Yet that's easy in theory, harder in practice when I often get distracted, or wake up to a to do list from the night before. I actually get more done on the mornings of the three days I work in an office, because I know at a certain point I'll have to stop and get dressed and head off, than I do the days I work for myself on my own projects at home. It's a conundrum I'm trying to change. Today at noon EST (9 a.m. PST) I'll be doing my best to register for the Palm Springs 2018 conference Altitude Summit (generally called "Alt Summit") because I want to start learning from successful creative business entrepreneurs about how they manage their time and their best practices.

One thing I've been doing is getting more involved with Lady Smut, the group romance blog where I post monthly. I'm still posting once a month, but also working on our Lady Smut Romance Blog Facebook page.



My latest for Lady Smut was, for Pride month, an interview with Leandra Vane, author of the new BDSM romance Booked, whose action largely takes place in and around a small-town library. It has a kinky, bisexual male protagonist (who also deals with nerve damage), who has a male love interest and a female domme (Mistress). There's a lot more going on, but that should give you a good taste! Leandra took the time to answer my many questions about kink, disability, ownvoices, her characters' relationship with books, self-publishing and more.

Here's a snippet of what she had to say:

I used to think I shouldn’t write about disability in my fiction because people would call me a self-absorbed “Mary Sue.” But I learned that most of us carry around shame and never grow because we guard our secrets and experiences from each other. I believe by sharing our stories we can all learn and grow together. So I started mining the experiences living with a disability has given me and putting them into some of my stories. All my life I’ve turned to books to have the conversations with me that people in the real world were unwilling or unable to have.

Leonard also have a story in my anthology Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 3, which pubs in exactly five months, on November 21, in ebook form (the print version will be out December 12). Hint: Right now the print price on Amazon is only $10.47 (subject to change at any moment), lower than the $11.49 Kindle price (neither of which I have any control over, by the way). I'm in the midst of planning what I hope will be a BWE of the Year 3 book tour, though perhaps one spread out over a few months depending on my schedule and availability, so stay tuned.



I enjoy working for Lady Smut because I miss having a group blog; Cupcakes Take the Cake was my life for so long. I lived and breathed cupcakes, always on the hunt for the latest news, planning any trip, work or pleasure, around where to get cupcakes. Eventually, I had to step down because we weren't generating enough income for that project to be worthwhile. It's always hard to step away from a project you love, especially one you've built from scratch. I felt the same way shutting down my In The Flesh Reading Series, and this year, putting an end to my Between the Sheets LitReactor class. I miss the creative aspects of those projects, but they simply weren't feasible for my life or career by the time they ended.

Of course it's also hard when projects I've been hired to do end, like my Village Voice column or other ongoing columns I've written, but what I've learned over my career is that when one door closes, another may not automatically or instantly open, but those new doors are there, waiting for me to unlock them. For the record, I don't get paid to write for Lady Smut, so that and this blog are the only writing I do for free, but both are valuable to me in their own ways. I used to write for free (if anyone remembers all those Gothamist interviews), and while I don't regret it exactly because I got to do some amazing pieces, I think it set me back in terms of how I approach writing and money. These days I'm still doing as much freelancing as I can, but the majority of my income comes from my copywriting job and book sales. That may change, since last year I made most of my income from book sales, entertainment blogging and writing for sites like Salon. The one constant is that things will change, and I'm doing my best to pay attention and plot my own course. Speaking of which, this summer I hope to launch some new online classes related to writing erotica and having an erotica career. I don't have an exact date because there's a lot I have to learn on the technical side, but that too is something I'm working on, if not every day, most days, as I plot and plan and get ready for a new adventure that I hope will reach people who need some encouragement and guidance. When I've taught erotica writing classes in the past, I've been so thrilled with how many students have gone on to publish short stories and novels and truly make a name for themselves.

For now, I'm offering one-on-one consultations via my site Erotica Writing 101; you can learn more about working with me here. I've also written a blog post there on why erotica anthologies take so long to help writers understand that process, because I know it's frustrating to have to wait over a year to hear back from an editor such as myself. I'm working on more posts relevant to erotic writers and will be sharing them as they go up.

Body positivity in romance novels: my ode to Cream of the Crop by Alice Clayton

Over at Lady Smut, I sang the praises of romance novel Cream of the Crop by Alice Clayton, part of her delicious ode to the food and men of the Hudson Valley.



I wrote about her size 18 and ultra confident heroine Natalie, who knows what she wants in the bedroom and on the job and goes after it with this attitude I wish I could possess even a small fraction of. Here's a small sampling of her attitude, from the book:

Size-eighteen women were supposed to be timid. Size-eighteen women were supposed to be shy. Size-eighteen women were supposed to be grateful for any male attention, and to feel especially honored if a good-looking man paid attention to them.

Fuck all that noise. I took the best-looking guy home with me whenever and however I pleased.

I got very personal, more so than I intended when I started, sharing my weight and my body image issues and hopefully by doing so, helping break down that social custom that says either we shouldn't talk about our "numbers" and/or that we must all always be perfect feminists who love our bodies every second of the day.

I got to meet Alice Clayton this weekend at romance novel convention Shameless Book Con in Orlando and when she saw my name tag, she leapt up and hugged me for writing the post. Plus she was wearing an I'm With Her Hillary Clinton t-shirt. Both those things made my day, as did people telling me they were going to check out the book based on what I wrote. If you like humorous romances, food and amazing characters, definitely check out Cream of the Crop. I recommend her other wonderful books too; I started Roman Crazy (set in Rome) over the weekend and am loving it.

The crowdfunded romance only bookstore that won't stock Fifty Shades of Grey

I interviewed Bea and Leah Koch, book-loving sisters who are crowdfunding via Kickstarter to open The Ripped Bodice, a romance only bookstore, in Los Angeles. Check it out to read about why they want to overcome stereotypes about romance readers, how the bookstore will function as a community space, and why they won't be carrying Fifty Shades of Grey.

Talking sex, feminism, romance and The Fault in Our Stars with romance novelist Eloisa James

For Vulture's No Respect Week, I interviewed romance novelist Eloisa James, who's also a tenured Fordham professor of English literature, about feminism, sexuality, why romance is so hated, The Fault in Our Stars and more.

Link love: author couple stave off losing home with bestselling romances

On the flight to Kansas City for RT Convention, I met librarian Fred LeBaron. We were seated next to each other and he guessed correctly where I was headed. He recommended several books, including those of author Jasinda Wilder, the pen name of a couple who've sold close to a million ebooks. There are several available for free download. I'm way behind in my reading so haven't read them yet, but plan to, along with the latest, Falling Into You. No, not every self-publisher will be a giant success story, but these are heartwarming and, to me, are what the ebook revolution is all about. I can't find it right now but New Adult author Colleen Hoover had a similar post last year; I recommend her blog for that shot of writing inspiration (and, of course, books) too. And with that, back to work for me! Tomorrow is the deadline for my 1,200-word-or-less BDSM erotica anthology, which I'm excited to wrap up.

Scorpio sex in hot historical romance Star Crossed Seduction by Jenny Brown

I'm debating whether to buy this just-published romance novel, Star Crossed Seduction, in paperback or on my Nook (and also a bit confused as to Barnes & Noble's loyalty program - I believe it doesn't cover Nook purchases, but if it does, then I haven't used it on the 10 or so purchases I've made and cannot for the life of me figure out how to). Anyway, ever since I read Jenny Brown's debut novel Lord Lightning I've been eager to read this. Go Scorpios! I've started a lot of historicals that I wound up putting down but hers made me race through it and almost not want it to end cause I was enjoying it so much, so I hope this one is just as good.



Read an excerpt free at Scribd

Jenny Brown has a great post (originally intended for the Borders Trueromance blog, alas) on her blog about the book, including:

One sentence summary: In this Scorpio-themed book, a war-weary Cavalry officer, who is looking for a night of dalliance, rescues a beautiful pickpocket from arrest, but their casual encounter leads to a no holds barred battle of the sexes that threatens their very lives--unless they can heal their wounded hearts.

Tell us one quirky thing about your hero? Trev is fluent in several of the languages of India and has earned a reputation as being an expert in the interpretation of Sanskrit manuscripts--including the Kama Sutra.



What is your heroine’s occupation: After the death of her lover, the revolutionary, Temperance and two young girls have supported themselves by picking pockets. Their only alternative was to work for the local bawd, Mother Bristwick.

What is your hero’s occupation: Trev, who grew up in a military family, is a cavalry officer recently returned from fighting in India's Third Maratha War. But his real love is the "little jobs" he undertakes from time to time for the scheming head of India's Political and Secret Department.

The Lost is out today, our party is August 25th!

I just ordered big posters from PosterBrain for our big Obsessed and The Lost book party on August 25th! I hope to see you there, where you can eat lots of free cupcakes, hear steamy readings and win prizes, like a signed poster, plus goodies from The Pleasure Chest will be given away.

But what I wanted to tell you is that you can now purchase, in paperback or ebook (out August 1), new paranormal romance The Lost by Caridad Piñeiro! I'll be reviewing it here soon, but definitely check it out and join us to get your book signed!

My interview with historical romance author Sarah MacLean

I interviewed historical romance author Sarah MacLean, whose new book, Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart, comes out in April, for SheWrites. Visit Sarah's blog for all the historical romances you should be reading (by which I mean, where I have discovered a ton of amazing authors) and giveaways and news about her books.



Below are the questions I asked her - read the interview to get the answers!

Why did you decide to focus on historical romance? Do you find the conventions of that subgenre conducive to your writing process or are they limiting?

You have 2 books out in your linked trilogy: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake and Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord, with the third, Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart, due out in April 2011. How did you get the inspiration for them, and did you have all three mapped out when you started writing the first?

What kinds of research have you done to accurately write about the time period your books cover?

When you were 17, you stated that your dream occupation was romance novelist. What were the biggest hurdles to achieving that dream, and do you have any advice for budding romance writers?

"Can it be true that Uranus causes explosive, unpredictable behavior?"

That is a question, in slightly truncated form, that author Jenny Brown asks about her debut historical romance novel, Lord Lightning on her blog:

Eliza Farrell, the heroine of my debut romance, Lord Lightning, which will be on the stands September 28, is a gently raised lady who is a direct descendant of William Lilly, England’s most famous astrologer.

Though you might be surprised to learn this, the use of astrology was very popular much during the Regency period, and among its greatest challenges was to figure out what the astrological meaning was of the new planet, Uranus, which had only just been discovered in 1789.

Not so coincidentally, this turns out to be Eliza’s biggest challenge, too. For Eliza reads the chart of an anonymous stranger and interprets it as being that of a man who was born to love, only to be told that the chart is that of a well known libertine, nicknamed Lord Lightning, who is famed for his cold heart and shocking behavior.


Sure enough, the outrageous Lord’s chart is dominated by the new planet Uranus, which stands at the very point that shows the role the person takes on the world’s stage. Can it be true Eliza wonders, that, as some speculate, Uranus causes explosive, unpredictable behavior?



I first heard about Lord Lightning on Sarah MacLean's blog, where Jenny Brown serves up "Twelve Ways to Win His Heart (Astrological Version)" as part of Sarah's blog promotion around Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord, which you can hear her read from for free along with me at the Passion: Erotic Romance for Women reading, plus free cupcakes on Thursday, November 11th at 7 pm at Word (or, properly, WORD) in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Full details on Facebook.

Anyway, that guest post sold me on the book - I'll let you know what I think when I'm done with it!

Click here to read an excerpt from Lord Lightning

Click here for Jenny Brown's website

Click here for Jenny Brown's blog

Historical romance author Sarah MacLean joins Passion reading November 11th with free cupcakes!

I'm thrilled to share the news that romance author Sarah MacLean will be joining us on November 11th at 7 pm at Greenpoint, Brooklyn bookstore Word for my 35th birthday Passion reading, with free cupcakes from mini cupcake company Kumquat Cupcakery. I'm working out the flavors now but they will be red and white to match the cover of Passion.

official Facebook invite if you want to pass the word along.

November 11, 7 pm
Passion: Erotic Romance for Women and Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord reading
Word, 126 Franklin Avenue, Greenpoint, Brooklyn (G to Greenpoint Avenue)

Join Passion: Erotic Romance for Women editor Rachel Kramer Bussel and contributors Emerald and Donna George Storey, plus historical romance author Sarah MacLean (Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord) at Greenpoint, Brooklyn indie bookstore Word for readings, discussion, signing and free Kumquat Cupcakery cupcakes to celebrate Rachel turning 35. Free Passion buttons will be given out to all attendees.



By the way, Passion just came out this week! Click on the cover above to read the introduction. I have room left on the November virtual book tour if any bloggers want to join - just email passionateantho at gmail.com with "Book Tour" in subject line and your URL and name and mailing address in the body.

I actually met Sarah for the first time at Word and her first novel Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake was my first foray into historical romance in a long time and I loved it. I'll write more about it later, and why I think it's a feminist romance novel. I'll add my review of it to the end of this post, but first I want to share her bio and the cover of her new book, which you can hear her read from at Word and get a signed copy, Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord. Do visit her blog daily as she's doing some fun guest posts around the theme of Ten Ways plus book giveaways - I'm cribbing from those posts on which historical romance authors I should be reading!





New York Times and USA Today bestselling author SARAH MacLEAN grew up in Rhode Island, obsessed with historical romance. Her love of all things historical helped to earn her degrees from Smith College and Harvard University before she finally set pen to paper and wrote her first book. Sarah now lives in Brooklyn with her husband, their dog, and a ridiculously large collection of romance novels. She is the author of Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake and her latest, Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord. Please visit her at www.macleanspace.com.

Official book blurb from Sarah's site:

Ten Ways... is the follow-up to the New York Times & USA Today bestselling Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, and the second in a trio of Regency-set historicals about the Marquess of Ralston, his twin brother, and their half-sister:

"Lord Nicholas is a paragon of manhood. And his eyes, Dear Reader! So blue!”
Pearls & Pelisses, June 1823

Since being named on of London’s "Lords to Land" by a popular ladies’ magazine, Nicholas St. John has been relentlessly pursued by every matrimony-minded female in the ton. So when an opportunity to escape fashionable society presents itself, he eagerly jumps—only to land in the path of the most determined, damnably delicious woman he’s ever met! The daughter of a titled wastrel,

Lady Isabel Townsend has too many secrets and too little money. Though used to taking care of herself quite handily, her father’s recent passing has left Isabel at sea and in need of outside help to protect her young brother’s birthright. The sinfully handsome, eminently eligible Lord Nicholas could be the very salvation she seeks.

But the lady must be wary and not do anything reckless…like falling madly, passionately in love.

My review of Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, available in bookstores now. Ten Ways will be released October 26th from Avon. Read lots more reviews on Amazon



I do not read much historical romance but saw Sarah MacLean speak on a panel about romance writing and liked the premise of this book so I tried it and...I loved it! Callie's list of 9 rules she wants to break speak to the restrictions on women in society of her time, and how the single woman was basically left to simply husband hunt. That is not what Callie (Calpurnia) wants, and while she is not sitting around pining for Ralston, she knows in her heart that she loves him and won't settle for anything less. In the meantime, she is willing to go out of her way and risk her reputation to check off the items on her list, perhaps not quite realizing the risks involved and what she's setting in motion. MacLean adds enough twists, and paints Callie as both the perfect foil for rake Ralston as well as someone generally pitied by many in her social circle, as evidenced by the wager placed on who will marry her first. Throughout, Callie is feisty, headstrong and, most of all, holding out for true love, even when it means rejecting the only man she has ever loved. This is a clever romance that captures how each of its protagonists are changed by the experience of falling in love, even when they don't realize it. I'd recommend it to others who are newcomers, or even skeptics, when it comes to historicals, as well as anyone looking for a sensual, steamy romance.

September 16th Virgin Night lineup: African-American erotica, Bad Marie, romance, mystery and 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 September 16th In The Flesh event listing. See also the In The Flesh Reading Series fan page on Facebook. Note early start time. I'm calling this Virgin Night since everyone but Marcy is a first-time reader, and many are first-time authors.

IN THE FLESH EROTIC READING SERIES
VIRGIN NIGHT
September 16, 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

Featuring African-American erotica, a mystery writer, a burlesque romance writer, a novelist and more! Featuring Logan Belle, author of a forthcoming burlesque romance series, erotica writer Megan Butcher (contributor, Best Bondage Erotica 2011), novelist Marcy Dermansky (Bad Marie), novelist Lee Houck (Yield), Greg Olear (Totally Killer), and Can't Help the Way That I Feel: Sultry Stories of African American Love, Lust and Fantasy editor Lori Bryant-Woolridge and contributors Sasha James and Erika J. Kendrick (Appetites, Confessions of a Rookie Cheerleader). Hosted by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Fast Girls, Please, Sir, Please, Ma’am). 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!

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.

Logan Belle is the pen name of a publishing insider who went to her first burlesque show on her birthday two years ago and has been following and writing about the scene ever since. Her debut erotic novel, The Blue Angel, will be published by Kensington in May 2011. Logan Belle lives in New York City.
www.loganbelle.com

Lori Bryant-Woolridge, editor of Can't Help the Way That I Feel, is an Emmy award-winning writer and the author of three Essence best-selling novels, including Weapons of Mass Seduction, Hitts & Mrs., and Read Between the Lies. She has contributed to several award-winning anthologies including, A Celebration of African-American Fiction, Brown Sugar #3: Opposites Attract, and Best Black Women’s Erotica. Lori is also a sensuality coach and founder of Stiletto U, a virtual university that advocates healthy, sensuous lifestyles.
http://www.canthelpthewaythatifeel.blogspot.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

Megan Butcher is a librarian, sex educator and writer who lives in Ottawa, Ontario with her slightly demented tabby. Co-author of the zine A Guide to the Mannerly Wooing and Winning of the Object of Your Affection, her work has also appeared in several Canadian publications. Look for her forthcoming story in Best Bondage Erotica 2011 due out later this year or check out her smut blog at meganbutcher.com/weeklydose.



Marcy Dermansky is the author of the novels Bad Marie and Twins. Hailed by The Nervous Breakdown’s Gina Frangello as “genuinely sexy, dark and subversive but also freaking weirdly hilarious,” Bad Marie has been selected as a Barnes and Noble Fall 2010 Discover Great New Writers pick. Time magazine pronounced Bad Marie “irresistible.” She serves as a board member of the online literary community Fictionaut and is a film critic for About.com.
www.marcydermansky.com



Lee Houck was born in Chattanooga, TN and now lives in Brooklyn, NY. His first novel, Yield, was the winner of Project Queerlit 2008 and is forthcoming from Kensington Books in September 2010. His other writing appears in numerous anthologies including two volumes of Best Gay Erotica, two volumes of the literary journal Ganymede, the Australian art book Hair, and two limited-edition chapbooks. He has also worked with Jennifer Miller's Circus Amok for many, many seasons.
www.leehouck.com



Sasha James is a prolific writer, who paints pictures with her words. She’s the author of One+One=Two and Two+One=Ecstasy. Previously, she has penned four steamy novels, and is hard at work on the fifth. Sasha divides her time between New York and Chicago.

Erika J. Kendrick, a Chicago native who holds a Stanford degree and an MBA in marketing and international business, is an acclaimed author/writer/producer...on love! Previously an NBA cheerleader for the Chicago Bulls, her first novel, Confessions of a Rookie Cheerleader (Random House) was released in 2007 and the second title in the series, Appetite (Random House) in 2009. Her erotica short story, "The Accidental Escort, is part of the anthology Can’t Help The Way That I Feel (Cleis Press, 2010)." A quintessential mover and maker, Erika has been a guest of The Wendy Williams Experience, BETJ's My Two Cents, V-103, AOL BV and a host of other media outlets. She’s been featured in several publications, including Page Six of The New York Post, The Chicago Tribune, SET (Sports and Entertainment Today), Ebony, Upscale, Black Beat, Uptown, NV, Honey Magazine and several others.
www.erikakendrick.com



Greg Olear is the senior editor of the online literary magazine The Nervous
Breakdown and the author of the novels Totally Killer (Harper, 2009) and
the forthcoming Fathermucker (Harper, 2012). A longtime resident of New
York, he now lives with his wife and two children in his hometown in the
Jersey suburbs.
www.totallykiller.com



You will hear from the following books:


Can't Help The Way That I Feel edited by Lori Bryant-Woolridge


Please, Ma'am: Erotic Stories of Male Submission edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel


Bad Marie by Marcy Dermansky


Yield by Lee Houck


Totally Killer by Greg Olear

Summer sex spectacular August 19th at In The Flesh Reading Series

In The Flesh logo by Molly Crabapple

If you can't make it, please let someone know who might enjoy In The Flesh as we get ready to go out with a BANG!

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

IN THE FLESH EROTIC READING SERIES
SUMMER SEX/SEX ON THE BEACH NIGHT
August 19, 2010, 8:00 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

Get ready to get overheated at Summer Sex/Sex on the Beach night at In The Flesh! The summer's hottest fiction, a romance novelist, a documentarian, erotica and more. Featuring Abigail Ekue (The Darker Side of Lust), Eric, Hilary Thayer Hamann (Anthropology of an American Girl), Yona Zeldis McDonough (Breaking the Bank), Tony O’Neill (Sick City), Michelle Janine Robinson (Color Me Grey), filmmaker Therese Shechter (How To Lose Your Virginity) and Hope Tarr (The Tutor). Hosted by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Orgasmic, Fast Girls, Please, Sir). Mobile Libris will sell readers' books. DVD of documentary How I Learned to Speak Turkish by Therese Shechter and 4 waterproof vibrators will be given away by EdenFantasys and 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!

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, 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.

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

Abigail Ekue is a writer who encompasses the inner workings of the human body and psyche in her fiction and non-fiction. Her erotic short story collection The Darker Side of Lust was published in December 2009. She has also worked with a number of photographers as an art and erotic nude model to promote positive body image, sensuality a sex-positive attitude. September 2009 marked the debut of her dildo photo exhibit, Man. Toy. Abigail has shared her work at the erotic showcase, UrbanErotika as performer, producer and curator, at ArtErotica, Freak Nasty and Abiola's Kiss and Tell Reading Series.
www.abigailekue.com



Eric is a playwright and actor, living and working in the greater Los Angeles area. His work has most recently been seen at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. He is currently serving the resident playwright of the Coeurage Theatre Company. He will be teaching English in Eastern Europe for the American Peace Corps starting in September. He is honored to be reading as a part of In The Flesh.



Hilary Thayer Hamann was born and raised in Manhattan until the age of seven. For the remainder of her childhood, she spent weekends and summers in the Bronx and weekdays in Long Island, attending school in Sag Harbor and East Hampton. She currently lives in Sag Harbor, New York. Anthropology of an American Girl is her first novel.
anthropologyofanamericangirl.com/


photo by Doug Young

Yona Zeldis McDonough received degrees from Vassar College and Columbia University. She is the author of three novels; the most recent, Breaking the Bank, was published by Pocket in September 2009. Additionally, she edited the anthologies The Barbie Chronicles: A Living Doll Turns Forty and All The Available Light: A Marilyn Monroe Reader, and and has been widely published in many literary and national magazines including Bookforum, Bride's, Cosmopolitan, Family Circle, Harper's Bazaar, Lilith, Metropolitan Home, Modern Bride, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, O, the Oprah Magazine, Redbook, Salon, and The Village Voice. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.
www.yonazeldismcdonough.com



Tony O'Neill is the author of the novels Digging the Vein and Down and Out on Murder Mile. He also coauthored the LA Times bestseller Neon Angel: Memoir of a Runaway (with Cherie Currie), and the New York Times bestseller Hero of the Underground (with Jason Peter), His new novel, Sick City (Harper Perennial) concerns the efforts of two heroin-addled schemers to sell a legendary sex tape starring Sharon Tate. Needless to say, things do not go according to plan...
www.tonyoneill.net



Michelle Janine Robinson's first novel, Color Me Grey, debuted two months ago and has enjoyed great success. Her next novel, More Than Meets They Eye, is a return to her erotic roots – with a paranormal twist – and will be available, January 4, 2011. Michelle has contributed several short stories to editor Zane’s erotic anthologies, including Purple Panties, Honey Flava and Caramel Flava, and her short story contribution “The Quiet Room” was the first featured story in the New York Times bestseller Succulent: Chocolate Flava II. Michelle is also a contributor to the oral sex-themed anthology, Tasting Him, with her story “A Tongue Is Just A Tongue,” edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel. Michelle recently put the finishing touches on her third novel, Serial Typical (Simon & Schuster, July 2011). Michelle is a native New Yorker and the mother of identical twin boys. You can learn all about Michelle and what she is working on next on her website at www.michellejaninerobinson.com. You can also find Michelle at www.facebook.com/michelle.j.robinson, www.myspace.com/justef or follow Michelle at www.twitter.com/MJanineRobinson.



Therese Shechter uses humor-spiked personal narrative to create such documentaries as the award-winning I Was A Teenage Feminist. She's currently in the works on How to Lose Your Virginity, about America's virginity culture and those of us who live in it. Her other films include How I Learned to Speak Turkish, about sex, power and one woman's obsession with Turkish men. She writes about virginity, sex and feminism at her blog The American Virgin.
www.trixiefilms.com



Hope Tarr is the award-winning author of thirteen historical and contemporary romance novels for multiple publishers, including The Tutor (Harlequin Blaze Historical, July 1st). Hope is also a co-founder of Lady Jane's Salon, New York City's first (and so far only) monthly reading series for romance fiction. Visit Hope online at www.HopeTarr.com where you can enter her monthly and special contests and keep up with her Single Girl in the Big City adventures on her blog.


photo by BizUrban.com

You will hear from the following books:


The Darker Side of Lust by Abigail Ekue


Anthropology of an American Girl by Hilary Thayer Hamann


Sick City by Tony O'Neill


Color Me Grey by Michelle Janine Robinson


The Tutor by Hope Tarr

Giveaway of:


documentary How I Learned to Speak Turkish on DVD, directed by Therese Shechter