Rachel Kramer Bussel's Blog, page 106
January 10, 2013
My only reading of 2013 is March 16th
I think it's pretty safe to say the only reading I will be organizing this year is the one at CatalystCon on March 16th in Arlington, Virginia, so I hope you can make it! I'll be focusing my efforts on writing and editing instead of events, save for college speaking gigs (first one of 2013 is next month, I get to teach erotica and hopefully discover some new writers). Many plots and plans and dreams in the works, and I hope I will have some calls for submission and news to share soon. In the meantime, if you're coming to Catalyst, please join me and many other fabulous readers for erotica, spoken word, poetry and more.
7 course cozy murder mystery meal article at Bookish
I wrote my first piece for Bookish about cozy food mysteries (or should that be food cozy mysteries?) and walk you through a murder mystery dinner in seven courses, including wine, cheese, soup, steak, mashed potatoes, cupcakes and coffee! The piece didn't include the book covers so I'm including them below, with links to Amazon paperback and Kindle (yes, I do get a small cut if you buy books through my links, and greatly appreciate all of you who have, but I also recommend checking out cozies at your local library, as I often do). If you like the article, I'd love it if you'd click "like" at the bottom and/or pass it on. Thanks for reading! Some corrections are in the works and these are the book titles I was writing about, but I wanted to post now while I have a moment, lots of catching up to do this week.
How to Dine on Killer Wine (Kindle edition)
Clobbered by Camembert (Kindle edition)
A Spoonful of Murder (Kindle edition)
Affairs of Steak (Kindle edition)
If Mashed Potatoes Could Dance (Kindle edition)
Red Velvet Revenge (Kindle edition)
A Brew to a Kill (Kindle edition)
How to Dine on Killer Wine (Kindle edition)
Clobbered by Camembert (Kindle edition)
A Spoonful of Murder (Kindle edition)
Affairs of Steak (Kindle edition)
If Mashed Potatoes Could Dance (Kindle edition)
Red Velvet Revenge (Kindle edition)
A Brew to a Kill (Kindle edition)
January 9, 2013
My grandmother, the mall rat
I remembered I'd written this in 2009, and it never got published. I am still pretty sad but doing better, and very grateful to hear from so many people whose lives she touched. We actually would have gone to the mall and told the people she knew there but we don't know their names! If you want to know why I ate at Shake Shack in Dubai, here's a clue.
My Grandmother, The Mall Rat
by Rachel Kramer Bussel
Growing up in suburban New Jersey, the local malls were my refuge. Getting top billing was Garden State Plaza, which is now populated by the likes of Betsey Johnson and BCBG, but back then featured more garden-variety shops. Paramus Park and Riverside Square were second-tier, but still worthy of a visit if that was the only place we could get a ride to. The mall was an escape, a place to explore, whether that meant trying on clothes or surreptitiously ogling dirty books. An afternoon at the mall was the epitome of teenage freedom, and I must admit that when I moved to Berkeley, California for college, and after that, Manhattan for law school, I missed my malls (yes, Manhattan has a mall, but it’s just not the same).
These days, I don’t frequent malls too often, though when I do, such as a recent walk through LA’s The Beverly Center, I can feel the fond memories rushing back (though I don’t recall a Hunky Santa photo booth back home!). I always credited my love of malls to my fate growing up a suburban teen rather than the much cooler city kids, but I realized recently I may have developed my love of mall culture from my 86-year-old grandmother (it definitely skipped over my mom). She and her friends get the Danbury (Connecticut) Mall to open early at 7 a.m. so they can walk its three floors before the crowds rush in, my grandmother using her stylish red walker to stroll (and hand bags from). She knows every inch of it, tracking its changes with as much zeal as any marketer. It’s as familiar a setting as her neighbors’ houses, and she shows as much interest in what’s new at the mall as she does with what’s new at her temple. If I were describing a friend, I’d think that a sad commentary on their materialism, but for my grandmother, the mall is a social venue par excellence. I recently found myself in a McDonald’s, somewhere I rarely go, but not for the food. I was there to buy a gift card for my grandmother; she goes there almost every day, and swears by the yogurt parfait. In fact, it’s pretty tough to refuse one of the many leftover yogurt parfaits that fill her refrigerator. The last time I saw her, we, along with my mom and stepfather, went to McDonald’s for breakfast and my ordering a breakfast burrito made her so happy you’d have thought I was being bat mitzvahed all over again. A 79-year-old man even asked her to share his hash browns recently; who knew that fast food joints were elderly pickup spots? (For the record, she did not give him her number.) As I knew she would, she went to McDonald’s the next day and proudly used the card, as excited as if I’d given her something far more extravagant.
It’s not just McDonald’s my grandmother loves about her local; it’s everything. Unlike my teenage mall shopping, for my grandmother, the mall is less about spending money and more about being social. She greets the staff at the stalls, shops, McDonald’s, Häagen-Dazs and Sbarro as if they were old friends. They know her by name. Walking around with her there is like being with a celebrity. She comments on any new store openings as casually as she fills me in on the latest family news (if you want to know who’s in therapy, who’s pregnant, who just bought a house and what someone just ate for dinner, my grandmother’s the one to call). When I visited her one Black Friday, we strolled every inch of the mall, her with her stylish red walker. While I went to the Apple Store to check my email, she sat in her walker and waited patiently. She insisted I try the $1 vibrating chairs and she was right--they really do feel good! She goes to the same newsstand to get her daily newspapers (“I’d die without The New York Times to read”) and is up on all the latest sales. I recently got berated for not letting her know which style of underwear I wanted from Victoria’s Secret.
My grandmother’s always been cool. She once dyed my hair Manic Panic purple, has probably been to more of the latest movies than you have, and saw the Beatles in concert. She remembers my favorite bands and will cut out articles about them for me. I recently saw some old footage of us dancing around; I was around 8, she fifty years my senior. She looked so young and glam, but what’s remarkable about her is that she still exhibits those qualities. Yes, she’s older and can’t be as active as she’d like; the years are catching up to her, as are various health ailments, like asthma. That hasn’t stopped her from making the most of the mobility she does have; she’s hard to get a hold of, and I have to strategically plan my calls to her in the evenings because during the day she’s out and about.
I admit that I love to shop, though whether that comes from being a Jersey girl, my grandmother’s daughter, or simply my own inner materialism, I’m not sure. Yet my passion for malls has waned over the years; I’m much more likely to shop online or at a flea market. I like getting to know the people who make my favorite possessions, like Kirsten Goede, creator of jewelry business Objets d’Envy, where I’m a frequent customer. When I was in Chicago earlier this year, I got to chat with her in person about art and business, and that made me more inclined to purchase her crystal bracelets and necklaces.
For my grandmother, though, the mall is not a symbol of crass commercialism. It’s just as homegrown and friendly as my chat with Kirsten. Buying things isn’t incidental, but it’s about the transaction as much as the end result. She’ll get gifts for family members knowing she may have to return them, and not minding one bit; after all, she’ll be back at the mall anyway making her rounds soon enough. I don’t necessarily aspire to her level of mall-hopping, but I admire her joie de vivre. Too bad she’s going to miss the Hunky Santa at the Beverly Center. I bet she’d look smashing next to him.
My Grandmother, The Mall Rat
by Rachel Kramer Bussel
Growing up in suburban New Jersey, the local malls were my refuge. Getting top billing was Garden State Plaza, which is now populated by the likes of Betsey Johnson and BCBG, but back then featured more garden-variety shops. Paramus Park and Riverside Square were second-tier, but still worthy of a visit if that was the only place we could get a ride to. The mall was an escape, a place to explore, whether that meant trying on clothes or surreptitiously ogling dirty books. An afternoon at the mall was the epitome of teenage freedom, and I must admit that when I moved to Berkeley, California for college, and after that, Manhattan for law school, I missed my malls (yes, Manhattan has a mall, but it’s just not the same).
These days, I don’t frequent malls too often, though when I do, such as a recent walk through LA’s The Beverly Center, I can feel the fond memories rushing back (though I don’t recall a Hunky Santa photo booth back home!). I always credited my love of malls to my fate growing up a suburban teen rather than the much cooler city kids, but I realized recently I may have developed my love of mall culture from my 86-year-old grandmother (it definitely skipped over my mom). She and her friends get the Danbury (Connecticut) Mall to open early at 7 a.m. so they can walk its three floors before the crowds rush in, my grandmother using her stylish red walker to stroll (and hand bags from). She knows every inch of it, tracking its changes with as much zeal as any marketer. It’s as familiar a setting as her neighbors’ houses, and she shows as much interest in what’s new at the mall as she does with what’s new at her temple. If I were describing a friend, I’d think that a sad commentary on their materialism, but for my grandmother, the mall is a social venue par excellence. I recently found myself in a McDonald’s, somewhere I rarely go, but not for the food. I was there to buy a gift card for my grandmother; she goes there almost every day, and swears by the yogurt parfait. In fact, it’s pretty tough to refuse one of the many leftover yogurt parfaits that fill her refrigerator. The last time I saw her, we, along with my mom and stepfather, went to McDonald’s for breakfast and my ordering a breakfast burrito made her so happy you’d have thought I was being bat mitzvahed all over again. A 79-year-old man even asked her to share his hash browns recently; who knew that fast food joints were elderly pickup spots? (For the record, she did not give him her number.) As I knew she would, she went to McDonald’s the next day and proudly used the card, as excited as if I’d given her something far more extravagant.
It’s not just McDonald’s my grandmother loves about her local; it’s everything. Unlike my teenage mall shopping, for my grandmother, the mall is less about spending money and more about being social. She greets the staff at the stalls, shops, McDonald’s, Häagen-Dazs and Sbarro as if they were old friends. They know her by name. Walking around with her there is like being with a celebrity. She comments on any new store openings as casually as she fills me in on the latest family news (if you want to know who’s in therapy, who’s pregnant, who just bought a house and what someone just ate for dinner, my grandmother’s the one to call). When I visited her one Black Friday, we strolled every inch of the mall, her with her stylish red walker. While I went to the Apple Store to check my email, she sat in her walker and waited patiently. She insisted I try the $1 vibrating chairs and she was right--they really do feel good! She goes to the same newsstand to get her daily newspapers (“I’d die without The New York Times to read”) and is up on all the latest sales. I recently got berated for not letting her know which style of underwear I wanted from Victoria’s Secret.
My grandmother’s always been cool. She once dyed my hair Manic Panic purple, has probably been to more of the latest movies than you have, and saw the Beatles in concert. She remembers my favorite bands and will cut out articles about them for me. I recently saw some old footage of us dancing around; I was around 8, she fifty years my senior. She looked so young and glam, but what’s remarkable about her is that she still exhibits those qualities. Yes, she’s older and can’t be as active as she’d like; the years are catching up to her, as are various health ailments, like asthma. That hasn’t stopped her from making the most of the mobility she does have; she’s hard to get a hold of, and I have to strategically plan my calls to her in the evenings because during the day she’s out and about.
I admit that I love to shop, though whether that comes from being a Jersey girl, my grandmother’s daughter, or simply my own inner materialism, I’m not sure. Yet my passion for malls has waned over the years; I’m much more likely to shop online or at a flea market. I like getting to know the people who make my favorite possessions, like Kirsten Goede, creator of jewelry business Objets d’Envy, where I’m a frequent customer. When I was in Chicago earlier this year, I got to chat with her in person about art and business, and that made me more inclined to purchase her crystal bracelets and necklaces.
For my grandmother, though, the mall is not a symbol of crass commercialism. It’s just as homegrown and friendly as my chat with Kirsten. Buying things isn’t incidental, but it’s about the transaction as much as the end result. She’ll get gifts for family members knowing she may have to return them, and not minding one bit; after all, she’ll be back at the mall anyway making her rounds soon enough. I don’t necessarily aspire to her level of mall-hopping, but I admire her joie de vivre. Too bad she’s going to miss the Hunky Santa at the Beverly Center. I bet she’d look smashing next to him.
January 3, 2013
Wishing and hoping
I promised myself that in 2013, my social media usage would be, on the whole, more positive than it has been, probably ever. I want to use it to share news about books and plays and cities and people I love. But I've already come up against a wall, which is part of what I struggle with in this time of "figuring out what I want to do now that I'm grown up." Some days I so wish I had what felt more like a real, steady job, one that, yes, I would have to wake up early and commute to, but where I would have detailed assignments, a boss, a steady paycheck. Do I really want those things? If given a dream job, yes, but I love the freedom of freelancing, except when I hit that voice that tells me all those negative things I cannot fathom even writing another word.
I had my first big cry of 2013 last night, and it really wasn't that big, but the topic was: moving. Uprooting is not something I do easily. I'm a very status quo, change-hating person, on the whole. I love my routines, my safety, my stuff; they are all tied together. To talk about uprooting them for something utterly unknown is damn scary. To go somewhere where public transportation is probably minimal is not my ideal living environment, but I also know that I've been wanting a change for a while. So I have a lot of big decisions to make, and probably a lot of holing up and simply dealing to do, reckoning, facing the mess, head on, grappling with what's most important, all the while trying to hold on to this increasingly precarious business of making a living. I guess I always assumed that the farther along I got, the easier it would be, and I've found exactly the opposite. Some days I feel fired up to face those things, and some days I want to, and do, just give up. I feel ashamed that it's only January 3rd and already that's how I'm feeling, sure that anything I try will fail, but I also know that the perfect is the enemy of the good, and a book with The End is better than no book at all. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway, as I push through to turn in the last two books I'm contracted for, and hope there will be more, and hope that if the universe deems me so lucky, I'm up for the task.
I had my first big cry of 2013 last night, and it really wasn't that big, but the topic was: moving. Uprooting is not something I do easily. I'm a very status quo, change-hating person, on the whole. I love my routines, my safety, my stuff; they are all tied together. To talk about uprooting them for something utterly unknown is damn scary. To go somewhere where public transportation is probably minimal is not my ideal living environment, but I also know that I've been wanting a change for a while. So I have a lot of big decisions to make, and probably a lot of holing up and simply dealing to do, reckoning, facing the mess, head on, grappling with what's most important, all the while trying to hold on to this increasingly precarious business of making a living. I guess I always assumed that the farther along I got, the easier it would be, and I've found exactly the opposite. Some days I feel fired up to face those things, and some days I want to, and do, just give up. I feel ashamed that it's only January 3rd and already that's how I'm feeling, sure that anything I try will fail, but I also know that the perfect is the enemy of the good, and a book with The End is better than no book at all. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway, as I push through to turn in the last two books I'm contracted for, and hope there will be more, and hope that if the universe deems me so lucky, I'm up for the task.
January 1, 2013
My first byline of 2013: "Loving Your Body, Even When You Don't"
I wrote about attending a Loving The Body You're In workshop taught by burlesque performers World Famous *BOB* and Legs Malone. It was a challenging piece to write so I'm proud of myself for remembering something I forgot a lot in 2012, and pretty much my entire life: the perfect is the enemy of the good. That applies equally to body image as writing. Even as I strive to both make a living and be a smarter businesswoman (and not just as president of RKB Enterprises, Inc.), I know that my job is to continually push myself, each and every day, and accept my flaws and failings. It's a huge tension in every area of my life, but something I endeavor to work on to the best of my ability.
What I'm trying to say is this isn't my best piece of writing, though surely it's not my worst, but I'm proud of it anyway. Sometimes writing is the hardest thing in the world for me, and sometimes it's the only thing I know how to do; often, it's both at once, and I hope this is the year I can finally be at peace with that tension, to love and learn from the rejections, of which there are and will be many, as much as the pieces that find a home. They all have a home, on my laptop, and now that I am a businesswoman in the sense of living off my words, I have to prioritize the words that sell, but to be comfortable with myself, those can't be the only ones that matter. That's something I will probably wrestle with as much as I do all the ills I see when I look in the mirror, but I want to be a better student this year. Not a resolution, per se, just a way of appreciating every lesson that comes my way, and being open to new possibilities.
What I'm trying to say is this isn't my best piece of writing, though surely it's not my worst, but I'm proud of it anyway. Sometimes writing is the hardest thing in the world for me, and sometimes it's the only thing I know how to do; often, it's both at once, and I hope this is the year I can finally be at peace with that tension, to love and learn from the rejections, of which there are and will be many, as much as the pieces that find a home. They all have a home, on my laptop, and now that I am a businesswoman in the sense of living off my words, I have to prioritize the words that sell, but to be comfortable with myself, those can't be the only ones that matter. That's something I will probably wrestle with as much as I do all the ills I see when I look in the mirror, but I want to be a better student this year. Not a resolution, per se, just a way of appreciating every lesson that comes my way, and being open to new possibilities.
December 31, 2012
Yes, I want to edit your sex diaries
Lots of people tell me they've wanted to write a sex diary but...something stopped them. With a new year approaching, if you've wanted to write one, here's a nudge to consider writing an anonymous sex diary and letting out your inner literary exhibitionist. You can read the previous diaries here to get a sense of the style and content. There's no minimum (or maximum!) amount of sex required, or any other requirements, for that matter, in terms of sexual content, just a lively, interesting personality and way of looking at your own life (as far as I'm concerned). Email me at sexdiaries at nymag.com if you're interested (and/or plan to have a wild and sexy New Year's Eve). Thank you for reading and for referring people to the diaries. It's greatly appreciated! Happy, sexy New Year!
December 30, 2012
True sex essay anthology deadline extended to January 6th (earlier submissions get priority)
Desperate times call for desperate measures, so though I had so hoped to be done with this anthology by tomorrow, I'm still one third short on my word count. That means I'd love it if you'd spread the word (either en masse or to someone you know who has an amazing sex story they might want to share in writing). I do NOT need any stories about sex work, but I would love an essay by an asexual person and I'd also love an essay by a transgender person (essays don't have to necessarily be "about" those topics). Those are just two potential ideas on my editorial dream wishlist. The truth is, the essay I'm looking for is the one I don't yet know exists but that keeps me riveted, awed, amazed, and sure that my readers will be too. In other words, I'll know it when I see it.
Queries or questions? Email me at truesexantho at gmail.com - earlier submissions get priority and I'll be filling the anthology as I go. I will consider anything that comes in by December 6th, there will just be fewer spots available by then most likely. If you are waiting to hear back from me, I will get back to you as soon as I can, by the end of January at the latest. I have wanted to do this book since I first started hosted True Sex Confessions nights in 2006 at In The Flesh. If you want to know the type of essay I love, read "Silver Baling" by Stacey D'Erasmo in Best Sex Writing 2009 and "It's a Shame About Ray" by Kirk Read in Best Sex Writing 2010 (or any personal essay I've published in Best Sex Writing 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013. I hope it's not just a dream that never sees the light of day, and I have a feeling that this will be a wonderful book. Thanks!
Call for Submissions
True Sex essay anthology
Edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel
To be published by Cleis Press
Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for true (nonfiction) essays about your most powerful sexual experiences. The final book will feature a wide range of scenarios, settings, writing styles, ages, races, genders and sexual orientations. These should not be academic in tone or about theory, though there can be a political or serious element; I’m mainly looking for extremely personal, one of a kind essays focused around compelling sexual events in your life. I’m looking for your hottest sex, or the worst sex, or the kinkiest, or the funniest, or the meanest, or the most unexpected. Sex with a celebrity? Sex with someone forbidden? Sex you’ve never told anyone about? Sex on vacation you wouldn't have had at home? Sex on drugs? Group sex? Sex on camera? Sex you paid for or were paid for? Sex that surprised or confused you? Sex that changed your life? I want the story that most speaks to you about your sex life, either as a defining moment or simply one you’ve never been able to forget. No poetry. First or second person POV welcome. See the Best Sex Writing series and videos of true sex confessions from my former In The Flesh Reading Series for an idea of the types of essays I’m looking for. Please keep in mind that the more original and unique your essay, the better its chances. I want the story that only you can write told in a lively, compelling, can't-put-down way. Original essays will get priority, but I will consider reprints as long as you retain the rights; you MUST include the previous publication information with your submission.
Payment: Contributors will receive $100/essay and 2 copies of the anthology on publication. Contract is for one-time rights.
How to submit: Send only the final version of your proofread work along with your bio and mailing address. Include essay title and byline at top of first page. Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document OR RTF of 1,500-3,500 word essay. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to truesexantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. Cleis Press has final approval over the manuscript so you can expect a final answer by April 2013.
Deadline: January 6, 2012 (earlier submissions get priority)
Queries or questions? Email me at truesexantho at gmail.com - earlier submissions get priority and I'll be filling the anthology as I go. I will consider anything that comes in by December 6th, there will just be fewer spots available by then most likely. If you are waiting to hear back from me, I will get back to you as soon as I can, by the end of January at the latest. I have wanted to do this book since I first started hosted True Sex Confessions nights in 2006 at In The Flesh. If you want to know the type of essay I love, read "Silver Baling" by Stacey D'Erasmo in Best Sex Writing 2009 and "It's a Shame About Ray" by Kirk Read in Best Sex Writing 2010 (or any personal essay I've published in Best Sex Writing 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013. I hope it's not just a dream that never sees the light of day, and I have a feeling that this will be a wonderful book. Thanks!
Call for Submissions
True Sex essay anthology
Edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel
To be published by Cleis Press
Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for true (nonfiction) essays about your most powerful sexual experiences. The final book will feature a wide range of scenarios, settings, writing styles, ages, races, genders and sexual orientations. These should not be academic in tone or about theory, though there can be a political or serious element; I’m mainly looking for extremely personal, one of a kind essays focused around compelling sexual events in your life. I’m looking for your hottest sex, or the worst sex, or the kinkiest, or the funniest, or the meanest, or the most unexpected. Sex with a celebrity? Sex with someone forbidden? Sex you’ve never told anyone about? Sex on vacation you wouldn't have had at home? Sex on drugs? Group sex? Sex on camera? Sex you paid for or were paid for? Sex that surprised or confused you? Sex that changed your life? I want the story that most speaks to you about your sex life, either as a defining moment or simply one you’ve never been able to forget. No poetry. First or second person POV welcome. See the Best Sex Writing series and videos of true sex confessions from my former In The Flesh Reading Series for an idea of the types of essays I’m looking for. Please keep in mind that the more original and unique your essay, the better its chances. I want the story that only you can write told in a lively, compelling, can't-put-down way. Original essays will get priority, but I will consider reprints as long as you retain the rights; you MUST include the previous publication information with your submission.
Payment: Contributors will receive $100/essay and 2 copies of the anthology on publication. Contract is for one-time rights.
How to submit: Send only the final version of your proofread work along with your bio and mailing address. Include essay title and byline at top of first page. Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document OR RTF of 1,500-3,500 word essay. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing, do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). US grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) required. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to truesexantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. Cleis Press has final approval over the manuscript so you can expect a final answer by April 2013.
Deadline: January 6, 2012 (earlier submissions get priority)
My Hitachi Magic Wand essay at Salon and Hitachi Magic Wand erotica story in Instruments of Pleasure
I'm ending the year on a high note with an essay at Salon called "Is My Vibrator Ruining My Relationship?" about buying a second Hitachi Magic Wand. I know I look a bit weird in the photo below; I'm not that great at self-portraits, but it's the only photo of I have of me with a Hitachi.
Speaking of this beloved vibrator, my story "Like This," about a woman who shows off her use of a Hitachi Magic Wand, kicks off my 10-story ebook Instruments of Pleasure: Sex Toy Erotica, now available for Kindle ($4.99) and Nook ($5.39, I don't set the prices because if I did these would be equal!). More info about it below, and stay tuned for more erotica ebooks from me.
And the table of contents:
Like This Rachel Kramer Bussel
The London O Justine Elyot
Princess Elizabeth Coldwell
Strapped KD Grace
The Apiary Megan Butcher
Undercover Kink Louisa Harte
The Inner Vixen Saska Walker
A Girl, Two Guys, and a Sex Toy Kristina Wright
Getting It Right Teresa Noelle Roberts
The Spanking Machine by Rachel Kramer Bussel
Speaking of this beloved vibrator, my story "Like This," about a woman who shows off her use of a Hitachi Magic Wand, kicks off my 10-story ebook Instruments of Pleasure: Sex Toy Erotica, now available for Kindle ($4.99) and Nook ($5.39, I don't set the prices because if I did these would be equal!). More info about it below, and stay tuned for more erotica ebooks from me.
I can't think of a better way to add more fun to sex than sex toys—after all, the word "toy" is right there, and today's sex toys come in all sorts of playful designs, from Hello Kitty vibrators to sparkly harnesses, light smackers to heavy paddles. Whatever you can dream of, you can probably find—or make your own!
The very special stories in Instruments of Pleasure highlight the many ways we use sex toys to make our fantasies come true. Sometimes, there's a lesson involved, such as "Like This," where a woman uses what many consider the "Cadillac of vibrators," the ultra-powerful plug-in vibe Hitachi Magic Wand (or "electric miracle," in the story), to show her lover exactly what she does when she's alone. For others, toys are part of BDSM play, especially spanking, and you can read about the intense strokes of a cane in "Getting It Right" and the power of "The Spanking Machine." The dildo in "A Girl, Two Guys, and a Sex Toy" almost makes it a foursome, while in "The London O," using a pair of remote controlled panties with a built-in vibrator in public brings new heights to the thrill of sightseeing. In "Strapped" and "The Inner Vixen," women take charge, using a strap-on dildo and harness and a whip, respectively, exulting in the power they hold, and the delight their partner gets in being on the receiving end. Other times, rather than adding sensation, we take away a sense, such as the use of a blindfold in "Princess." Without being able to see, the heroine can simply feel. In "The Apiary," there are multiple toys, including a collar and chains, but the main "toy" is a chair, a piece of furniture that can be surprisingly erotic, if you use your imagination.
I hope these stories serve as their own kind of sex toy for you, and inspire you to break out your favorite toy, or perhaps discover a new one. You can never have too many sex toys, or have too much fun with them!
And the table of contents:
Like This Rachel Kramer Bussel
The London O Justine Elyot
Princess Elizabeth Coldwell
Strapped KD Grace
The Apiary Megan Butcher
Undercover Kink Louisa Harte
The Inner Vixen Saska Walker
A Girl, Two Guys, and a Sex Toy Kristina Wright
Getting It Right Teresa Noelle Roberts
The Spanking Machine by Rachel Kramer Bussel
December 29, 2012
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):
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
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.
December 28, 2012
Fifty Shades of Grey college class
I wrote about the Fifty Shades of Grey college class at American University for The Daily Beast. Working on this story made me (briefly) want to attend college again! And I actually have two other Fifty Shades-related stories I'm working on, among various short stories and pop culture tidbits. Another more personal story coming soon, related to a beloved sex toy.
In her blog post, Woods outlined several key areas the curriculum will cover, with students answering questions such as “Evaluate the relationship in the book in light of our readings on domestic violence. Are the leads in the trilogy in a healthy or abusive relationship? Why or why not?” and “What was the role of social media in perpetuating the trilogy's success? If you were in charge of marketing the upcoming movies, how would you utilize social media?” Students will be forced to read, write, and analyze critically.Read the whole thing
Contrary to a USA Today claim that they’ll be rewriting the first 150 pages, students will instead be asked to rewrite one of the introductory chapters, before Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey consummate their relationship, with an aim to improving it. "That's a useful skill in almost any job. Someone who has just graduated will be tasked with editing and proofreading and reviewing over and over again for their superiors in the office," claimed Woods, who said most of the class's students are enrolled in the school or communications or are studying sexuality.
