I love a sexy spine and a hot bondage photo

On a person or a book! Many thanks to my publisher Cleis Press for putting this hot bondage cover photo by Roman Kasperski on the spine as well. I was just reading a whole comment thread at xoJane about how Jane Pratt revolutionized the reading of magazine spines for people.

I'm sending out copies of Best Bondage Erotica 2013 today, hot off the press, to my Amazon.com reviewers (you ROCK!!) and it always makes me so happy. I'm sending books to California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas! I love getting to send out books before they're even in stores, getting to know where my readers are, and helping ensure the longevity of my books. There's something about investing in my business (and now the paperwork is in place for me to officially be a business) that makes me feel good about the work that I do. I hate having to be all "buy buy buy." It feels slimy and gross, even if I do believe in the projects I work on, even if it is part of the life of something creating things that are for sale. I know I need to get over my Fear of Money and Fear of Business if I can ever hope to make a go at this freelance life for real, not just for a year, but I also know I need balance, so sending out 20+ books this makes my soul feel good and gets to feed my love of the post office and snail mail! More info on this book is below, and I'm hoping to have new calls up very soon! And as always, stay tuned to @raquelita on Twitter for my random musings and book giveaways.





Order Best Bondage Erotica 2013 from:

Amazon

Kindle edition (ebook)

Barnes & Noble

Nook (ebook)

Powells

Books-a-Million

IndieBound (search for your local indie bookstore)

iBooks

Google Play

Audible audiobook

Cleis Press

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