Rachel Kramer Bussel's Blog, page 70
August 1, 2014
Getting off on mental kink and the joy of service in The Big Book of Submission
I'm someone who enjoys erotica about all kinds of kinks and fetishes, but I admit I have a soft spot for mental kinks, for filthy minds, for the way words and actions can combine in ways that set someone on fire (not literally). Some of my stories are more action-oriented, but usually I'd say there's at least some mental component too. I haven't been writing as much erotica lately as I I'd like to; it doesn't always come as easily as it once did, and I struggle more for it. I only occasionally go back and reread a story and think, Wow. I pulled it off the way I wanted to.
Lotus Blooms reading, front: Me, Tess Danesi, Michelle Augello page; back: Emerald, Kristina Wright
Last week at sex toy store Lotus Blooms (where you can get a copy!) in Alexandria, Virginia, I read the entirety of my story "Reverse Psychology" from The Big Book of Submission: 69 Kinky Tales , and I did think that. I liked that I had what I hope is a believable male narrator, one who isn't a sadist, but performs sadistic actions in the name of service. For me, a dirty mind is probably the number one thing that will make me attracted to someone, because then they can wield it in all sorts of ways, expected and unexpected. They can get me to do things I would never have thought I'd want to do, which is similar to my male protagonist. Perhaps someday I'll write his domme's side, about a woman who loves pain within the context of BDSM but doesn't have a submissive bone in her body.
This is the first post in the month-plus-long virtual book tour for The Big Book of Submission, so readers and authors will be sharing their takes on the book. You can read almost half of "Reverse Psychology" over at Unbound Box, who will also be posting 2 more excerpts from the book, so keep an eye on them. And I'll post as soon as the audiobook narrated by Rose Caraway is for sale! Again, when you don't 100% love your work, it can be awkward to hear it read aloud by someone else. When you know you've given it your all and are happy with the final outcome, rather than wondering, What if I'd added a line here, or rearranged this paragraph..., it's a far more exciting experience to have it read back to you.
Lotus Blooms reading, front: Me, Tess Danesi, Michelle Augello page; back: Emerald, Kristina Wright
Last week at sex toy store Lotus Blooms (where you can get a copy!) in Alexandria, Virginia, I read the entirety of my story "Reverse Psychology" from The Big Book of Submission: 69 Kinky Tales , and I did think that. I liked that I had what I hope is a believable male narrator, one who isn't a sadist, but performs sadistic actions in the name of service. For me, a dirty mind is probably the number one thing that will make me attracted to someone, because then they can wield it in all sorts of ways, expected and unexpected. They can get me to do things I would never have thought I'd want to do, which is similar to my male protagonist. Perhaps someday I'll write his domme's side, about a woman who loves pain within the context of BDSM but doesn't have a submissive bone in her body.
This is the first post in the month-plus-long virtual book tour for The Big Book of Submission, so readers and authors will be sharing their takes on the book. You can read almost half of "Reverse Psychology" over at Unbound Box, who will also be posting 2 more excerpts from the book, so keep an eye on them. And I'll post as soon as the audiobook narrated by Rose Caraway is for sale! Again, when you don't 100% love your work, it can be awkward to hear it read aloud by someone else. When you know you've given it your all and are happy with the final outcome, rather than wondering, What if I'd added a line here, or rearranged this paragraph..., it's a far more exciting experience to have it read back to you.
Purchase from:
IndieBound (find it at your local independent bookstore)
July 31, 2014
Free orgasm erotica for National Orgasm Day!
Happy National Orgasm Day! It's one of my favorite topics and the subject of my favorite of all my anthologies,
The Big Book of Orgasms: 69 Sexy Stories
, so I wanted to share a few places where you can read excerpts from the book and listen to free recordings of stories read by Rose Caraway. There's more links and fun stuff about the book on Tumblr too and I Tweet news about it from @BigBookofOrgasm and will be reading from it free live September 6th from 3-4:30 p.m. in Seattle and September 10th at 7:30 p.m. at She Bop in Portland, Oregon!
Excerpts from Unbound Box, a fabulous sex toy mail order subscription company I'll have more news about soon:
"The Jeffrey Factor" by Stella Harris
"Hard Knocks" by Malin James
"The Flogger" by Jade A. Waters
The Big Book of Orgasms audiobook is narrated by my favorite podcaster, Rose Caraway, so it's fitting that she narrated my favorite of my erotica anthologies!
"All Talk" by Jenna Bright
"The Massage" by Lady Cheeky
"Book Lovers" by Donna George Storey (listen below)
"Pushing Boundaries on Public Transport" by Victoria Blisse
Last but not least, my favorite promo image of me with my favorite sex toy, the Hitachi Magic Wand, for the story "Forced Orgasms" by Shoshanna Evers:
Bonus listening: "Come On" by Raziel Moore - click below to listen at Audible and purchase:
Excerpts from Unbound Box, a fabulous sex toy mail order subscription company I'll have more news about soon:
"The Jeffrey Factor" by Stella Harris
"Hard Knocks" by Malin James
"The Flogger" by Jade A. Waters
The Big Book of Orgasms audiobook is narrated by my favorite podcaster, Rose Caraway, so it's fitting that she narrated my favorite of my erotica anthologies!
"All Talk" by Jenna Bright
"The Massage" by Lady Cheeky
"Book Lovers" by Donna George Storey (listen below)
"Pushing Boundaries on Public Transport" by Victoria Blisse
Last but not least, my favorite promo image of me with my favorite sex toy, the Hitachi Magic Wand, for the story "Forced Orgasms" by Shoshanna Evers:
Bonus listening: "Come On" by Raziel Moore - click below to listen at Audible and purchase:
July 29, 2014
12 independent bookstores where you can buy The Big Book of Submission
I'll be stopping in at as many of these stores as I can to show them just how excited I am about
The Big Book of Submission: 69 Kinky Tales
, and adding to this list as well as promoting the sex toy stores selling the book @submissionbook on Twitter and on Facebook and Tumblr. I'm thrilled that BDSM erotica is so popular that even Harvard Book Store (!!) is carrying it. Who knew?
If your favorite store doesn't have it, ask for it and they'll order it for you - then let me know you did at shortsubmissionantho at gmail.com and which store it was and I just may send you a special present.
Long story short - this is a make or break year for my little books, and I'm hoping they make it in a big way! I'm doing everything I can to help them along, though most of it involves luck and magic and who knows what else. But one thing that definitely helps is bookstores seeing that readers want a certain topic. I've learned about the importance of hand selling on my little tour this past week and am hoping this little kinky book connects with readers and booksellers, because I'm very proud of it.
Posman Books (New York)
Bluestockings (New York)
Book Loft (Columbus, Ohio)
Books Inc. (San Francisco Bay Area)
City Lights Bookstore (San Francisco) - I didn't see it on their website but I'm told they ordered it so please ask if you want to buy it from them!
Wicked Grounds Cafe (San Francisco)
Elliot Bay Book Company (Seattle)
Harvard Book Store (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
Powell's Books Inc. (Portland, Oregon)
Boulder Bookstore (Boulder, Colorado)
Tattered Cover Bookstore (Denver, Colorado)
Unabridged Book Inc. (Chicago)
If your favorite store doesn't have it, ask for it and they'll order it for you - then let me know you did at shortsubmissionantho at gmail.com and which store it was and I just may send you a special present.
Long story short - this is a make or break year for my little books, and I'm hoping they make it in a big way! I'm doing everything I can to help them along, though most of it involves luck and magic and who knows what else. But one thing that definitely helps is bookstores seeing that readers want a certain topic. I've learned about the importance of hand selling on my little tour this past week and am hoping this little kinky book connects with readers and booksellers, because I'm very proud of it.
Posman Books (New York)
Bluestockings (New York)
Book Loft (Columbus, Ohio)
Books Inc. (San Francisco Bay Area)
City Lights Bookstore (San Francisco) - I didn't see it on their website but I'm told they ordered it so please ask if you want to buy it from them!
Wicked Grounds Cafe (San Francisco)
Elliot Bay Book Company (Seattle)
Harvard Book Store (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
Powell's Books Inc. (Portland, Oregon)
Boulder Bookstore (Boulder, Colorado)
Tattered Cover Bookstore (Denver, Colorado)
Unabridged Book Inc. (Chicago)
July 27, 2014
Sex toy store mini tour photos
I've had a wonderful time at all my events in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC! Here are a few photos, and I hope to return to the area in the next year. Thank you to Sugar, Lotus Blooms and Secret Pleasures for having me! These stores are the first places aside from Barnes & Noble where I've seen
The Big Book of Submission
in the flesh and the first time I got to sign copies for people buying them. All three stores were wonderful and I'm honored I got the chance to work with them and explore new neighborhoods. Plus, I generally have no idea how my books are doing and am biting my nails waiting to find out, so getting to talk to store owners about it is wonderful and helps guide what I will work on next, since it only makes sense to work on books that readers are interested in reading.
Sugar, Baltimore, Maryland
I loved this display and am glad I took this selfie because I forgot to take another photo later
My favorite book of mine, The Big Book of Orgasms, gets a fitting display next to some vibrators
snapped near Sugar:
Lotus Blooms, Alexandria, Virginia- I hadn't done a reading in a very long time and it was wonderful to meet and reconnect with these authors.
Front row: Me, Tess Danesi, Michelle Augello-Page; second row: Emerald and Kristina Wright
Secret Pleasures, Washington, DC
I was intrigued by these gold accented toys
Secret Pleasures put me on their wall next to Buck Angel and Partners in Passion authors Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson
Sugar, Baltimore, Maryland
I loved this display and am glad I took this selfie because I forgot to take another photo later
My favorite book of mine, The Big Book of Orgasms, gets a fitting display next to some vibrators
snapped near Sugar:
Lotus Blooms, Alexandria, Virginia- I hadn't done a reading in a very long time and it was wonderful to meet and reconnect with these authors.
Front row: Me, Tess Danesi, Michelle Augello-Page; second row: Emerald and Kristina Wright
Secret Pleasures, Washington, DC
I was intrigued by these gold accented toys
Secret Pleasures put me on their wall next to Buck Angel and Partners in Passion authors Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson
July 25, 2014
Washington, DC erotica writing workshop Saturday night
I'll post photos soon of my events the last two nights, which have gone wonderfully. Today I'm catching up and enjoying a little downtime in the Washington, DC area before I see Capital Fringe show
The Dish
tonight. I wanted to repost the details about Saturday night's erotica writing workshop at sex toy store Secret Pleasures - if you know anyone in the area who might be interested, please let them know! Doing writing workshops fires me up to want to put out new calls for submissions, which I hope to do later this year.
July 26, 7-8:30 pm
Erotica 101 writing workshop, Secret Pleasures, Washington, DC
Professional erotica author and editor Rachel Kramer Bussel, editor of over 50 anthologies such as The Big Book of Orgasms, Flying High and Best Bondage Erotica 2014, will take you through the ins and outs of modern erotic writing, from getting started, finding your voice, and incorporating your surroundings, pop culture, and personal experiences into your stories to crafting a range of characters and settings and submitting your work. In this supportive, welcoming workshop environment, you'll learn how to write vividly about everyday scenarios as well as outlandish fantasies, and make them fit for particular publications in the thriving erotica market. This workshop will address the recent boom in erotica inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey, provide examples of well written erotica, and will include multiple writing exercises. You'll be given a handout listing major markets and further reading suggestions.
No previous writing experience required. Please bring laptop or pen and paper.
$21.69 (includes service charge), register at Brown Paper Tickets
Secret Pleasures Boutique, 1510 U Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-664-1476
July 26, 7-8:30 pm
Erotica 101 writing workshop, Secret Pleasures, Washington, DC
Professional erotica author and editor Rachel Kramer Bussel, editor of over 50 anthologies such as The Big Book of Orgasms, Flying High and Best Bondage Erotica 2014, will take you through the ins and outs of modern erotic writing, from getting started, finding your voice, and incorporating your surroundings, pop culture, and personal experiences into your stories to crafting a range of characters and settings and submitting your work. In this supportive, welcoming workshop environment, you'll learn how to write vividly about everyday scenarios as well as outlandish fantasies, and make them fit for particular publications in the thriving erotica market. This workshop will address the recent boom in erotica inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey, provide examples of well written erotica, and will include multiple writing exercises. You'll be given a handout listing major markets and further reading suggestions.
No previous writing experience required. Please bring laptop or pen and paper.
$21.69 (includes service charge), register at Brown Paper Tickets
Secret Pleasures Boutique, 1510 U Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-664-1476
How many books makes you a book hoarder?
I answer that question as well as whether you can own "too many books" in my latest essay at The Toast, which got picked up by the LA Times blog Jacket Copy! I also shouted out some of my favorite books by authors such as Dylan Landis, Matt Logelin, Mark Haskell Smith and Frank O'Hara. I'm always traveling with several print books as well as many on my Kindle, and it's a struggle sometimes to sit and enjoy one without wanting to immediately also start the next one. If only I had two heads and two sets of brains!
July 23, 2014
See you tonight in Baltimore at Sugar!
I'm on my phone again heading to Baltimore for the first stop on my mini tour so can't do links properly but wanted to post about tonight's writing workshop. If you know anyone in the Baltimore area, please let them know. Register at the door, by calling or at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/727184 and get more info on Sugar's site at http://sugartheshop.com/classes.html
July 23, 6:30 pm
Erotica 101 writing workshop, Sugar, Baltimore, Maryland
Professional erotica author and editor Rachel Kramer Bussel, editor of over 50 anthologies such as The Big Book of Orgasms, Flying High and Best Bondage Erotica 2014, will take you through the ins and outs of modern erotic writing, from getting started, finding your voice, and incorporating your surroundings, pop culture, and personal experiences into your stories to crafting a range of characters and settings and submitting your work.
In this supportive, welcoming workshop environment, you'll learn how to write vividly about everyday scenarios as well as outlandish fantasies, and make them fit for particular publications in the thriving erotica market. This workshop will address the recent boom in erotica inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey, provide examples of well written erotica, and will include multiple writing exercises. You'll be given a handout listing major markets and further reading suggestions.
No previous writing experience required. Please bring laptop or pen and paper.
$25/person; register in store, by calling 410-467-2632 or online at Brown Paper Tickets
Sugar, 1001 West 36th Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 410-467-2632
July 23, 6:30 pm
Erotica 101 writing workshop, Sugar, Baltimore, Maryland
Professional erotica author and editor Rachel Kramer Bussel, editor of over 50 anthologies such as The Big Book of Orgasms, Flying High and Best Bondage Erotica 2014, will take you through the ins and outs of modern erotic writing, from getting started, finding your voice, and incorporating your surroundings, pop culture, and personal experiences into your stories to crafting a range of characters and settings and submitting your work.
In this supportive, welcoming workshop environment, you'll learn how to write vividly about everyday scenarios as well as outlandish fantasies, and make them fit for particular publications in the thriving erotica market. This workshop will address the recent boom in erotica inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey, provide examples of well written erotica, and will include multiple writing exercises. You'll be given a handout listing major markets and further reading suggestions.
No previous writing experience required. Please bring laptop or pen and paper.
$25/person; register in store, by calling 410-467-2632 or online at Brown Paper Tickets
Sugar, 1001 West 36th Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 410-467-2632
Best Bondage Erotica 2014 now available on audio
My latest in the annual series, Best Bondage Erotica 2014, is now available as an audiobook. Sample it free by using that link (all Audible audiobooks offer a free sample; here are ). Happy listening!
8 Capital Fringe shows I'm excited about
I'm off to the Washington, DC area, and for you creative types, I'll be teaching my Erotica Writing 101 workshop Saturday night at Secret Pleasures in DC, and I hope you can attend, or tell your friends who are eager to write erotica. Attendance is capped at 20 people and there are a few tickets left as of this posting. This special capital edition will include political erotica and I'll be giving lots of advice on how to get your work published and get paid. I'm also in town to attend some shows at Capital Fringe, and while I don't know if I'll make it to all of these, these are the shows I'm most excited about. I'm linking to their official pages so you can find out more - if one intrigues you, they should have Facebook pages with more info. I know Twanna and The Dish cast have been posting great reviews! DC Metro Theater Arts is also posting amazing reviews.
I Füçkèð Your Country by Twanna Hines
The Dish
Self Portrait
Districtland (I was a poli sci major, after all)
Cabaret XXX: Everybody F*cking Dies
Giant Box of Porn
Relationsh!t
Perfect Liars Club
I Füçkèð Your Country by Twanna Hines
The Dish
Self Portrait
Districtland (I was a poli sci major, after all)
Cabaret XXX: Everybody F*cking Dies
Giant Box of Porn
Relationsh!t
Perfect Liars Club
July 21, 2014
Happy Kindle and Nook ebook release day, The Big Book of Submission!
With some of my books, it's like two parties release date celebrations, with print and ebook.
The Big Book of Submission: 69 Kinky Tales
, my third anthology of erotic flash fiction stories of 1,200 words or less, following
Gotta Have It
and
The Big Book of Orgasms
, starting shipping in print recently and is out today for Kindle and Nook. It's a huge bargain: 69 stories for just $9.99 (Kindle) or $10.99 (Nook).
And I get to do the very first live reading from it this Thursday at sex toy story Lotus Blooms in Alexandria, Virginia. It's absolutely free, you just have to register online. You can also get copies at the stores where I'm teaching erotica writing workshops this week: Sugar in Baltimore (July 23 workshop details) and Secret Pleasures in Washington, DC (July 26 workshop registration details). And August 1st kicks off the book's virtual book tour, which will take you behind the scenes with authors as well as offer up reviews and more. You can also follow @submissionbook on Twitter for news from me and the contributors.
For those who want a print copy, if you're a Barnes & Noble shopper, they don't have an erotica section but they do have a Fiction Anthologies section, where you can find The Big Book of Submission, as I did last week at their Union Square store on 17th Street in Manhattan:
And I get to do the very first live reading from it this Thursday at sex toy story Lotus Blooms in Alexandria, Virginia. It's absolutely free, you just have to register online. You can also get copies at the stores where I'm teaching erotica writing workshops this week: Sugar in Baltimore (July 23 workshop details) and Secret Pleasures in Washington, DC (July 26 workshop registration details). And August 1st kicks off the book's virtual book tour, which will take you behind the scenes with authors as well as offer up reviews and more. You can also follow @submissionbook on Twitter for news from me and the contributors.
For those who want a print copy, if you're a Barnes & Noble shopper, they don't have an erotica section but they do have a Fiction Anthologies section, where you can find The Big Book of Submission, as I did last week at their Union Square store on 17th Street in Manhattan:
