Rachel Kramer Bussel's Blog, page 72

Big new book, big smile: The Big Book of Submission is here with 69 BDSM erotica stories

I've got a new book, The Big Book of Submission: 69 Kinky Tales out any day now (ebook on sale July 21st) and I've got a big smile because I'm so excited to share it with you. As I've posted about before, my books could use some extra support as the marketplace has been very tough of late and I'm trying to make this year's books succeed in as big a way as I can. You can hear me read from the book free along with contributor Kristina Wright, who's also got new books Bedded Bliss and A Princess Bound out, and contributors to The Big Book of Orgasms , on July 24th at 7 pm at Lotus Blooms in Alexandria, Virginia. All you have to do to get in is RSVP. To give you a taste of what to expect, I've posted excerpts from all 69 stories.



I did something new with this one and published a few authors twice because their stories stood out, and I believe all those dually published authors are appearing in my books for the first time, which always thrills me as an editor. Without authors and people having faith in my books enough to send me stories, I wouldn't have any anthologies. It's an honor and also takes me back to my first published story, "Monica and Me." Below are links to buy the book and even if you can't buy it now, if you add it to your Amazon wishlist, it helps the book by letting them know there's an audience, which encourages them to recommend it to browsers. Yes, even seemingly tiny things like that count, especially when you're with an independent publisher and most bookstores don't have an erotica section.

Some great news: the July issue of Self gave The Big Book of Submission a shoutout!

Purchase from:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kindle ebook edition

Nook ebook edition

Kobo

Books-a-Million

Powell’s

IndieBound (find it at your local independent bookstore)

Cleis Press

Table of contents:

The Big Book of Submission: 69 Kinky Tales

Edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: The Many Meanings of Submission

I Want to Feel You Joy Faolán

Naughty Prof Louisa Bacio

Strip Medea Mor

Training My Dom Tilly Hunter

Dear Sir Kay Jaybee

Put Your Hands Up Sommer Marsden

Crunches Annabeth Leong

Butch Unbound Salome Wilde

The Prodigy Valerie Alexander

Beautiful Teresa Noelle Roberts

Lariat Michelle Augello-Page

Toasted Marshmallows Tilly Hunter

The Shoot D.L. King

Sunday in the Art Gallery with George Elizabeth Coldwell

The Third Plug Nick Mamatas

Others Jade A. Waters

Without Question Lucy Felthouse

In the Darkness Regina Lafayette

The Test Kristina Wright

Patiently Waiting Alyssa Morris

Brunch L.C. Spoering

Love and Salt Erzabet Bishop

Brazen Kathleen Delaney-Adams

Story Time Inara Serene

Princess Amelia June

Contact Shenoa Carroll-Bradd

For Her Art Elise Hepner

Working It Out Roger Markson

Control Cate Ellink

Unanchored Corrine Arundo

Fucktoy Lady Lucretia

Caramel Kathleen Tudor

The Bulldog Breed Lisette Ashton

Mistress Raven Olivia Archer

Following Orders Jade Melisande

Writer’s Block Kitten Boheme

Help! My Wife’s a Former Dominatrix! Angela R. Sargenti

That Moment When Martha Davis

The Dinner Erzabet Bishop

Room with a View Rose de Fer

Fitting Assignment Marie Rebelle

Spider Valerie Alexander

The Chrome Plated Connection Ginger F.

How to Fail Laurel Isaac

Crush Giselle Renarde

Housebroken Laila Blake

Stronger Than Steel Alva Rose

Student Becomes Master Rob Rosen

Where the Sun Don’t Shine Corvidae

Object Regina Kammer

The Control Tower Olivia Summersweet

Long Skirt Gigi Frost

Breathless Obedience Cèsar Sanchez Zapata

Mine Roxanna Cross

Second Date Alice Gauntley

Table Manners M. Marie

Teddy, Bare Jere Haken

The Problem is, I’m a Bitch Corrine Arundo

The Lost Suitcase Tamsin Flowers

The Rhino C. Margery Kempe

Marni’s Working Area Dominic Santi

Lost in the Feeling Nicole Gestalt

Choker Sean Finn

Reverse Psychology Rachel Kramer Bussel

Aftermath Michael in Texas

Take Down Marievie

Hard Things Joy Faolán

Breathless Dorla Moorehouse

Perfect Gentleman Donna George Storey

Help my 2 summer books with one quick click

Okay, it's two quick clicks, but they will help my two new books a lot - just add The Big Book of Submission: 69 Kinky Tales and Hungry for More: Romantic Fantasies for Women to your Amazon wishlist. I'll be sharing more info, readings, reviews and excerpts from both soon. I don't know exactly how it works because I'm not privy to Amazon's algorithm inner workings, but it's part of what they take into account and it's free and easy. And you never now - a book fairy might just send you a copy if you add it to your wishlist!

2 NYC events: Sex Ed a Go Go tonight and Lost and Found Show July 16th

Since moving to New Jersey last year, I haven't been doing too many New York events, but I have 2 this summer, and here are the details. Tonight I'm answering sex ed questions and July 16th I'm telling a story about the hell that was moving after 13 years in the same Brooklyn apartment!

Sex Ed a Go Go

June 26, 9:30-11 pm

Do you like Go-Go dancing and funny, knowledgeable chatty ladies with amazing cleavage? Then you definitely need to join us for the another installment of Sex Ed. A Go-Go at The Parkside Lounge!!! Sex Ed. A-Go-Go is one part ADULT sex Q & A; one part go-go revue.

We seek to inspire your libido and open your mind to a world of sexual possibilities one question at a time.

We'll be joined this month by special guest Rachel Kramer Bussel!!!! We're to talk about EVERYTHING and ANYTHING your sexy little hearts (and loins) desire!

Make sure you have lot's of singles for our dazzling go-go girl the amazing Foxy Squire and for our awesome raffle sponsored by SHAG brooklyn!!!

The Parkside Lounge, 317 East Houston, New York, $10 at the door or $7 via Brown Paper Tickets

The Lost & Found Show's "Souvenirs and Mementos" Edition

Wednesday July 16th

(Doors 7:00PM) 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

The Gallery at Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker St
(between Sullivan St. and Thompson St)
New York, NY 10012

21+ (No Cover)

Featuring stories about old letters, mafia funerals, strange rodeos, spell-casting grandmas, and apartment hoarders.

Tales from Rachel Kramer Bussel, Nelson Lugo, Alan Feuer, Sarah Maslin Nir, and Nathaniel Bates. Special Trivia sponsored by Porcupine Hugs.

I'm sorry, do you still ike me?

I wrote about gender and apologizing and my penchant for saying sorry when I shouldn't for DAME, and how it feels to be on the receiving end of it. It's made me think a lot about how much I devalue myself when I unnecessarily apologize, as well as when I kowtow to people I shouldn't, even people I hate. I do it more often than I'd like, and ultimately, it's ridiculous because no one can ever give you back your power or self-esteem or self-worth once you so freely give it away. The past two years especially have been about me working to actually forgive myself for bad decisions in that area, for all the automatic yeses that should've been nos, for saying to myself, every day, in big and small ways, that I believe in myself. I spent such a long time wanting to be like by others at all costs that I forgot that if I did that at the expense of who I am at my core, I'd lose the essence of what makes me me and be left with nothing. Emotionally, I was, and I hit rock bottom just about two years in that area and am grateful I've learned and grown and can stand up for myself better than I could back then. It's a constant struggle, with various people in my life, from those closest to me to complete strangers, which is why I related so much to the Wendy Wasserstein quote I used in this piece, which I must credit my local Two River Theater for including in their program for her play Third. I read it as I was writing the piece and it resonated with me.

My review of Elliott Smith documentary Heaven Adores You at The Daily Beast

The Daily Beast had me review the new Elliott Smith documentary Heaven Adores You. I'm working on expanding the topics I write about so I don't get pigeonholed as only a sex writer, because that's important to me personally and vital if I'm going to continue to have a career as a freelance writer, plus I have plenty of other interests so am always thankful for editors who let me write about those too. Was grateful I was able to see this at its world premiere in San Francisco and hope it screens in more cities soon.

Are book titles with hashtags like #GIRLBOSS the next publishing trend?

I explored the trend of book titles like #GIRLBOSS, #scandal, #YesAllWomen and #Berlin45 the next big thing in publishing? I explore the topic in my first piece for The Guardian US. I love getting the opportunity to write about books and learned a lot about marketing savvy from those I interviewed, including Sophia Amoruso, Nasty Gal CEO and her editor, and young adult novelist Sarah Ockler.

See you at sex toy stores in Baltimore, Alexandria and Washington, DC in July

I'm doing my first ever events at sex toy stores in Baltimore, Maryland, Alexandria, Virginia and Washington, DC in July, and hope you can make it and/or let people nearby who may be interested know. All the details are below. Excited about all of these events and the very first The Big Book of Submission reading! I don't get the opportunity to do readings too often these days so they are extra special for me, and I welcome the chance to meet new readers and get to share these stories (and yes, that reading and my other upcoming ones, September 6th at the Foundation for Sex Positive Culture in Seattle and September 10th at She Bop in Portland, Oregon, to be added to their site soon, are all free!)

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 TicketsSugar, 1001 West 36th Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 410-467-2632

July 24, 8-9:30 pm
Free reading from The Big Book of Orgasms andThe Big Book of Submission, Lotus Blooms, Alexandria, Virginia
(free but registration is required)
Join me along with The Big Book of Orgasms contributors Emerald ("Payback") and Tess Danesi ("Steamy") and Bedded Bliss author and The Big Book of Submission contributor Kristina Wright ("The Test")! Calling all literary geeks! Join us on July 24th at Lotus Blooms in Old Town, Alexandria to welcome one of the biggest names in erotic fiction, Rachel Kramer Bussel. Boasting an impressive portfolio, Bussel is editor of over 50 anthologies, including The Big Book of Orgasms, Cheeky Spanking Stories, Best Bondage Erotica 2014, Flying High: Sexy Stories from the Mile High Club and more. In this 90 minute meet-and-greet, Rachel Kramer Bussel and three guest authors* will share excerpts from her highly anticipated new book, The Big Book of Submission: 69 Kinky Tales and one of her most popular compilations, The Big Book of Orgasms. There will be time at the end for a book signing and a short Q&A.

If you are not familiar with Bussel’s books, come see why Publishers Weekly says that Bussel “proves less is more in this collection of nibble-size erotic stories that are just long enough to fuel the imagination” and get to know the stories that will be on your nightstand for many late nights to come.
Lotus Blooms, 1017 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 703-535-8225, free as long as you register online

July 26, 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

My interview with the authors of Queerly Beloved on how changing genders changed their marriage

I interviewed author couple Diane and Jacob Anderson-Minshall for Slate's Outward blog about their new memoir Queerly Beloved: A Love Story Across Genders . We talked for a long time (almost two hours!) so this is a brief overview of what we discussed, about how they went from a lesbian couple to a lesbian-identified bisexual married to a trasngender man, how their families and the GLBT community reacted, how changing genders affected Jacob and how he's perceived, and more. The book is one I recommend, whether you normally read about transgender or queer topics or not, because it's such an open look at how their relationship and marriage works, how deeply they know each other, though packed with revelations they reveal to each other (and the reader) over the course of alternating chapters. It's my first piece for Slate so if you liked it, I'd love it if you'd spread the word. I also recommend checking out their interview with Tristan Taormino on her Sex Out Loud radio show.

Double the kink in July with Bound for Trouble and The Big Book of Submission

I'm counting the days until The Big Book of Submission: 69 Kinky Tales is in my hands and will be posting more about it here and at @submissionbook on Twitter and on Tumblr and Facebook but today I wanted to tell you about a great companion book of bondage erotica also coming out in July, edited by Alison Tyler. It's called Bound for Trouble: BDSM Erotica for Women and it's cover and contents are hot, hot, hot! My story is called "The Kissing Party" and was inspired by reading about House of Scorpio's parties, which I've yet to attend but hope to someday. I took kissing and bondage and nipple clamps and kink and mixed them up into a sexy story. I hope you'll check out both books; The Big Book of Submission has 69 stories, each 1,200 words or less, so short but extremely sexy bits of kink, some of the best work I've published on the topic, and Bound for Trouble which promises to be as hot as all of Alison Tyler's work. Both will be available in ebook and audiobook form and for sale at all kinds of bookstores; I'm linking to Amazon because I'm part of their affiliate program and it's an easy way to link, but I encourage you to shop for these books wherever you prefer to buy books, or directly from publisher Cleis Press.


The Big Book of Submission

Blurb (this is the one I wrote for the postcards I made, which I'll be handing out at upcoming events):

What do you do when the person who pushes all your buttons orders you to do something that makes your heart pound—whether with fear, arousal or both? Gotta Have It and The Big Book of Orgasms editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is back with a new book bursting with BDSM stories of all kinds. From a student who returns to school his teacher in bondage to a woman tasked with taking x-rated dressing room selfies, these sexy tales exult in kinky power play. From spanking and stripping to dungeons and dinners, a “Naughty Prof” to “Breathless Obedience” and “Training My Dom,” these men and women go all the way in order to submit to their creative tops.

Bound for Trouble

Blurb:

Bound for Trouble is the tenth bondage-themed anthology for Alison Tyler, a veteran at collecting the very best BDSM stories for her readers’ pain-tinged pleasure. Bondage sends shivers (the really good kind) down spines. With Bound for Trouble, Tyler uncovered new jewels, glimmering examples of the ultimate in erotic writing. Every writer in this book focuses on a different facet of the bondage theme. Some characters use tools, some words, one uses paper chains. There are male subs, femme doms, and more. But what these stories have in common is addiction. And fascination. And obsession. Plain and simple, bound for trouble.

Baltimore erotica writing workshop July 23rd at Sugar

I'm teaching my Erotica 101 writing workshop on Wednesday, July 23rd at 6:30 p.m. at sex toy store Sugar in Baltimore (1001 West 36th Street). It's $25, and you can register in the store, by calling 410-467-2632 or online at Brown Paper Tickets. I've been to Sugar but have never taught there so am looking forward to it!

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.