Emerald's Blog, page 13
November 20, 2013
Talking About Labels at Adriana Kraft’s
Some labels are more helpful than others. :)
I’m really delighted to be appearing as a guest today on the blog of Adriana Kraft, the husband-and-wife writing team with whom I’ve been acquainted online for years (Adriana and I both had stories in 2010’s The Cougar Book) but actually got to meet in person a few weeks ago at the inaugural Hot Mojave Knights! For my guest spot, entitled “What’s in a Label?: Subjectivity in Art and Life”, I wrote a bit about my experience at the event, as well as a not-so-new question we were asked on the erotica panel and an unexpected insight that resulted later.
I’d love it if you’d stop by, and big thanks to Adriana for hosting me!
Love,
Emerald
To be sure, there are requirements that writing labeled romance must fulfill in order to take on that label. And my work sometimes doesn’t. For one thing, rather than the happily-ever-after ending imperative in romance, many of my stories do end up with happy characters, but it has much more to do with sex that just occurred than with any purported ongoing relationship between them. In some stories, the ending might even seem more ambiguous than happy. But I have also written stories that seem to fit the general erotic romance delineation, and perhaps my own wariness about whether I’m doing that “right” is less significant than how readers experience it.
-from “What’s in a Label?”
November 12, 2013
Recommended Reading #175: Questions and Examination, Pt. V
“THE SEXPERT’S SLANT: Susie Bright on Porn, Erotica, Orange is the New Black and How Prudery Kills….” at The Slant (SEx and Culture, Youth, Pornography, Media) 10/9/13
Something I really love is Susie’s straightforward recognition and expression of so many things I too find nonsense to a degree that I don’t even like to validate them by discussing them at though they’re valid subjects to discuss. In addition, I personally see a lot of wisdom in my interpretation of Susie’s perspective as expressed here in general.
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“Ask Tristan: Can BDSM Be Addictive?” by Dr. Hernando Chaves (BDSM, Psychology, Sex and Culture) 5/24/13
This strikes me as a thoughtful discourse well worth reading and considering.
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“The GOP’s little rule change they hoped you wouldn’t notice” from Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Recommended Watch, Non-Sex-Related, Politics) 10/12/13
While this is technically outdated now, it seems to me something that’s important for everyone living in the U.S. to know. I find the fact that this occurred chillingly appalling.
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November 5, 2013
Recommended Reading #174: Gender Relations, Pt. II
“48 Reporters Asked This Guy The Same Dumb Question About Women. His Response? Absolutely Perfect.” by Adam Mordecai (Recommended Watch, Gender Socialization, Media, Writing) Undated
I’d seen the last quote Mr. Whedon offers before—I remember feeling almost blown over by the intensity of my appreciation for it the first time I saw it—but the other things he says add some context I appreciate too. I also agree with the captioner that what he says at 6:50 is of staggering and colossal importance. And I agree entirely with it. Except that maybe I would say that equality is not something we need, it is something that simply is. What would help us is to recognize it.
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“Where Have All the Butches Gone?” by Roey Thorpe (Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation) 9/5/13
In particular, the points made in this piece about gender identity and sexual orientation not being the same, as well as the experiences of people at a time when those two things seemed frequently (if not invariably) conflated seem well taken and of considerable significance to me. In addition, I simply found it a fascinating read filled with much beautiful insight.
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“Australia’s army chief demonstrates how you address sex abuse” by Harold Maass (Recommended Watch, Military, Sexual Abuse) 6/13/13
Yes.
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October 29, 2013
Recommended Reading #173: Examining Communication
“Woman Burned by McDonald’s Hot Coffee, Then the News Media” via The New York Times YouTube channel (Recommended Watch, Non-Sex-Related, Media) 10/21/13
This may seem a little long. But if you’re old enough to remember this story, it really seems worthwhile to me to view this and understand the circumstances beyond what the media blasted the public with at the time (and understand the inappropriateness of its having become a cultural “joke”).
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“If It Happened There … the Government Shutdown” by Joshua Keating (Non-Sex-Related, Politics, Media) 9/30/13
I love this. I find it fabulous for so many reasons to report like this—speak about the U.S. as its media tends to speak of other countries, particularly in the midst of the recent meltdown.
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“Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming” by Neil Gaiman (Non-Sex-Related, Reading, Writing, Youth) 10/15/13
Were I to describe this in one word, I think it would be “compelling.” Even if I perhaps didn’t agree with how I interpreted every single word, I feel moved enough by the thrust of what I interpreted here to feel that people, in general, would do well to read this.
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October 22, 2013
Recommended Reading #172: Aspiration
“Playing Our Way to Wisdom” by Gwen Gordon (Non-Sex-Related, Consciousness) 10/24/13
This resonates with me a lot, and I agree with the author’s assessments about the importance of play and its connection with presence and wisdom.
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“Date a Woman Who Knows Everything (& Nothing).” by Renee Picard (Relationship, Self-Awareness, Psychology) 10/11/13
I find this very lovely, though I personally interpret (almost all of) it as what to aspire to rather than as what to aspire to date.
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“Trader Joe’s Ex-President To Turn Expired Food Into Cheap Meals” on NPR (Non-Sex-Related, Economics) 9/21/13
I deeply love this idea and appreciate what Mr. Raunch has to say about it.
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October 16, 2013
Recommended Reading #171: Sex and (Mainstream) Media, Pt. III
“I Don’t Care That Cory Booker Tweeted With a Stripper, I’m Still Voting for Him” by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Politics, Sex Work, Sex and Culture) 9/27/13
I agree that when I see things like this being distorted into “news,” I don’t know what else to even feel except that we truly need to get a life.
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“Feministe Needs to Face Up to Their Hypocrisy About Sex Work” by Chris at literate perversions (Sex Work, Writing) 9/16/13
I acknowledge that I don’t follow Feministe regularly, but I read the piece by Sarah Elizabeth Pahman to which this, in part, responds, and overall, I really, really appreciate this post.
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“HBO Should Show Dongs” by CollegeHumor (Recommended Watch, Gender Double Standard, Sex and Culture, Humor) Undated
I love this (beyond any humor it offers, by the way).
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October 14, 2013
Guest Posting on A Hopeful Romantic!
I’m quite delighted and honored that the utterly lovely KD Grace (whom, incidentally, I adore) invited me to visit her blog, A Hopeful Romantic, today. I wrote about my trip to Niagara Falls earlier this year, which was solely devoted to writing—and writing of a particular kind, as I talk about in the post. I also share an excerpt of an unpublished story that was one of the ones I worked on while I was there (and that is partially set there). I’d love it if you stopped by to see me! :)
Love,
Emerald
Niagara Falls still calls to me. I find myself wanting to go back at least every other week or so, and now that it is the off-season again, that may happen in the near future. Or maybe not. But what seems to me one of the most valuable offerings I could embrace from that magical trip is the essential reminder that this is what I do. And I can do it whether a pristine view of world-class magnificence is right out my window or I am sitting in my chair in my office. Whatever is outside me, the inside is the same.
-from “Niagara Falls and Writing on Non-Demand” at A Hopeful Romantic
October 9, 2013
Recommended Reading #170: Abortion, Pt. V
“One lesson from Texas: legal abortion means nothing without access” by Eesha Pandit (Reproductive Rights, Health Care, Poverty) 6/28/13
I feel strongly and have focused much time and attention on legal rights surrounding abortion, but it is true as well that access is paramount, and I appreciate this piece’s pointing out some of the fundamental considerations and circumstances surrounding abortion access.
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“New Wave of Laws Seeks to Shut Down Abortion Providers” by Joerg Dreweke (Reproductive Rights, Politics, Health and Body, Public Policy) 6/27/13
Having just come from a rally in Virginia this morning in support of a local clinic suing to overturn TRAP laws in the state (judge ruled in our favor—yay!), I am happy to recommend this short piece that outlines the problematic nature and general fundamental intention of such laws.
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“Why Do Women Have Abortions After 20 Weeks, Anyway?” by Emily Deruy (Health and Body, Memior, Reproductive Rights, Public Policy) 9/26/13
Nothing in this piece is news to me, but I appreciate seeing it spelled out (yet again) in such a straightforward and personal way for any who may not have considered or understood it.
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October 1, 2013
Recommended Reading #169: Eye on the Law, Pt. III
“Walters: Some Aspects of Calif.’s SB 255 Go Too Far” by Rhett Pardon (Sex and Culture, Legislation) 9/13/13
I find this very informational and appreciate the breakdown of something many of us might not otherwise understand.
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“Does banning prostitution make women safer?” by Clare Wilson (Sex Work, Labor, Public Policy, Sex and Culture) 7/3/13
In an interview with her, Laura Agustin offers concise, straightforward insight about the counterproductivity of prostitution laws.
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“Doctors Urge More Hospitals to Perform Abortions” by Grace Wyler (Reproductive Rights, Health and Body, Sex and Culture) 8/23/13
I appreciate the seemingly uplifting note on which this article ends and simultaneously find it infuriating and unacceptable for legislation to be passed barring public hospitals from offering abortion services or educational institutions from providing training in it. I certainly agree that integrating abortion care back into larger medical facilities and practices, as well as into the general mainstream of health care, seems helpful and vastly called for.
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2 for 1 #Erotica Today and Tomorrow!
The Big Book of Orgasms is available now! Not only that, but for the next 48 hours (approximately…I’m a tiny bit behind posting this!), the book’s editor, Rachel Kramer Bussel, is offering a buy one/get one free special if you purchase The Big Book of Orgasms from Amazon during that time—details here!
Along with 68 other stories, my flash piece “Payback” is in this collection. I’m really excited to be alongside some of my favorite authors, as well as a few beloved friends who are being published in an erotica anthology for the first time! I also happen to espeically love the cover. And, really, could the book’s title itself be more fabulous? All in all, I am delighted to be a part of The Big Book of Orgasms!
Rachel is posting excerpts of the stories on the anthology’s Tumblr page, and yesterday she posted a little bit of mine. There will be more to come, as I understand it! In addition, Publisher’s Weekly has given the book a lovely review, which you may see here!
The Big Book of Orgasms will have a blog tour during November and into December—I’m participating, so stay tuned for my date on December 3! In the meantime, I’m eagerly awaiting my author copy. :)
Love,
Emerald
I drove by slowly, running my eyes over the nine-story hotel less than six months old. Its staunch exterior brimmed with newness, solidity, progress. My gaze dropped to the ground floor, the foundation of the building that covered the worn abandoned parking lot where I’d sucked him off so many times those years ago, on my knees on the pavement as he panted in the driver’s seat.
-from “Payback”
