Rachel Kramer Bussel's Blog, page 22

Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2 is out in print, ebook and audio!

I'm late in letting you know that the book I worked hard on all year, Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2 is now officially released in print, ebook and audio, because I've been busy spreading the word on social media and posting interviews with the authors which you can read on the Best Women's Erotica of the Year Tumblr. Since I don't have time to post here too often, you can get the latest on the series by following us @bweoftheyear on Twitter and on Facebook.



If you are interested in the writing process, I highly suggest checking them out. Even I am learning a lot from them! The basic buying links are at bweoftheyear.com (and more will be added as I hear of more stores stocking it) and for more about my vision for the series and why I'm devoting pretty much everything I've got to it, read on.

About the book: Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2 gives us fierce female passion, timeless love, and lustful encounters that are guaranteed to fill you with utter delight. Edited by the award winning Rachel Kramer Bussel, these sexy stories about women on the prowl span the globe, traveling from Peru to the Bahamas and beyond in pursuit of pleasure. Learn why "Teacher Appreciation" is so special, what sex is like "At the End of the World," and explore some very explosive "Volcano Nights." These unforgettable erotic tales by the top authors in the genre as well as newcomers will arouse and thrill readers looking for a hot time between the pages.



To say that editing this series is a dream come true would be a massive understatement, so I'll just say that back when I was writing my first erotica story in 1999, I never dreamed of editing any anthologies, let alone a prestigious annual series. It's a privilege that I don't take lightly, and right now I'm getting ready for our book tour hitting Los Angeles, Baltimore, New York and Jersey City as well as selecting stories for Volume 3. I'm thrilled that this volume has so many authors being published either for the first time or on the early side of their publishing careers, because that's truly my vision for what this series can be: both a place to showcase very sexy stories that, hopefully, readers enjoy reading for years to come, and a launching pad for authors and way of joining forces and forming a community through both live events and social media and the online presence of the series. That's a post for another time, but it's what I'm working toward as I go all out with Volume 2 promo, select stories for Volume 3 and craft the call for Volume 4. See below for how you can help shape those next books!

I'm also doing my best to give back with this series, by increasing author pay, paying authors for out of state readings, offering a free copy to all 2,000+ subscribers to my newsletter (thank you to everyone who took me up on that!), sponsoring events like the Sex Down South conference and funding these readings and promotions so that these books have the longest life span they possibly can. I get sad when I see my books go out of print (though we'll always have ebooks, I hope), so I want these to stay on shelves far into the future. I don't know if I'm capable of making that happen, but I vow I'm trying my absolute hardest and brainstorming daily on how I can make this series better for authors and readers.



I'm thrilled that for the first time in my publishing career, one of my audiobooks was released i the same month as the print and ebook edition and that I got to work with my favorite narrator, Rose Caraway, who I think has the best voice for erotica out there. I never want to feel like I'm just doing the same thing over and over in the exact same way, so figuring out how I can improve is like a never-ending jigsaw puzzle that I keep striving to solve.



I also wanted to ask that if you've read Volume 2 (or Volume 1 for that matter) or are planning to, a hugely helpful thing for me and the series would be to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. It doesn't have to be long; even one sentence sharing something you liked (or didn't like), or a favorite story, not only helps the book gain visibility and therefore new readers (yes, the more reviews a book has on Amazon, the better it will sell generally), it also helps me in making my selections for future books. Right now I'm slated to edit Volumes 3 and 4 and I am hustling every day to help this series sell better than all my other books so that maybe I'll be asked to keep on editing it. I learn from and value reader input and want to include the kinds of stories that you want to read. So if there's something you've seen in the series that you liked or things you wish were in them, leave reviews on those sites and/or drop me a line at bweoftheyear at gmail.com. Ultimately, I answer to readers (and, of course, my publisher), so I want to do my best to give you the kinds of stories you most want to read. Thank you!

Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica is on sale for $1.99 via BookBub

I'm thrilled to share that right now, Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica is on sale for just $1.99! Buy it at this bargain price right now for Kindle, Nook, Google Play, iBooks and Kobo.



Officially, the sale ends today, Sunday, December 18th, but it will probably continue on for a few days, so check the price to make sure. It's got 24 tales all about vibrators, dildos, butt plugs, nipple clamps and so much more, including fully fictional erotic toys and household items like ice. I've had a busy December so didn't get to post this until now even though the sale started last week. My amazing publisher Cleis Press tends to put lots of my old titles on sale, which is wonderful because you can collect any you've missed or give them as gifts for about the price of a cup of coffee. Read on to find out how you can get notified so you never miss an ebook sale.



If you want to get an email every time one goes on sale, follow me on BookBub. It's a really incredible site because they list free books and bargain books every single day. You can follow your favorite authors who participate and favorite genres, like erotic romance, so you'll never be without something to read. I really can't say enough good things about them; I've discovered some incredible authors this way and, as an editor, am seeing my books reach vast new audiences who took a chance on a new set of authors in my erotica books. What more could you ask for? It's truly like a book lover's dream and I am so impressed with their setup. All you have to do is make an account, then follow by genre and/or author and a whole world of new titles awaits you. Fun, right?

As an editor, another reason I am excited about more people getting access to Come Again is that while my focus going forward is mainly on the Best Women's Erotica of the Year series, which is pretty much a year round endeavor, if I were going to take on editing more anthologies, a dream project would be to edit another book of sex toy erotica featuring new writers, new toys and new scenarios. But how publishing works is that a topic has to have a proven track record to get a sequel; hence, I'm editing another volume of The Big Book of Submission because it was popular with readers. If sales are low on a book like Come Again, in my opinion it would be foolish of me to put more such work out there. At the same time, I know some of my books tend to find their audiences a few years after they've been out, and that's what I hope for this one. I think it's a perfect companion read for partners and for anyone who's into or curious about sex toys. But if I've learned anything since starting to put out books in 2004, it's that what I like may not be what readers like, and I've made my peace with that. My point is that down the road, if the universe allows it, I would have a lot of fun getting to put together a book of stories just like this one because it has so much creativity and wild scenarios, like bringing a sex toy into a dressing room, having long distance sex with a toy, and dueling remote controls. I think the subject brought out a huge level of playfulness and creativity in the authors that made it a favorite of mine. You can even find out for yourself what the book is like at no cost...

Speaking of free, I am honored that Rose Caraway, my favorite audiobook narrator, recorded the Come Again audiobook.



Not only that, she's offering three free stories for your listening pleasure. So while I think you'll really enjoy the variety of this title (each story is about a different sex toy) and the humor, which I promise doesn't take away from the sexiness but perfectly intertwines with it, I love that because Rose is so awesome you can listen to these tales so you can decide whether this book is right for you. If you are looking for some hot couples erotica, I recommend listening with a partner. Just click the image or title and you'll be taken to The Kiss Me Quick's podcast where you can hear these tales, three of my favorites from the book.

If you like these free stories, I urge you to listen to all of them in audio form. Money saving tip for those who like to jump between the ebook and audiobook version: buy the Kindle edition for $1.99, and you can get the audiobook for just $3.99. Amazon and Audible are part of the same company which means they do cool things sale prices like that and Whispersync, which lets you easily jump from a spot in the ebook to the audiobook and vice versa.


Hear "Dare You To" by Jillian Boyd free


Hear "The Prototype" by Malin James free


Hear "Dalia's Toy" by Corrine A. Silver free

Free read: Excerpt from debut erotic novel The Assignment by Jade A. Waters

I'm thrilled to be part of the blog tour for the debut novel by Jade A. Waters, The Assignment , part of her Lessons in Control series, which is out today as an ebook from Carina Press. I've been following her erotica writing since I published her story "The Flogger" in my anthology The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories in 2013, and she's gone on to publish incredibly arousing and exciting pieces of short fiction, and today she makes her mark on the world as a novelist. Whether or not you've read Jade's writing before, if you like erotica, you'll want to check out her sexy new novel. And newbie and aspiring erotica writers, if you are looking for a career model to follow, you should definitely check out Jade's website and publishing credits to see how she's systematically built up her following step by step with a gorgeous website (I truly wish mine looked one tenth as fabulous).

Below you'll find a note from Jade and a very sexy excerpt from The Assignment. You can read the whole book in your preferred ebook format: Kindle US, Nook, Google Play, iBooks, Kobo and Kindle UK. I am a huge fan of Jade's writing and found her novel incredibly sexy and if you like erotic novels, you'll want to devour this one and then eagerly wait for the next installment, The Discipline, out in March 2017. Oh, and if you want to meet Jade in person and hear her read a sexy story (or know anyone who does), please join us in Los Angeles on January 31st at 7:30 p.m. at Skylight Books where she'll be part of our Best Women's Erotica of the Year reading. There will be a Q&A after so you can ask her all about her new book!





Tell Me…In Public
by Jade A. Waters

There’s something about sex in public…having it, fantasizing about it, viewing it. The kink has been a turn on for me most of my life, which is probably why I often love writing it into stories. It has multiple levels of appeal: the risk of getting caught, the thrill of being seen, and of being so turned on with your partner that you simply cannot wait for a more private, secluded place.

In The Assignment, Maya and Dean thrive on wild adventures and new experiences. Their entire dynamic is built not just on Dean issuing Maya assignments to carry out, but the two of them expressing their every desire and exploring their deepest, darkest fantasies. That’s why I’ve chosen the following excerpt in honor of release day today. This scene takes place after Maya and Dean have sought out a few thrills already, so they’re growing more comfortable in their exploration together—but this moment is significant because it’s the start of Maya revealing some of her unspoken fantasies. Turns out, her craving for the exchange of words is almost as enticing as sharing them in one tempting, public moment…

An Excerpt From The Assignment:

There were at least forty people in the bar, their voices filling my ears, an audience of potential voyeurs Dean led me through on the way out to the patio deck with tables and chairs scattered everywhere.

“This is crazy—”

“It isn’t.”

He walked me to the deck rail, the moonlight glowing over the water and the waves rolling sensually under its brightness. Dean surrounded me with his body, closing his forearms around mine as we inhaled the salty ocean air.

“Just watch the waves.”

My breathing quickened, and my neck grew hot. We’d positioned ourselves on the right side of the deck, and I glanced over to see who else stood outside. Three parties occupied the left end—one was a couple, their bodies close as they talked over wine and beer, the other a trio of friends, and the last a single man who’d exited the bar after us. He perched himself against the rail like we were, his drink in hand.

“Lovely, isn’t it?” Dean kissed my cheek, and goose bumps covered my skin. The view in front of me was astounding.

“Yes.”

He shoved me tighter against the railing with the pressure of his pelvis on my ass. “Can you feel me?” I nodded. He felt impossibly hard through the thin fabric of my skirt.

“Can I tell you what I’d like to do to you?”

I loved when he did this, verbalizing what he wished with me. I pinched my eyes shut and inhaled the salt of the water undulating beneath us in loud crashes and the cooler coastal air embracing us there on the deck. “Yes, please,” I said.

Dean hesitated, his mouth hot on my ear. But when he spoke, every cell in my body responded. “I’d start by lifting your skirt, exposing your ass to everyone here. I’d want to give them a view of the curves of your body, and have you bend forward so they can see how wet I bet you are.”

“Oh my God,” I muttered, flexing my ass. As if that motion could quell the excitement that shot through me.

Dean hooked his hands around mine and pinned my palms flat on the rail. “Because I saw how much you jumped the time I did it, I’d have to smack your ass for everyone to see.”

My breath heaved. He dipped down and arched his hips, his cock probing and thick. The movement trapped the fabric of my skirt in the crease of my ass.

“Touch me,” I said. A small part of me didn’t want to be caught, but already, he was driving me wild, making me crave whatever came next no matter who could see.

“Not yet.” Dean swayed and nibbled on my earlobe. “I have to finish telling you what I’d want with you. What I’ll demand of you one day.”

I curled my fingertips around the rail. He had me spinning. Would he make me come with his words alone? “How do you feel?”

I exhaled. “Crazed.”

Dean snickered. “Desperate?”

“Yes.”

“That’s how I want you.”

He released one of my hands and trailed his fingers down my side to grasp my hip before starting to pull the fabric up tantalizingly, painfully slow. I panted, wondering if behind him anyone could tell he’d lifted half my skirt up over my ass, but my groin contracted hard enough that I didn’t care.

“So you’d be wet and exposed,” Dean said. He snuck a finger over my ass, then back over my hip and between my thighs. “You’d be panting, like you are now. Waiting to be filled.”

I closed my eyes. The waves rolled in front of us, the ocean mist lapping at my skin like Dean’s words licked at my desire.

“And I would fuck you like that. Shove myself so deep you’d scream.” Dean plunged a finger all the way in, fanning the rest of his hand over my sex. He nibbled the side of my neck.

“Dean, please,” I breathed.

“Do you want another finger?”

I bobbed my head.

“No, naughty. I want you aching.” He fingered the sensitive spot on the front of my passage, and I ground down on him, craving more pressure, more fingers he wouldn’t give.

I whimpered. “You’re a tease.”

Dean continued thrusting inside me, his other fingers latching onto my pelvis. “I bet you’d come even harder in front of other people. You’ve already shown me you like the embarrassment. The slight hint of shame.”

His words rattled my senses.

“Would you want others to touch you, too?”

I pictured Dean fucking me, his grunts loud while other hands touched my arms, breasts and thighs. A ripple of curiosity tripped through me, the vision enticing and bold. So wild. My face grew hot.

“I don’t know—”

“Tell me. It’s okay.” Dean pushed harder, the railing compressing my stomach and trapping me in his hold.

“Maybe,” I said.

“I love it when you’re open with me.” He slid another finger in, working both of them until I weakened in his arms. I could hear the slick of his fingers between the periodic sweep of the waves, and it made my cheeks burn hotter. “I want to please you in so many ways.”

My knees threatened to give under me, but I wouldn’t fall—not pressed along the rail like I was.

“I’m going to tell you something that might surprise you.”

I dug my nails into the railing.

“We’re being watched.”

Read all of The Assignment by downloading it today and check out the rest of the book tour via Jade's blog.

Act fast: Best Bondage Erotica 2014 is only $1.99! Or, I love BookBub

Short version: for the next three days, get Best Bondage Erotica 2014 for $1.99 for Kindle, Nook, Google Play, iBooks and Kobo. Sale ends Sunday, December 4, 2016.



Long version: Sadly, sometimes books I love just as much as my other ones don't quite reach their intended audience. But the cool thing is that other times, they get put on sale and through the magic that is BookBub, a site that shares books sale news with its followers, which I truly consider magical, they get catapulted back into the world at a huge discount, $1.99, and instantly, tons of new people discover them. I don't know how the behind the scenes works over at BookBub, but I am beyond grateful when my books go on sale there, because it means that new readers get to discover them, and I never have to feel like my Cleis Press books are dead. I've worked with numerous publishers in my career, some before the ubiquity of ebooks, and those are truly pretty much dead, out of print and probably never to return, so when books get a second chance, I am truly glad.

I've been thinking a lot lately about my labor and worth and value about where I want to go next with my life and career, and knowing that my books will continue on in five, ten, fifteen, etc., years, gives me more reason to keep on brainstorming new anthologies. If you want to now the minute my books go on sale, follow me on BookBub. The other great thing about them is that you can subscribe to your other favorite authors if they participate and also by category so if you're into erotic romance, you can get new ones for free and cheap every single day.

I don't know about you, but I often have a short attention span, which is probably why I love editing anthologies so much. So sometimes I get a book and realize a few pages in it's not my cup of tea. BookBub sales let you sample new authors cheaply and sometimes for no cost, which I think is pretty awesome. And as someone who still makes a large portion of my living from book sales, I am thrilled to have these older books, which bookstores probably won't stock because they want the hottest, newest, shiniest titles on their shelves, get to have a second life and help me pay my rent. One reason why I enjoy and am honored to be working with Cleis Press is that with the exception of one book, Crossdressing and the two that were e-book only, all the rest are still in print. That matters to me, even if the wave of the future is not with print erotica. The reality is, about 80-90% of readers read my books in ebook or listen in audiobook. I personally tend to buy print because it's easier on my eyes but I want my books to be accessible whatever form people want to read them in. I also want them to be available to people who may not have $15.95 to spend on a book, but might have the equivalent of a cup of coffee. As a consumer, I try to balance what I can afford with my print preference, but seeing ebooks I want to read for such bargain prices often sways me. So long story short, if you missed this book when it first came out or want to give it to someone as a gift, get it on sale now. The next one up for sale will be Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica on December 13th, which I'm also thrilled about because that's one of my favorite books I've edited with, I believe, the most variety (I made sure each sex toy was different).

My next and final LitReactor online erotica writing class is 10% off today only

I am excited to be teaching Between the Sheets, my four week online erotic writing class, at LitReactor again from February 7-March 7, though it's a little bittersweet that it will be my last class. I decided to do that because now that I've reentered the workforce, I won't have the time I need to devote to my students after this class, and I only want to offer classes where I can devote myself to them 100%, as I ask my students to do. Good news, though: if you register for the class today, you get 10% off the price using the code CYBER16 (and same goes for all LitReactor classes this Cyber Monday).



They only offer sales like this rarely, so if you've been considering taking this class, now's a great time to do so. I love the camaraderie that forms and hearing about all my students' success stories, and getting to keep up with them in my private online group for alumni. I'm so proud of having created this course when LitReactor asked me to several years ago, and of all the wonderful writers who've flourished from taking it. I recommend making sure you have at least five hours a week to devote to the class to get the most out of it, although you retain access to all the classroom materials forever by logging in. In addition to the weekly assignments and critiques highlighted on the site, I also offer exclusive to the class Q&As with publishers, editors, literary agents and successful authors, self-published and traditionally published, to offer personal insights from those who know the erotic publishing business best. I know the class is not cheap, so I've made sure that you get your money's worth and am available through those four weeks to answer your every question. So if this sounds like something you'd like to devote yourself to, I'll see you on February 7th!

Here's what a few students have said about the class:

"I will apply what I learned in 'Between the Sheets' to create stories that arouse and connect. With Rachel’s detailed ‘how to’ writing instructions, I completed six stories. My final product is tailored to a specific call for submission and ready to go. Rachel eased this newbie erotic writer into her world providing a comfortable environment to explore sexual ideas creatively. She gave me what I wanted even when I did not know what that was. I’m headed down a new path. Take her, it’s worth it." Donna Jennings

"Rachel's critiques provided me a better understanding of how to write erotica and where my own work was falling short. Her critiques on my first several stories enabled me to move within a matter of just weeks from a complete novice to a writer whose stories were accepted by two publishers. Her suggestions were just what I needed to make the transition. I found her extremely easy to work with and her observations to be right on target. If you are looking to move from unpublished to published, you can't do yourself a better favor than submitting your work to Rachel before approaching a publisher. Her skills as an editor are the best--I couldn't have made a better investment in myself and my writing than to hire her as my personal editor." CeCe Marsh

More by me about the class:

"Why I Encourage My Erotica Writing Students to Submit Their Work"

"How journalism helps me teach my erotica writing classes"

"I love the first day of (erotica writing) school"

Remember that sexy kissing in the street, naked in the shower book trailer I made? Plus last days of Peep Show $1.99 sale

I know I've been lax in my blogging but as I gear up for what I hope is my biggest book release yet, I am getting back in gear. I wanted to let you know that my anthology Peep Show: Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exhibitionists is only $1.99 this weekend. Buy it for Kindle, Nook, Google Play, iBooks and Kobo. I believe the sale ends tomorrow, Sunday, November 20th, so act fast (it may last an extra day or two so check prices after Sunday).



There are more sales coming up soon too: Best Bondage Erotica 2014 on Cyber Monday, November 28, and Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica on December 13th if you want to bookmark those for easy buying when they're a bargain. Want to makes sure you can snap up all my sale books? Follow me on BookBub. Then every time my awesome publisher lowers prices to $1.99, you'll get a handy email, and you can follow all your favorite authors there, or follow by genre to know when other similar titles are on sale so you can save money. There are usually several sales a year!

Peep Show is one of the books I got to have a lot of fun with by shooting a book trailer! I'm not usually a visual person, I'm a word person, so making book trailers was a kind of wild adventure, shot by an amazing friend with a little help from other awesome people who made out in public and hit the streets of New York and Central Park to make a really fun video. Also shoutout to one of my favorite bands, Ida, for letting me use their song. I'd almost forgotten all the work that went into this, by so many people, and watching it again helped remind me why I love this work I do, plus I got to flaunt my own exhibitionist side by letting the director film me in the shower (in a sexy but YouTube friendly way, of course). Yes, I want to make a living from it, but I also want to have fun with it, want it to reach people in different ways, and this video was one means of doing that. You can check it out below.



If you like sexy stories about watching and being watched, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy Peep Show!

Orgasmic, one of my favorite erotica anthologies, is on sale for $1.99 this week

My birthday month started by finding out that my anthology Orgasmic is on sale for just $1.99 for e-readers! Get it ASAP before the sale ends (which I think will be on Sunday but I'm not totally sure) for Kindle, Nook, Google Play, iBooks and Kobo.



As you can see from the cover, the subtitle is "Erotica for Women" but I 100% believe this anthology, featuring 25 women and 25 different types of and motivations for orgasm, can be enjoyed by anyone. It's one of my favorite books I've ever edited because it has such variety and amazing authors. You can also get it as an audiobook narrated by the wonderful Lucy Malone, which isn't officially on sale but if you have the Kindle edition the audiobook is only $3.99. You can read my BDSM story from the book, "Belted," for free. Here's a tiny snippet; I wanted the belt itself to be a main character and focused the kink around that.

The belt is able to speak in ways that even the both of you, wordsmiths by trade, cannot always do. The belt is not a “toy” for “foreplay” but a separate part of your sex life, one that may appear at any moment. Its presence lurks while you casually sip your drinks at the bar, hidden but powerful;, your fingers are itching to stroke it, if only so they can be slapped away. You never know if he will bring it out, how he will use it, how much of the belt, and himself, he will give you.

If you like Orgasmic, please consider passing on the news of the sale and/or adding a review, which can be as short as a sentence ("I liked the story ____ because ____" or whatever you want to write), to Amazon or Goodreads. It might seem like it doesn't matter, but the truth is, those reviews are one of the top ways people learn about my books due to Amazon's algorithm, so they truly do help, the positive, the negative, the neutral. It shows that people are reading them. And stay tuned: another book of mine goes on sale next week!

Here's the full table of contents:

Introduction: Let Me Count the Ways...
The Waiting Game Elizabeth Coldwell
What's in a Name? Jacqueline Applebee
Chemistry Velvet Moore
The Chair Lolita Lopez
Fixing the Pipes Susie Hara
Share Dusty Horn
Hurdles Rowan Elizabeth
Seeing Stars Louisa Harte
Old Faithful Sylvia Lowry
Paying It Forward Kendra Wayne
The Big O Donna George Storey
Moon Tantra Teresa Noelle Roberts
Feet on the Dashboard Rachel Green
Frosting First Lana Fox
All She Wanted Andrea Dale
Making Shapes Lily Harlem
Rapture Angela Caperton
Belted Rachel Kramer Bussel
Rise and Shine Heidi Champa
Taking the Reins Vanessa Vaughn
First Date with the Dom Noelle Keely
Animal Inside Neve Black
The London O Justine Elyot
Fight Charlotte Stein
Switch Jade Melisande

You can keep up with all the sales by following me on BookBub and do the same for other authors so you can always save money on our titles. Want to enter to win free books? Subscribe to my monthly newsletter - in October I offered every single one of my 2,000+ subscribers a free copy of my next anthology, Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2 and many of them took advantage of it (I'll be going to the post office next weekend with some very heavy bags of mail!). I plan to do the same with Volume 3 next year, and do other special subscriber giveaways each time. Next up are audiobook giveaways in November and December.

Lastly, if you want to know why I'm such a big fan of my publisher, Cleis Press, it's because a book like this, which came out in August 2010, sees new life every day because it's available in so many formats, has a brilliant narrator for the audio version (sadly, some of my books don't and I actually discourage people from buying them because I know if that's the only taste of my work they'll get, they'll never return), and is about a topic that apparently people continue to love. I of course want my books to do well when they launch because that's what helps determine whether I get to edit more (speaking of which I just signed the contract for Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 4, which you can read in December 2018!), but when books continue to find new readers long after their release dates, it not only helps support me and my business, it means that the books truly matter. That they aren't just here in a flash and gone tomorrow. It makes me extra proud when that happens and I'm so grateful for these sales because I want all of my authors to be avidly read. I think these stories totally stand the test of time and are as hot today as they were when they were first published and will still be hot in 2026. I've had plenty of books I edited go out of print, never to be seen again, not available in any other format. That's happened less as publishers have realized that ebooks are forever, but it's happened and it's made me incredibly grateful for the books that do stick around, that readers have patience with, that maybe they discover for the first time or rediscover, the ones that remind me to take my copy off the shelves and marvel again at the beauty of the wordplay or wildness. That's useful when I sit down surrounded by huge stacks of submissions and have to whittle them down into a new book. It helps remind me that I can do it, that I've done it before and will keep doing it as long as I'm given that opportunity. Okay, sappy almost-middle-aged rant over. Thank you for your support of Orgasmic and if you haven't read it, now's a great time to try it!

I wrote about my partner not telling me who they're voting for

I'm a little late getting this posted (I do post all relevant links on Twitter and Facebook), but I wrote a piece for the wonderful DAME (I highly recommend bookmarking the site) about how it feels to be supporting Hillary Clinton but my partner not wanting to tell me who he's voting for for president, which could be Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, a third party candidate, a write in candidate, or nobody. I miss writing essays and have been trying to carve out time to write more of them, but this is a start.



On the career front, I'm mostly a copywriter these days, and I'm proud of learning a new skill/career path at 40, but I don't want to give up "me" writing entirely, though the steady paycheck thing more than makes up for any downsides. It's a daily challenge to figure out what's feasible in terms of managing my time, what's worthwhile financially, what matters to me. I'm catching up on pieces that have fallen by the wayside so I can make room for new ones. I'm also getting ready for what I hope is my biggest, best and most successful book launch ever (December 13th is the big day!). Though my books, thankfully, have long legs and tend to sell even years after their release, that first release month is so vital and I dread messing it up. So that's what I'm up to, and trying to make writing from the heart something I practice more often. I'll be at writing conference BinderCon in New York this weekend, so if you're there, say hello, and if you're interested in this fabulous event for women and gender nonconforming writers, check it out. They also hold an L.A. version in March. I'll be doing something I've never done before, a theme for me of this year: pitching editors in person.

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.

Supporting my community by backing Sexy Little Pages and Sex Down South

My two biggest goals this year were to get my financial life in order (I have a list of specific goals around that, but they basically amount to increasing my income, raising my credit score, upping my savings and amping up my retirement account) and to get pregnant. So far I've had zero luck on the latter, though I haven't given up, and am working diligently on the former. Five years ago, in October 2011, I was laid off from my full time magazine editing job and I really had no idea what I was going to do. My forays into the job market yielded nothing and that was depressing and demoralizing and I quickly realized I needed to simply adapt and rather than look for another full time job, I had to hustle as hard as I could.

That worked for a while, and last year was a good year financially, but it also came at a cost; I researched an article for a print magazine I'd dreamt of breaking into while on vacation in Thailand. I worked many odd hours and always felt like I was scrambling to read every last news item to see if I could pitch a story on it. So this year, when things got rocky in my little freelance world, I reached out to people I love and trust and told them I was looking for work, and lo and behold, I got part-time jobs writing for OMJ (Oh. My. Jersey.) and doing copywriting. Both have amounted to pretty much a full time job, and I still pour my heart and soul into editing and promoting my anthologies, teach my online erotica writing class at LitReactor, do occasional freelance writing and consult with writers about erotica. At the end of this year I will be formally assessing what's working and what's not so I can figure out my next steps.

But since this year has mostly gone well and seems to be on the upswing, I wanted to take a small amount of the money I've earned and find ways to both give back and spread the word about my books. I pour most of any extra income that doesn't go to bills or debt or savings back into promoting the Best Women's Erotica of the Year series, and that's paid off in the sense that I'm about to sign a contract to edit a fourth volume. That means I can plan and grow the series and really think strategically about what my goals are for it.

Additionally, I also plan to make an end of year donation to one of my favorite nonprofits, the New Jersey based Bridge of Books Foundation, which provides books to children in need. I used to volunteer helping sort books for them when I lived in Red Bank, and miss that experience but am so glad they are out there helping kids get their hands on books.

So while I'm still in the midst of really getting a handle on my money, when I have had a surplus due to especially good months, I've been looking for ways to give back, and two of those have been by supporting the sex positive community. I just backed my first Patreon, for the UK based publisher Sexy Little Pages. I've really enjoyed the books of theirs I've read, especially their tattoo erotica anthology Inked, and think it's wonderful for the genre to have new publishers, new voices, new ways of drawing in readers and new outlets for authors. I encourage my students to check out their calls for submissions and am always thrilled when one of them gets an acceptance.

The bottom line is, publishing is a business, and I believe we all have to support each other. This may be with money, by buying books or backing a Patreon like this, or by reviewing books on Goodreads, Amazon, your blogs, etc., by asking your library to buy an author or publisher's books, etc. There are really an infinite number of ways you can support the publishers and authors you love and want to see stay in business. I find that when a publisher closes, there's a lot of disappointment, but I think we then all need to ask ourselves, what were we doing to support them? So I wanted to use the blessing and gratefulness for what's been a good year so far to support a publisher I think is doing great things, and I encourage you to as well. If you back them for $3 a month, you even get a link on their site, so there's something in it for you too.

I have heard wonderful things from participants in the Sex Down South conference in Atlanta. I wasn't able to attend this year but I wanted to both support them and reach out to a community I think would enjoy my books, so the Best Women's Erotica of the Year series is now a sponsor of the conference. It's really an honor for me to be able to do this, and while large sums would have been out of my reach, theirs were very reasonable. So if you're in or near Atlanta, I encourage you to attend the conference this weekend and think about submitting to speak next year! Their lineup covers a wide range of topics, they bring in fascinating speakers and it looks like a wonderful event that I do hope I can experience for myself at some point.