Rachel Kramer Bussel's Blog, page 96

Lightning Van is an awesome New York moving company

I used Lightning Van for my move and highly recommend them! They really did an amazing job, and were super fast and very cheap. Here's what I posted on Yelp, where you can also check out lots of other reviews:

I used Lightning Van to move from a third floor walkup in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to an apartment in Red Bank, New Jersey. They were exactly on time, moved my stuff in one hour and were done with the whole thing in under three and a half hours. I wasn't as ready as I could have been and they were okay with my last minute additions to their haul and allowed me to survey whether I needed to add anything else several times before they finished. They were extremely fast and courteous, and the price was fantastic (the estimate was what it wound up costing). I would highly recommend them, both for the price and the service. I actually wished I had more stuff I could put in the van, which holds more than it looks like (I did not have any major furniture save for one bookcase).

My 3 erotic romance and erotica calls for submissions

I'm reposting these for those who may not have seen them. Happy writing!

Couples' Erotic Romance Stories
To be published by Cleis Press in 2014

Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for romantic, primarily heterosexual erotic stories for a 2014 anthology of erotic romance. Stories can feature couples exploring new erotic territory, strangers who share a spark, lost lovers or exes reuniting, etc. Final book will contain a mix of storytelling styles, settings and heros/heroines. Kink, sex toys, exotic locations/scenarios welcome as long as there is an element of erotic romance as opposed to strictly erotica. Sensual and sexual should coexist. Stories should be strongly plotted, have engaging, unique characters and be hot and original. I highly prefer contemporary settings but will consider a limited amount of historical fiction. All characters must be over 18; no incest, scat or bestiality. No poetry. See my anthology Irresistible: Erotic Romance for Couples for examples of the kinds of stories I'm looking for. Unpublished stories only (this includes blogs and websites).

How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-4,000 word story. 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. Only submit your final, best version of the story you are submitting. Do not send multiple versions of the same story. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to romanceantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name as well as your pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by September 2013. I cannot give any feedback on rejected submissions.

Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication

Deadline: June 1, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly encouraged)

Questions: romanceantho@gmail.com

Female Fantasy Erotica
To be published by Cleis Press in 2014

This collection of erotica will feature female protagonists living out their hottest fantasies. From vanilla kinky, single to partnered, from 18 to elderly, I'm looking for stories of all sorts of women (transgender characters are also welcome) exploring new aspects of their sexuality. For inspiration, feel free to check out a list by Violet Blue of common sexual fantasies, but stories must capture what about that particular fantasy for that particular character is so compelling and make it red-hot to work for this book, and authors are encouraged to be creative, daring and provocative with exploring the definition of fantasy and how it plays out for your character. All characters should be over 18. No nonconsensual scenes. No bestiality, scat or incest. No poetry. Please see my anthologies Orgasmic, Women in Lust, and Fast Girls for examples of the kinds of stories I'm looking for. Unpublished stories only (this includes blogs and websites).

How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-4,000 word story. 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. Only submit your final, best version of the story you are submitting. Do not send multiple versions of the same story. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to fantasyantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name as well as your pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. For the smoothest editorial process, please double check that the byline you are using with your submission is the byline you'd want published. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by September 2013. I cannot give any feedback on rejected submissions.

Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication

Deadline: July 1, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly encouraged)

Questions: fantasyantho@gmail.com

Kinky Couples Erotica
To be published by Cleis Press in 2014

This book of erotica stories will feature couples exploring many aspects of BDSM, from newbies to seasoned players, in bedrooms and dungeons and far beyond. Editor Rachel Kramer Bussel is looking for BDSM stories featuring couples (though stories with more than two people are welcome). Couples can be of any sexual orientation but the book’s primary audience and focus is on heterosexual couples. They can be newbies or experienced players (or a combination of the two). The final book will feature couples who’ve just met but will contain mostly stories about already-established couples who are engaging in BDSM in various forms. The more creative, the better. Submissions tend to skew extremely heavily toward the female submissive POV, so if you are submitting a female sub/male dom story, please make sure it is unique and dazzling. I’m especially looking for stories from the top’s/dominant’s POV. Most of all, stories should be attention-grabbing, provocative and daring. All characters should be over 18. I’m looking for a mix of male and female tops and bottoms (and switches), as well as a mix of physical and mental power play. No nonconsensual scenes. No bestiality, scat or incest. No poetry. Please see my anthologies Anything for You: Erotica for Kinky Couples; Yes, Sir; Yes, Ma’am; Please, Sir; Please, Ma’am; He’s on Top and She’s on Top for examples of the kinds of kinky stories I prefer. Unpublished stories only (this includes blogs and websites).

How to submit: Send double spaced Times or Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document with pages numbered (.doc, not .docx) OR RTF of 1,500-4,000 word story. 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. Only submit your final, best version of the story you are submitting. Do not send multiple versions of the same story. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), mailing address, and 50 word or less bio in the third person to bdsmcouplesantho@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name as well as your pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. For the smoothest editorial process, please double check that the byline you are using with your submission is the byline you'd want published. You will receive a confirmation within 72 hours. I will get back to you by September 2013. I cannot give any feedback on rejected submissions.

Payment: $50 and 2 copies of the book on publication

Deadline: July 1, 2013 (earlier submissions strongly encouraged)

Questions: bdsmcouplesantho@gmail.com

This week's sex diary

And you can read this week's sex diary right here. There's BDSM, anal sex, lesbian sex, catfishing, online dating and more. Interested in writing an anonymous sex diary of a week in your life? Email me (I'm the editor) at sexdiaries at nymag.com and give me your basic info (age, gender, location, occupation, relationship status and sexual orientation) and why you'd make a good sex diarist and I'll send you more info. Please feel free to pass that on to anyone who may be interested. Thank you!

Tomorrow is Moving/I Get My Life Back Day!

Today is a typically busy Monday workday, with sex diary editing and assorted writing deadlines, and also, packing! Tomorrow I move to Red Bank, get my life/breathing back, get to take baths whenever I want and get to actually see the person I'm dating, rather than just talk to him on the phone. I cannot wait. Moving has been hell, but also a giant learning experience. There's a ton of things I'd have done differently, but that's life, isn't it? I will miss a lot about Brooklyn and the rest of NYC, but after wheezing my way through the past few weeks and feeling scattered in a million different directions, I have no qualms about leaving. It's the right thing for my heart and my career and to have stayed simply out of fear of the unknown would have been to doom myself. So, to tomorrow! Today is for digging in.



I texted this photo to my boyfriend on Friday and wrote "This is how my move is going." He wrote back "Is that good or bad?" Hard to tell, but I'll take the little victories. I didn't get this piece of furniture down the stairs by myself for fear of injury, but I got it into the hallway, and that was a little moving victory.

Baby Got Back: Anal Erotica is my 53rd anthology - sign up by Sunday to review it on Amazon

I was writing a description of the Erotica 101 class I'm planning to teach sometime in September (exact date TBD) at sex toy store The Tool Shed in Milwaukee and realized that perhaps "editor of over 40 anthologies" was outdated, so I counted, and as of now, for full-length print anthologies (not counting ebooks), I've edited 52 anthologies (my website needs major updating, but has most of them listed). Baby Got Back: Anal Erotica, out this summer, will be my 53rd. That's amazing to me, especially because as I'm cleaning out my apartment, I'm in awe that I've gotten anything done at all while living there. Right now, it's almost impossible to navigate; I trip over things, I am spending hours and hours just sorting through stuff. It makes it a challenge to think about fun things like writing erotica, not to mention has made me feel like I hate books, even though books are my favorite things in the world. Maybe it's just a matter of perspective; I never really thought about moving, probably never truly believed I'd find someone who wanted to live with me and vice versa, so I acted as if I'd be there forever. Thankfully that is not the case, because I want to be a better, more productive, healthier, happier person. I am not arguing that I haven't done a lot while I've lived there—I have—but I know that I've been hindered by hours spent looking for lost things, by the stress of not wanting to ever have anyone inside my homes lest they instantly decide they'd never want to talk to me again, that kind of things.

But even as I'm sorting through a decade's worth of magazines, promotional postcards, clothing and other stuff, I wanted to step back and remind myself that even within the confines of a hoarder's apartment, I've gone from bumbling law school dropout with gargantuan student loans, to a dream career I never would have conceptualized back in March 2000 when I moved in. I'm very honored, lucky, and want to continue working hard and making sure I give my books the best shot in the world of doing well, so I can keep on editing them. To that end, I want to thank all of you who've signed up to review Baby Got Back on Amazon. I've had 30 requests, and will take the rest that come in through this Sunday, May 19th, and you will get your hot off the press autographed copy in late July, or your Kindle edition on August 13th. Next month I'll be putting out another call for requests for reviewers, so stay tuned. Reposting the details below - and truly, thank you! I'm excited about this book, and all the ones after that (I've started reading for the erotic romance anthology whose deadline is June 1 and am happy to say it's going to be very hot).

To take part in this promotion, you must have an Amazon.com account you've made a purchase from in order to qualify, and by requesting the book, you are agreeing to post your review on Amazon.com within 6 weeks of receipt. To sign up, email me at analantho at gmail.com with "Amazon" in the subject line and your name and address in the body. The first 30 people to do so will get hot off the press autographed copies (before the book's in stores!). The official release date is August 13th, but I expect to be hitting the post office by the end of July with your copies. The days I receive my finished copies of my books are some of my favorite days, made all the better when I get to mail them off to you. If you're a Kindle user and would prefer to review the Kindle version, that will be available in August, but I will take your review request now. Email analantho at gmail.com with "Kindle review" in the subject line and the email address you use for Kindle (just cannot be an @kindle.com address). The book is available for pre-order now from Amazon and Bn.com.

If you want to show the book some early love, you can rate it on Goodreads and/or mark it as to read. THANK YOU for helping my books do well, which is what allows me to keep on editing them (my current anthology guidelines are here - deadlines are June 1 and July 1). I fully hope I have the honor of continuing to edit erotica far into the future, so I truly appreciate every bit of support from submitting stories to requesting books at libraries and bookstores to reviewing and recommending them. I've posted the table of contents and introdution below; one of the best parts of editing anthologies is publishing authors I've never worked with before, and I'm especially pleased to do so here, along with many whose work I'm already a fan of.



Introduction: Prepared for Pleasure

Brenda’s Booty Tenille Brown
Rectified Tiffany Reisz
Delivery Emerald
My Turn Anya Levin
A Winter’s Tail Veronica Wilde
No Rest for the Sick Medea Mor
Vin Rouge Pour Trois Erobintica
The Support Group Fiona Curtis
Lights Out Angela R. Sargenti
Bar None Mina Murray
Seat Belts Kate Dominic
Better Than a Massage Annabeth Leong
Body Heat Shoshanna Evers
What You Feel Like Talon Rihai and Salome Wilde
Her Kingdom for Her Ass Maggie Morton
A Taste of Jamaica D. Fostalove
Hard Astern Thomas S. Roche
In Training D. L. King
Everybody Knows Giselle Renarde
With Lucy in the Middle Kathleen Tudor
Keeping the British End Up M. Howard
Two-Timing Laura Antoniou
Plugged In Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: Prepared for Pleasure

Anal sex is an activity that doesn’t “just happen.” There needs to be at least some planning involved by one of the parties, preferably both (or all), an acknowledgment that something special is about to occur. The stories collected here feature various types of anal play, but in every case, preparation is a key part, both mentally and physically. For many of the characters you’re about to encounter, the thrill of anticipation kick-starts their anal foreplay, sending them on a journey that often changes the course of their sex life.

Many of these twenty-three stories play with the taboo nature of anal sex, its forbidden quality that even its biggest fans still fixate on. We are often drawn to anal sex precisely because even now, in 2013, there’s still a hint of exoticness to it. In these tales, men and women open themselves up, literally, to their lovers, sometimes for the first time. All parties learn about the specific thrills that make playing with that area so pleasurable. Sometimes a character has had a previous negative experience with anal exploration, like Lela in “Rectified,” by Tiffany Reisz. When Brad tells her, “I know what I’m doing,” she’s not sure if she can trust him, but she takes a chance. You’ll have to read on to find out exactly how she’s rewarded for her risk-taking.

Whether using fingers, tongues, toys like butt plugs (vibrating and not), anal beads or anal dilators, these men and women appreciate the pleasures that can be found when they relax, let go and open themselves up. Furthermore, anal sex doesn’t have to be the only action going on; it can be combined with other kinds of touch. Here’s what happens to Vanessa in “A Winter’s Tail,” by Veronica Wilde: “She sighed with pleasure, then surprise, as the tip of the anal beads eased into her ass. Oh god, yes; he was double-penetrating her with two toys. This was what she lived for. He gently pushed the beads inside her tightness, making her squirm, then slowly withdrew them until she cried from sheer delight.” In “No Rest for the Sick” by Medea Mor, Becky experiences a kinky dual delight when Patrick delivers a firm, powerful spanking to her plugged bottom: “He followed quickly with two more hard slaps on her now-burning flesh. They reverberated through her body, hitting the plug in her ass before echoing off it again, making her squirm in his lap.”

I feel responsible for telling you that if you’re trying anal sex at home, lube is a must; these stories are here to entertain and arouse you, but if you’d like to learn more about how to approach real-life anal sex, read Tristan Taormino’s The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women, Bill Brent’s The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Men and Karlyn Lotney’s The Ultimate Guide to Strap-On Sex. Anal isn’t about going as fast as you can, but about slowing down, unwinding, indulging in the process as much as the outcome. These characters take their time so they can enjoy every part of the process, from the first meandering touches, exploring a lover’s “back door,” to the more intense acts. I hope you enjoy the journeys these characters take and find plenty in here to turn you on.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

Love, potential love and Reasons To Be Happy

Last night I went to the premiere of the new Neil LaBute play Reasons To Be Happy , my Mother's Day gift to my mom. I'd seen Really Really , also at Lucille Lortel Theater, and even though that one was written by Paul Downs Colaizzo (who was also filling in as an actor when I saw it), I was expecting more lying, viciousness and backstabbing, since there was a lot of that in Really Really, which has since made me suspect everything a character does or says. Instead, Reasons To Be Happy was about finding yourself, decisiveness, love, cheating and relationships. I'm not a theater critic so I'll just say I enjoyed it and recommend it. I don't watch TV so barely know who Jenna Fischer is, but she's starring in it.

But what struck me was this one scene where a character said something akin to (this may not be an exact quote, but it's very close): "I like you, and I could love you, with a nudge from you." And then in that same conversation, the other character said he could love her too. Those seemed more heartfelt sentiments in the play than when characters actually said they loved each other; it was hard to tell if they really did, or if they loved the idea of love, or the idea of the person they were saying it to. But that tension between being sure of love, and admitting what's probably much more common but far less romantic sounding, that the potential for love exists, stood out to me, probably because I don't know if I've ever though: I could love this person. I think I'm too impulsive to be able to step back and think like that. Certainly I've done that calculation on some subconscious level and ruled people out or allowed them in pretty early on based on that, but I don't think it's something I'd ever say to someone's face. Maybe I've lived that out with my actions.

Another theme of the play was making decisive actions vs. letting life happens to you; some in the play do one and some do the other. One character puts forth the idea that it's always better to take a decisive action, to do something, even if you wind up making a mistake, than to do nothing. That is much more familiar territory for me. I've done both, on a pretty regular basis. I'm in the middle of taking a pretty major decisive action, moving from Brooklyn to Red Bank, but there was a time when we first started actually looking at apartments where I felt like it was happening to me, where I wasn't sure what the right decision was. I freaked out after the first time we drove around Red Bank. It felt like it was happening too fast, and also like if I didn't agree to move, I'd be causing a lot more upheaval for my boyfriend. But mostly I was scared. I was scared of giving up the home I've had since 2000. I was scared that I wouldn't be able to share a space with someone else, especially when I just want to be alone or have to work at night, or when something super cool is going on that I want to go to in NYC and I'm an hour and a half away. I was scared of losing my autonomy and losing the way of life I've cobbled out since getting laid off and becoming a full-time freelancer.

I'm still scared, as I head into the packing home stretch. But I'm so glad I made that decision, and that I took the time to make sure it was the right decision without dragging it out forever and ever. I knew that whether I moved this year or next year, that eventually I would have to move to declutter, and I would have to declutter to be both happy and productive and content. It's easy to think "If only I hadn't done X or Y" or recognize that other people wouldn't have gotten into a hoarding situation like I did. Those are true: if I'd lived differently for the past 13 years, if I were someone else, I probably wouldn't be up half the night wheezing. I'd probably feel comfortable inviting someone else into my home to help me. But I didn't, and I'm facing that. I'm hammering and hauling and tossing and packing and as harrowing as it is, it feels good. Every item I pack in a box, even the VHS tapes I don't have a way to watch but don't want to throw in the garbage lest they wind up on my sidewalk, I feel a sense of progress, of going in the right direction. And maybe those two themes from the play tie together: maybe the potential to love, conscious or unconscious, requires faith, which may seem passive but is actually a decisive action. It's a belief that things will get better, whether that's someone else helping to improve your life or you doing it. Moving is definitely an act of faith, a leap into the unknown without much of a safety net. I can't really say moving is making me happy in any way; it's lonely and depressing and makes me recall most every failure I've had while living there. But I know that on the other side is the most wonderful person waiting for me, and a pretty apartment and new town and new beginnings. And the promise of that makes me happy, even as I sit in the dirt and dust and tear up papers and wield my hammer and packing tape. It's saying yes to a new way of loving myself, shown via taking care of my health, my heart and my home, none of which I've done a great job of while living in Brooklyn. So here's to whatever the future holds, full of potential.

Sweetening the Kindle pot: review Only You or Irresistile and I'll send you the other one free!

To celebrate the Kindle sale price of $3.99 for erotic romance anthologies Only You and Irresistible, I'm sweetening the pot for a very limited time: if you review either Only You Or Irresistible on Amazon.com, I'll send you the Kindle version of the other one. Email me at rachelkb at gmail.com by May 16 5 pm EST (firm deadline as I won't be near a computer after that) with a link to your review on Amazon and the email address where I should send the ebook (I can't gift to @kindle.com addresses). Thank you!



Introduction: Very Happy Endings

Driven Angela Caperton
Overcome Alyssa Turner
Forgotten Bodies Giselle Renarde
In the Doghouse Hanna Martine
Autumn Rain Michael A. Gonzales
The Love We Make Kristina Wright
In-Flight Entertainment Catherine Paulssen
Republicans Don’t Like Kate Dominic
Mom’s Night Out Lolita Lopez
Slow Fire Donna George Storey
The Nude, Stripped Naked Jeremy Edwards
Edge Skylar Kade
Unfolding K D Grace
Married Abigail Grey
Cook’s Treat Elizabeth Coldwell
Hollywood Romance Veronica Wilde
Matters of the Heart Tenille Brown
September Song Anna Watson
Saved Cassandra Carr
For the Very First Time Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: Very Happy Endings

“Honey, are you happy?” is the question with which Cassandra Carr opens her story, “Saved,” about a marriage that needs reviving, pronto. Haven’t we all been in relationships where we longed to ask our partners what they were truly thinking and feeling; whether they were happy; whether they had fantasies, regrets, dreams—but didn’t ask because we were afraid of the answer? I certainly have, so I have extra admiration for this lonely wife who dares to ask for what she wants, realizing it’s never too late. That is the same spirit that enlivens every story in this collection, where sexual pleasure and romantic happiness are not guaranteed at the outset. Couples in various stages of their romances experience tricky territory and have to ask, pursue, explore and test the boundaries of their love in order to reach new peaks, learn about themselves, and make their relationships stronger. Yes, these stories are hot, and I fully encourage you to read them with one hand, but I also find them heartwarming. They explore what happens within a marriage or relationship behind closed doors, for the most part, when you’re stripped bare in the literal and figurative senses, and are truly seen by someone who knows you inside and out.

You very likely know the feeling of being captivated by a lover, wanting to be with him morning, noon and night; dreaming about her when you’re away; reveling in the heights of passion as well as the tender comforts of togetherness when you’re not. The stories in Only You celebrate that feeling of knowing the ones you love for all their high points and their faults, of seeing beyond their outer image to what truly makes their heart beat, sometimes knowing them better than they know themselves. The stories you are about to read all explore the theme, in some way, of lovers who are drawn to each other, whether they fully understand why or not. Some are pulled apart by obstacles they have to overcome, and others simply can’t wait to tear each other’s clothes off. Some serve as teachers, guides or gurus into matters of the heart.

What I especially like about these tales is that the lovers here join forces, using their knowledge of what the other person gets off on to spur them to risqué acts, even under circumstances that may not seem ideal at first glance. “Forgotten Bodies,” by Giselle Renarde, addresses the ways we can forget our own bodies, not to mention our partner’s libido, in long-term relationships. Susan goes so far as to hide in the bathroom to avoid sex with her husband, only to discover that he’s cooking up something new and naughty for them to try. In “The Love We Make,” by Kristina Wright, fighting leads to the hottest sex imaginable, and means there’s no excuse too petty to pick a fight over, if they get to “make up.” Sex-starved Sidney in Lolita Lopez’s “Mom’s Night Out” engages in a one-night getaway with her husband, Owen, where they forget all about the draining daily duties of parenthood and rediscover how much they still hunger for each other.

Some of the lovers here are less experienced, such as M. in “Autumn Rain,” by Michael A. Gonzales, and Dean in my story “For the Very First Time.” Each delicately touches on the ways our first time leaves an impression, makes us fall that much harder for the person we’re sharing the momentous occasion with. Even when the characters aren’t actually virginal, when they approach their relationships anew, finding something novel in their partner’s kiss or touch, they can invoke Madonna and feel “Like a Virgin,” only with the bonus of a shared, special history.

As I’ve edited this collection, I’ve been listening to Adele’s achingly gorgeous album 21. Those songs are about lost loves, but they contain all the tenderness you will find here as well, and rest assured, not to give too much away, the tales in Only You have happy, sweet, sexy endings.

I wish you only pleasure in enjoying the stories you’re about to read.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City



Introduction (see below)
Twice Shy Heidi Champa
< Safe for Work A. M. Hartnett
Repaint the Night Janine Ashbless

Same As It Ever Was Cole Riley
Out of Control Karenna Colcroft
Warrior Kate Pearce
Hypocrites Alyssa Turner
The Pact Elizabeth Coldwell
Exposing Calvin Rachel Kramer Bussel
Six Eyes, Two Ears Kris Adams
Renewal Delilah Night
The Netherlands Justine Elyot
Predatory Tree Craig J. Sorensen
The Mitzvah Tiffany Reisz
After The Massage Kay Jaybee
Pink Satin Purse Donna George Storey

Introduction

A lot of the erotica that comes across my desk focuses on the spark of attraction when strangers meet, the cataclysmic sensation of falling, hard, for someone new and exciting. That makes sense, because there’s built-in drama and erotic tension when two people discover there’s intense chemistry between them. With this anthology, though, I wanted to explore what happens after that, once those people have been together a while (even a short while). I wanted to see what sparks fictional couples could produce on the page, and the results are, well, scorching.

The couples in this book explore all sorts of exciting sexual possibilities, and one of the main reasons they’re able to open up in the ways they do is precisely because they have another person to rely on, coax them, challenge them, tease them and seduce them into traveling down a new sexual path. Whether that means outdoor sex, kink, a trip to a strip club or a very sensual massage, we get to see the ways the layers of trust that have been built up get used to stoke the fire that burns between them.

In addition to enjoying naughty, wild adventures, the couples here also work out differences between one another and handle issues like infidelity in ways that ultimately strengthen, rather than destroy, their relationships' longevity. In Cole Riley’s “Same As It Ever Was,” Joanne suspects her husband of cheating, but with a little help from her best friend, manages to recapture the sensual spirit and passion that’s been missing as both husband and wife make amends and move on, knowing what it was they almost lost. Rekindling a romance that’s threatened to go stale is also the theme of “Renewal” by Delilah Night, where she writes, “That touch sent a long-missing ripple through my body. I hesitated, hoping he’d remember what I love.”

In “The Pact” by Elizabeth Coldwell, a woman rediscovers a man she’d once passed over, only to find that the years they’ve spent apart have made him someone she’s sorry she overlooked. How a couple deals with a death in the family, as well as religious tradition, is the subject of “The Mitzvah” by Tiffany Reisz, as Grace and Zachary find that embracing desire can be healing. Kris Adams takes us into an African village and some complicated relationship dynamics, along with a lot of voyeurism, in “Six Eyes, Two Ears.” Kay Jaybee takes a common fantasy, that of a man watching two women make love, and breathes new life into it by showing both halves of a couple as they live out this dream.

Individual characters work through their own issues with the help of their partners, getting support, love and, of course, very hot sex. “Repaint the Night,” by Janine Ashbless, is about public sex, but, even more, a woman who is conquering a fear of the dark after being mugged ten years before. The erotic power of that story is heightened by Leah’s awe at being able to enjoy what she and Callum are sharing, as she recovers a part of herself she lost and deepens the level of trust between them.

For those who likes things a bit spicier, there’s "The Netherlands” by Justine Elyot, in which a nude Loveday serves guests tea and takes orders, while fulfilling a longtime fantasy of being “used,” with her true love there to watch.

Make no mistake: though these are stories about couples, they are not light or fluffy. They are full of joy, lust and kink, as well as realistic elements of mistrust, uncertainty and confusion, which the couples work through in ways that don’t gloss over or ignore their differences.

These couples, however long they’ve been a team, push the envelope by pushing themselves to try something new, even when they’re not sure where it will lead them. They go to those exotic, erotic places, to those recurring fantasies, because they know they have someone who will travel there with them. I hope this book will inspire nighttime reading--out loud--and erotic adventures, as well as conversations that have been bubbling under the surface, waiting to be exposed, just like the fantasies in the tales you’re about to read.

Rachel Kramer Bussel

Bargain erotic romance Kindle ebooks: Passion and Obsessed are $2.99!

For a limited time, the Kindle editions of my erotic romance anthologies Passion and Obsessed are only $2.99! Get 'em while they're hot. And here's a deal where you can get one free, giving you 2 books for $3.99: review either Passion or Obsessed on Amazon, email the link to the review to me at rachelkb at gmail.com with "Kindle" in the subject line, and I'll send you the other book as a Kindle gift! You need to specify which email address to send it to. Offer good through June 14th, 2013, 5 pm EST. Note: If this sale ends earlier than planned, this offer will be null, though I'm told the sale will be going on through then. Thank you for supporting my books!



Passion: Erotic Romance for Women

Introduction: Getting Passionate

Big Bed Sex by Donna George Storey
My Dark Knight Jacqueline Applebee
Dear in the Headlights Angela Caperton
The Cherry Orchard Wickham Boyle
Autumn Suite Suzanne V. Slate
Contentions Isabelle Gray
The Silver Belt Lana Fox
Five Senses Rachel Kramer Bussel
The Arc of Triumph Monica Day
Crave You Close A.M. Hartnett
Any Easy Guy to Fall On Annabeth Leong
Lingua Franca Justine Elyot
Third Time’s the Charm Charlene Teglia
Riding Wild Things Lizzy Chambers
No Risk, No Reward Saskia Walker
If Emerald
Getting It Right Teresa Noelle Roberts
The Morning Ride Delilah Devlin
The Efficiency Expert Portia Da Costa
Rekindle Kathleen Bradean

Introduction: Getting Passionate

Passion. It can mean greed, desire, affection, love or simply, emotion. You will find all of those and more in the stories contained herein. As you read these twenty stories, you too will be swept away by passion as you travel to Paris and Greece (and Beverly Hills). You’ll get stuck in an elevator, take a bubble bath and a bus ride (not to mention some subway foreplay and flirting) and explore nature in some very intimate ways. You’ll find couples, and couplings by men and women looking (whether they know it or not) to spice things up in the bedroom.

Here, couples at all stages of their relationships (including the very beginning) kindle their passion in various ways, from exes who reunite to young marrieds on a naughty nature walk to those who mix business with pleasure. When Krista in “Crave You Close” by A. M. Hartnett tells Nicky, “I’m so used to having to hold my breath,” she is saying so much about their usual erotic m.o. At night, outdoors, she is free to make as much noise as she wants to.

These couples explore getting kinky, precisely because they feel intimately connected to each other. They go places, literally and figuratively, they wouldn’t dare without the other. They revisit old flames and nurture new ones; indeed, sometimes the men these women crave, such as Maya does in “The Silver Belt,” are not their husbands at all, but someone else, someone special, someone who is seeing them in an entirely new light. Those stories mingle with other tales of longtime lovers ignited to fiery scenes within these pages.

Passion can mean so many things, from the sexual submission of a caning to exploring new bodily territory--sexual experimentation, trying something you’ve fantasized about. It can mean makeup sex or role-play, a change of scenery or simply a change of thinking. It can mean looking at a lover, a husband, a boyfriend or a new boy toy with fresh eyes, sizing him up, baring yourself, daring him to come and get you.

Just as in real life, there are lovers’ quarrels within these pages, slights real and imagined, as couples find tender, erotic ways to heal their hurts and become even closer. There is an element of real, raw emotion in the way love and desire can as easily tear us down as build us up, that makes us appreciate each expression of romance all the more, because we know how truly special it is. I’m grateful these authors skip from playful romps to relationship-saving sex to tender memories to scorching sex scenes, together creating a book that will likely make you blush and make your heart swell.

As the narrator in one of my favorite pieces, “My Dark Knight” by Jacqueline Applebee, says, “I’m a not-so-hopeless romantic. I believe that chivalry still exists, I hope to find quiet nobility in the most random of places, and I believe that people who love each other can live happily ever after.” She finds a dark, very sexy knight who she rescues, seduces, and then… But you’ll have to read the story to find out.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City



Obsessed: Erotic Romance for Women (want more enticement? here's my entire story "I Want to Hold Your Hand," about a big, very handsome man and the woman who loves him)

And just for fun, an Obsessed cupcake from the book release party in 2011:



Foreword: Behind the Mask of Obsession Caridad Piñeiro
Introduction Rachel Kramer Bussel (see below)
Silent Treatment Donna George Storey
One Night in Paris Kayla Perrin
Concubine Portia Da Costa
Love and Demotion Logan Belle
Mephisto Waltz Justine Elyot
Then Emerald
It’s Gotta Be Fate Jennifer Peters
Hooked Ariel Graham
Aftershocks Bella Andre
Secret Places Adele Haze
Loser Charlotte Stein
Here In Between Kristina Wright
Spellbound by Garnell Wallace
Raven’s Flight Andrea Dale
Raindrops and Rooftops Elizabeth Coldwell
Topiary K. D. Grace
I Want to Hold Your Hand Rachel Kramer Bussel
Storm Surge Teresa Noelle Roberts
Undercover Kink Louisa Harte

The women in Obsessed show their passion for their lovers in all kinds of ways. For some it’s about indulging in acts of daring, for others it’s about letting go of their preconceived notions of propriety and going where their bodies tell them.

In many of these stories, communication, the touchstone of advice about good relationships, is missing in some key way, whether it’s the almost-divorced couple in “Aftershocks” by Bella Andre who finally, during an earthquake, confess their deepest desires, or the one-time lovers in “Silent Treatment” by Donna George Storey who find plenty to say with their bodies at a silent retreat. In “Then,” Emerald explores what happens after a woman confesses to her boyfriend just how much she lusts after another man. They push the boundaries of their relationship and the boundaries of their trust in each other—another theme of this book.

Charlotte Stein paints a portrait of a “Loser” who manages to capture the attention of the narrator–and keep it by impressing her with his ardent desire. Stein writes, “He does little things, like when I stop him saying words like those with my mouth on his, he brings his hands up to cup my face. Other guys don’t cup my face. And he does it as though he wants to keep me as close as possible, so he can fully concentrate on my mouth and the way it moves and how much tongue I’m giving him at any given time.”

Obsessed is not about obsession for a new purse or a new car or a new perfume. It’s not even about the obsessiveness of a crush, the kind of panting lust that cycles over and over itself with no end in sight. Instead, Obsessed is about the way a lover can get under your skin, can drive you crazy with lust as well as so many other emotions–love, longing, hunger, anger, confusion. Are there happy endings here? Yes, there are, but they are not always the happy endings you’d expect. These stories sizzle with the kind of obsession that is fueled by our deepest desires, the ones that hold couples together, the ones that haunt us and don’t let go. Whether experiencing just-blooming passions, rekindled sparks or reinvented relationships, these lovers put the object of their obsession first. They don’t always do what’s rational or proper; instead, they chase their dreams, as in Kayla Perrin’s “One Night in Paris,” across the world and across the landscape of their lovers’ bodies.

I hope Obsessed speaks to the part of you that knows what it’s like to do anything for the right person, to bare yourself body and soul in the hope that once stripped to your most secret self, you will be rewarded with someone who sees you for who you truly are. With these nineteen stories, though, you don’t have to hope–I can tell you now that these gutsy heroines find men who know exactly how to treat their wild, hungry hearts. How they get there is yours to savor.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City

Kindle erotic romance sale: Only You and Irresistible are $3.99 through Wednesday!

Kindle erotic romance ebook sale! Only You and Irresistible are only $3.99 on Kindle through Wednesday, May 16th.

Cover reveal and review opportunity for Baby Got Back: Anal Erotica

Here's the cover for my summer anthology, Baby Got Back: Anal Erotica. As part of my efforts to be more organized as I move on to a new stage of my life, I'm signing up Amazon reviewers early! I will have 30 paperback copies of this book to send to U.S. Amazon.com reviewers; you must have an Amazon.com account you've made a purchase from in order to qualify, and by requesting the book, you are agreeing to post your review on Amazon.com within 6 weeks of receipt. To sign up, email me at analantho at gmail.com with "Amazon" in the subject line and your name and address in the body. The first 30 people to do so will get hot off the press autographed copies (before the book's in stores!). The official release date is August 13th, but I expect to be hitting the post office by the end of July with your copies. The days I receive my finished copies of my books are some of my favorite days, made all the better when I get to mail them off to you. I will post closer to July about review opportunities for Kindle readers. The book is available for pre-order now from Amazon and Bn.com.

If you want to show the book some early love, you can rate it on Goodreads. THANK YOU for helping my books do well, which is what allows me to keep on editing them (my current anthology guidelines are here - deadlines are June 1 and July 1). I fully hope I have the honor of continuing to edit erotica far into the future, so I truly appreciate every bit of support from submitting stories to requesting books at libraries and bookstores to reviewing and recommending them. I've posted the table of contents and introdution below; one of the best parts of editing anthologies is publishing authors I've never worked with before, and I'm especially pleased to do so here, along with many whose work I'm already a fan of.



Introduction: Prepared for Pleasure

Brenda’s Booty Tenille Brown
Rectified Tiffany Reisz
Delivery Emerald
My Turn Anya Levin
A Winter’s Tail Veronica Wilde
No Rest for the Sick Medea Mor
Vin Rouge Pour Trois Erobintica
The Support Group Fiona Curtis
Lights Out Angela R. Sargenti
Bar None Mina Murray
Seat Belts Kate Dominic
Better Than a Massage Annabeth Leong
Body Heat Shoshanna Evers
What You Feel Like Talon Rihai and Salome Wilde
Her Kingdom for Her Ass Maggie Morton
A Taste of Jamaica D. Fostalove
Hard Astern Thomas S. Roche
In Training D. L. King
Everybody Knows Giselle Renarde
With Lucy in the Middle Kathleen Tudor
Keeping the British End Up M. Howard
Two-Timing Laura Antoniou
Plugged In Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: Prepared for Pleasure

Anal sex is an activity that doesn’t “just happen.” There needs to be at least some planning involved by one of the parties, preferably both (or all), an acknowledgment that something special is about to occur. The stories collected here feature various types of anal play, but in every case, preparation is a key part, both mentally and physically. For many of the characters you’re about to encounter, the thrill of anticipation kick-starts their anal foreplay, sending them on a journey that often changes the course of their sex life.

Many of these twenty-three stories play with the taboo nature of anal sex, its forbidden quality that even its biggest fans still fixate on. We are often drawn to anal sex precisely because even now, in 2013, there’s still a hint of exoticness to it. In these tales, men and women open themselves up, literally, to their lovers, sometimes for the first time. All parties learn about the specific thrills that make playing with that area so pleasurable. Sometimes a character has had a previous negative experience with anal exploration, like Brenda in “Rectified,” by Tiffany Reisz. When Lewis tells her, “I know what I’m doing,” she’s not sure if she can trust him, but she takes a chance. You’ll have to read on to find out exactly how she’s rewarded for her risk-taking.

Whether using fingers, tongues, toys like butt plugs (vibrating and not), anal beads or anal dilators, these men and women appreciate the pleasures that can be found when they relax, let go and open themselves up. Furthermore, anal sex doesn’t have to be the only action going on; it can be combined with other kinds of touch. Here’s what happens to Vanessa in “A Winter’s Tail,” by Veronica Wilde: “She sighed with pleasure, then surprise, as the tip of the anal beads eased into her ass. Oh god, yes; he was double-penetrating her with two toys. This was what she lived for. He gently pushed the beads inside her tightness, making her squirm, then slowly withdrew them until she cried from sheer delight.” In “No Rest for the Sick” by Medea Mor, Becky experiences a kinky dual delight when Patrick delivers a firm, powerful spanking to her plugged bottom: “He followed quickly with two more hard slaps on her now-burning flesh. They reverberated through her body, hitting the plug in her ass before echoing off it again, making her squirm in his lap.”

I feel responsible for telling you that if you’re trying anal sex at home, lube is a must; these stories are here to entertain and arouse you, but if you’d like to learn more about how to approach real-life anal sex, read Tristan Taormino’s The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women, Bill Brent’s The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Men and Karlyn Lotney’s The Ultimate Guide to Strap-On Sex. Anal isn’t about going as fast as you can, but about slowing down, unwinding, indulging in the process as much as the outcome. These characters take their time so they can enjoy every part of the process, from the first meandering touches, exploring a lover’s “back door,” to the more intense acts. I hope you enjoy the journeys these characters take and find plenty in here to turn you on.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City