5 things I'll be doing at CatalystCon

I'm gearing up for next month, which culminates for me at CatalystCon, the sexuality conference that I have had such an amazing time attending and being part of the last few years. It happens twice a year, in March on the East Coast in Arlington, Virginia and in September in the Los Angeles area. This year, I'm wearing many hats, so I wanted to recap what I'll be up to. Use code RACHEL for $10 off registration.



At CatalystCon East, which runs from March 27-29, here's what I'll be up to:

Teaching Erotica and Sex Writing 101 writing workshops

This is my second year teaching these longer (three hours each) writing workshops, and both times I've done it, I've been so incredibly impressed with the attendees. There is a huge level of knowledge, passion, ambition and trust that Catalyst attendees bring and the things they have to say definitely deserve a place in the mainstream world. Why should you attend my workshop? Because I've been writing erotica and about sex for over a decade, with 50+ anthologies edited and over 100 anthologies I've contributed to, including the major annual series such as Best American Erotica, Best Women's Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica and Mammoth Best New Erotica. Additionally, I've interviewed top editors and publishers about what they are looking for. On the nonfiction front, I've been a sex columnist for Philadelphia City Paper and DAME (my current gigs) as well as The Village Voice, Penthouse and The Frisky, plus written about sex for such diverse publications as Cosmopolitan, Elle.com, Glamour, Harper's Bazaar, Inked, Medium, Salon, Slate, Time.com, Time Out New York and others. No experience is necessary, just an open mind and pen and paper or laptop. You can register here.

Speaking on the opening keynote panel

I've never done an opening keynote before, and I'm both excited and nervous, though mainly honored to be joining this panel with Francisco Ramirez, Kristin Beck, Melanie Davis, moderated by Lynn Comella.

Moderating "Sharing Your Sex Life on the Page and the Stage" (March 28, 9:30-10:40 a.m.)

Joining me for this panel will be Cooper Beckett, blogger and founder of podcast Life on the Swingset, Twanna A. Hines, blogger, Metro sex columnist and creator/performer of one-woman Capital Fringe show I Füçkèd Your Country, and Jillian Keenan, who’s written about BDSM and sexuality for The New York Times, Slate and elsewhere, and is at work on a book on Shakespeare and sexuality. Full description at link above.

Making cards with ArtPulp


My amazing boyfriend runs the website ArtPulp, which you should check out if you like art, and will be at Catalyst making one of my favorite things: cards! Here's the official info and click here to learn more:

For a $5 donation to the Center for Sex and Culture attendees will have access to all the supplies they need to create handmade individual 4 x 6 postcards! Everyone will have access to markers, pencils, pastels, photographs, media, and more to help you create a card that showcases why CatalystCon is so important to you. Your CatalystCon Cards will become part of a special online gallery on the all new ArtPulp.net and available to view during the entire weekend. Plus Artpulp.net will mail your postcards to any destination in the US for you if you don’t plan on taking it home to hang on your wall!

Interviewing people for my sex columns

I'm writing a lot about sex lately, for my two sex columns in Philadelphia City Paper and DAME. As a journalist, CatalystCon always leads me to new subjects and sources, and was in fact the Catalyst for my very first City Paper Let's Get It On column, "Are you a slut?". So I'll be scouring the panel listings and looking to connect with as many people as possible who might have something interesting to share with the world. If you'll be there and have an interesting panel, story, product, event, etc., please get in touch at rachelkb at gmail.com with "Catalyst" in the subject line.