What I Love About Erotica

It’s easy to criticize.
It’s easy to pick out in the writing of others “what I’ll never do when I write my novel (disdainful sniff).”
It’s easy to be snarky and hateful and pick apart other people’s creations.
I’m certainly guilty of it.
And with the internet it’s easier than ever for this perhaps ill-considered disparagement to reach farther than ever. It’s all the more reason to consider carefully what we say, especially in a public space. We can offer criticism, but they should be well-founded and well-argued, rather than harried rants of someone spouting off publicly.

Don’t be that guy.

I’m sure I’ve been guilty of this as well, so I’m writing to myself as well here. I don’t apologize for my opinions, either in life or in e-verse. But I also think making a practice of focusing on the good instead of the bad is a worthwhile pursuit. We see what we want to see in the world, sort of a glass is half empty or half full scenario. And if all you put out in the world is negative and the critical, guess what your glass is going to be filled with?

In that spirit, I wanted to end with the week with the top three things I love about erotica.

1. It’s honest and raw. The best stories are meant to get under your skin, to make you think, make you feel. Popular literature too often gets away from this, or resorts to the sensational. Erotica is naked by nature and as such works harder to build that connection with readers and get a reaction. I love stories that make me think about something a different way, that challenge my preconceptions. Erotica takes risks and I admire that as a reader.

2. The authors are friendly, innovative, genuine, and funny. Since I started submitting stories, everyone has been amazing to work with—happy, friendly, even sending upbeat rejection letters. The world would be a better place if everyone was this positive.

3. Who doesn’t like reading fuck stories? I mean, seriously.

Have you checked in with the Forbidden Fruit blog tour? Why not??? Head over to the website and catch up now!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Modify

I came to a realization as I labored my way through my workout today.

It deals specifically with writing, but has general tones of resilience, so if that piques your interest, read on, dear blog-peruser.

Today is one of those days that motivational people write about, where crap keeps going wrong, work keeps piling up, people are stupid, you’re tired and feel like crap, you’re over-committed, run ragged, just need to buckle down and do the work, no matter what.

The problem is that I WANT to do the work. I don’t WANT to do anything else other than sit down and do the work. I want to write, I want to be in flow. I want the words to sail out of my fingertips and be perfect and honed and crafted and make my readers laugh and cry and want to go kiss their sweethearts because they are so moved by my brilliance…

Nope.

Not happening.

Nada.

I have shown up and been at the workstation most of the day. I write a sentence and delete it. I think of a starter phrase and dismiss it. I think I have a brilliant thought and it dives off over a ledge, into the weeds, and ends in some kind of shocking, gory way straight out of A Million Ways to Die in the West.

I don’t feel brilliant. I barely even feel pithy. But I what I do feel is the driving, almost consuming need to do work. So where is the advice on what to do with that?

I did what any sensible person needing information would do: I went and did Insanity and watched a show on Netflix.

And that’s when the epiphany hit.

Modify.

I do Insanity most days of the week. There are still some moves that kick my fucking ass. Around the worlds are especially brutal. So today, when that move came up, and my body hurt, my heads all stuffy from a cold, my throat is still sore, and my nose won’t stop running, what did I do?

I did two jumps forward and two jumps back for time and called it good.

Was it my goal of doing the move so fast and clean and well that I kicked all the asses of the people in the video and looked good doing it? No. Not only no, but hell no.

And you know what?

I’m good with that.

Because a little bit of something, keeping moving, keeping afloat, is better than doing nothing and sinking. So that, my friends, is today’s two cents. To modify, adjust course, and keep on rowing, we’re all in this together.

Have you visited Harper Bliss’s blog yet to check out Rachel O. Esplanade’s interview? Why not, it’s the next stop on the Forbidden Fruit blog tour! Get your cute butt over and check it out pronto! ;-)

And while you’re at it, do me a favor and have a really great day.

Last Night I Slept With… Mary Roach

I do tend to get around, literary-speaking that is. And have an annoying tendency to fall asleep and cuddle with my books as well. (Not sure what that equates to as an endorsement, but there you go.) So I thought it might be fun to feature a weekly review of which book I’m sleeping with this week.

I first encountered Mary Roach over a year ago when her release, Gulp, was featured on an interview with NPR. That book was all about the human digestive system and her sense of humor had me hooked immediately. When browsing at my local library a few weeks ago, I came across Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex in the Science section, and simply couldn’t pass it up.

I was not disappointed.

This hugely informative and loudly hilarious read not only sheds light on the obscure study that is sex research, but has a whole lot of fun while doing it. If psychology or physiology had this much sass and flavor, I might have stuck with it longer.

Or taken it at all.

Roach makes anything she studies approachable, comprehensible, and fun. And you can’t get any more fun than true, wacky tales of sex research. (Sex machine known as the Thillhammer, anyone?)

Lastly today, some shameless self-promotion. The Forbidden Fruit blog tour is in full swing, from now until September 22. So be sure to stop and visit all these lovely ladies. There are some great interviews and it’s been fun hearing from everyone. My interview went live on Sunday, and can be found over at LC Spoering’s blog.  End shameless self-promotion.

Zombie Apocalypse

At work today we decided the small rural community we live in is already seeing the beginning of the zombie apocalypse. It’s an aging community, so all the old people who die we’ve decided just keep getting up every day and coming to the post office, going about their business as usual. This theory makes sense since most of the customers smell bad, develop odd sores, are withered like zombies, and move at a slow, shambling gait. But soon winter will be here and they will all freeze up in their houses until spring. Maybe that will make Christmas in the area more bearable this year.

Friday Release!!

I'm so excited about Forbidden Fruit being out that it's all I can talk about today! Head over to Cheyenne Blue's site to join in the release party and don't forget to stop through Amazon to pick up a copy for some weekend reading. Happy Friday everyone!

The Great Calf Caper of 2014

In the tradition of WTF Wednesday, starting last night when we had two cows calving, checked them later and one cow’s calf was nursing on the other, who was in active labor. The Spousal-Type Creature and I traded meaningful looks across the fence, threw up our hands, and decided to leave them to it and sort it out today. Especially since it was getting on dark, the Offspring was tired, and the cow who was in the middle of calving is a rampant bitch. We expected two or three calves, but Dad reported four untagged calves with no idea who they belonged to. So we will get it straightened out at some point, but until then, the tradition of WTF Wednesday remains intact.

Now to the fun stuff…

I love lesbian sex. I love writing it, I love reading it, and there was that one time right after college...

Anyway not important.

The reason I'm excited about lesbian sex is because Forbidden Fruit: Stories of Unwise Lesbian Desire edited by the fabulous Cheyenne Blue and published by the wonderful Ladylit Publishing will be out on Friday!! I’m so excited about this anthology—the authors are wonderful, the stories are tantalizing, it’s just been such an amazing experience to contribute to this collection! It’s available for pre-order now, for the special launch price of .99cents. You won’t want to miss the great value in this superhot read!

Okay, and that was my allotment of exclamation points for the month…lol.

But seriously, it is a great collection, and it is wonderful to be included, and it’s a terrific price for the quality of the storytelling. The blog tour starts Friday also, so be sure to follow along and hear from your favorite authors.

Now then, last thing, this weeks WTF Wednesday Weekly Dose of Smut was inspired by Alison Tyler’s Flash Fuck Me blog. I’ve always enjoyed flash fiction, especially as a way to work through emotions or capture situations that feel like they have no other context at the time other than this brief moment in time. After all the threesome conversation last week, I was inspired. Anyway, enjoy!!

Fuck Me Friday

In follow up to our threesome discussion/ rant yesterday, this Fuck Me Friday recommendation is in the same vein. Three-Way: Erotic Stories edited by Alison Tyler has a little something from everyone. These hot, surprising stories show the wide and varying ranges menage can take, and the collection features some of the best writers in the business, from Thomas S. Roche to Rachel Kramer Bussel to Saskia Walker. Not only showing alluring ways to have a threesome, it’s delivered with a polished prose that will arouse your mind as well as your body. Pick it up for some hot weekend reading, especially while we wait for Wrapped Around Your Finger Sept 9!!

Three Bullshit Reasons Not to Have a Threesome

[Warning: It’s Thursday and we’re talking about threesomes. Consider yourself warned. ;-) ]  

I’m a big believer in happy relationships. I’m also a big believer that if you’re having problems at home, then you need to fix those problems in-house.

(Professional help isn’t included here; I’m just saying if you’re having problems don’t go to your mom or bff and bitch or guess about what he/she is really thinking, because the BEST way to find that out is to talk to he/she and ASK what they are thinking. All the speculation in the world won’t get you inside their head better than asking can. If you can’t ask them, for whatever reason, that speaks to a whole other level of relationship issues.)

Now, as far as a three-way (threesome, menage, whatever you want to call it), lots of couples report interest in this sex act. Having a threesome can be an absolutely mind-rocking, amazing experience with your partner. There is something fantastically hot about working with your partner to make another person orgasm. (Provided that you’re wired that way.)

BUT there are serious things to consider beforehand. I’m not going to tell you whether you should or shouldn’t have a threesome, but here are some guidelines to consider.

• DON’T have a threesome to fix a troubled relationship or spice things up.
• DON’T have a threesome if you don’t have AMAZING communication, trust, and passion with your partner.
• DON’T have a threesome if you’re insecure.

These are just a few, but there are lots of reasons NOT to have a threesome, especially if you’re not secure as a couple, don’t have excellent communication, and can’t control your jealousy.

Alternatively, there are some incredibly bullshit arguments out there about why a couple shouldn’t have a threesome.



Bullshit Reason #1: “Our bed isn’t big enough for three.” This is SUCH a bullshit reason. If you’re already fucking, be comfortable enough in each others' space to cuddle. End of story.
 
Bullshit Reason #2: “My spouse might think he/she is hotter than me and they might run off together. Or my spouse might not want to fuck just me anymore. Or will realize that I’m not so hot…” Honey, if you’re that insecure in your relationship then having a threesome is not your biggest problem.


Bullshit Reason #3: “I might like it so much that two person sex won’t ever cut it again.” And the problem with this is…? But seriously, out of all the reasons not to have a threesome, this one is pretty ridiculous. You might like being spanked or handcuffed, but you (probably) don’t want that each and every single time you have sex. Realize that each time you have sex it’s like a snowflake—not each one is created equal, but each one is amazing and special if you appreciate it. 
 
So basically, a couple thinking about a threesome needs to have a terrific level of communication and trust, find the same other person attractive, be able to keep their sanity, have a good sense of humor and open-mindedness, and deal well with “morning after” stuff. There are a lot of reasons not to have a threesome, but don’t let the bullshit reasons get in your way. Be realistic, be passionate, and don’t ever do it because you feel pressured, or delicious experience can fuck up your relationship.

Think you’ve got what it takes? ;-)

The Cowboy Problem on WTF Wednesday!

Its WTF Wednesday, so that means a new story on the Weekly Dose of Smut page! Please go over and check it out, I love this story. Have a great day everyone!

P.S. 
Want more? Head over to Delilah Devlin's site and check out what's up with Hot Highlanders and Wild Warriors. It won't be just the summer swelter that has you fanning yourself! 
http://hothighlanders.delilahscollections.com/

The Box and the Bucket

Life might be like a box of chocolates, but sometimes it’s more like you have a leak in the roof and you forgot to set the bucket under it when it rained.

What is Magical Realism?

It’s recently come to my attention that the genre I’d been referring to as magical realism is not, in fact, actually magical realism. So I did some more digging and the results aren’t as clear-cut as I supposed. I mean, no one argues about what constitutes a murder mystery, but apparently what makes it “real” magical realism is a hot button issue within the literary community.

Magical realism, according to Writing-World.com and Wikipedia (as well as the Encyclopedia Britannica and Princeton University, among others), is a much narrower genre that one might suppose, mostly referring to the South American writers who incorporate magical or fantastical elements into otherwise realistic fiction. (Think Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Alejo Carpentier, and Jorge Luis Borges.) There’s many theories on why this style is characterized by Latin American writers, including postulations about post-colonial theory and reconciling alternate histories, but that is really beyond the scope of this post.

A recent article in Writer’s Digest delves into magical realism a little further, coining the origins of magical realism in Latin America, but saying “while magical realism may (or may not) have been birthed in Latin America, is has evolved and migrated.” And that really seems to be the crux of this debate: not what constitutes magical realism, but who is allowed to write it.

The purists, on one end, say that the Latin American authors write this genre in the pure form, while others say it’s about the characteristicsof the story and instead of about geography. (Side note: Amazon apparently sides with the purists, since several books I selected as my favorite books in the magical realism genre are classified as sci-fi/ fantasy.)

The key item that identifies magical realism is that things just are; they are not explained, they simply exist. (Think The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.) Another key feature is that the story takes place in the real world but that has magical things happen that aren’t explained. (e.g. Of course the cat is talking, why wouldn’t the cat being talking? Kind of scenarios.) So I would still like to know, are these novels that I love considered magical realism or are they sci-fi/ fantasy?

My impulse is to say yes. Because although the art of play writing originated with the Greeks, we don’t go around saying that only Greek people can write plays. Although Thomas Mallory wrote what is considered the first novel in English with The Morte d’ Arthur, we don’t say only English people can write novels. The same with various poetic forms—the sestina, the ghazal, the haiku. So, at least in my mind, as long as you follow the proscriptions of the genre, it doesn’t matter where you hail from. Besides, magical realism is a kickass name for a genre and everybody should have access to that.

It seems that I’ve gone on long enough with this that rather than launch into a book review, I’d like to leave you with a list of my recommendations for further reading in the genre. Apologies right now to the Latin American authors: I’ve never been able to make it through any of those novels.

Recommended Books:

• The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaimon
• Lexicon by Max Barry
• The Magicians Series by Lev Grossman
• The Time-Traveler’s Wife by Audry Niffenegger
• Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (this one is debatable, but thought I’d include it anyway)
• Eleanor by Jason Gurley

Resources for Further Reading:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_realism
• http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Magic_realism.html
• http://www.writing-world.com/sf/realism.shtml
• http://postcolonialstudies.emory.edu/magical-realism/

And in a side note, check out this latest release from Kristina Wright! http://www.amazon.com/Best-Erotic-Romance-Kristina-Wright/dp/1627781137 So excited to be included in the lineup with some superstar writers in the genre. Keep writing, ladies!

Fuck me Friday

I don’t know about you, but by Friday I’m ready to think about kicking back and making some headboards work for a living. Or at least read a book about characters who are. In this book of the week, some of these ladies don’t even make it out of the back of the cab, much to the cabdriver’s, and reader’s, delight.

Whole Lesbian Sex Stories edited by Cleis Press founder Felice Newman is an exciting collection of lesbian encounters that explore the range of female to female desire, in a variety of circumstances. Each page interests and delights. The prose is well-written and vivid, making it easy to slide into the skin of these characters for a little while and experience with them the titillations of lesbian sex.

Meant as a companion to Newman’s other work, The Whole Lesbian Sex Book, this volume acts as a “graphic depiction” of those concepts in action, displayed in the most delicious stories and unusual scenarios. This is a relatively quick read, that comes at you in a rush of lust, the flush of desire raw and tangible, infusing every line. If you’re in need of some one-handed reading this weekend, this hot pick might just do it for you.

To Drink or Not to Drink (As Always, A Moderation Question)

Like any topic, there’s conflicting opinions on alcohol, especially alcohol and sex. How much, how much is too much, adverse reactions, why some alcohol is all right… the talk goes on and on. We all know that alcohol is a depressant, that it dehydrates us, that it can make it more difficult to achieve orgasm if they’ve too much to drink. Alcohol can contribute to vaginal dryness in women and delayed ejaculation in men. (Since the Kinsey studies report that 75% of men reach orgasm in around two minutes, more recent ones indicating that up to seven minutes is average, that might not be entirely a bad thing for the woman in their lives!)

So by the initial reading, sex and alcohol look like a no-go, but what are some of the advantages?

• Lessened inhibitions, which might help some women reach orgasm easier.
• While women might not reach orgasm, they experience more subjective pleasure and feel more relaxed during the experience.
• Wine makes people happy. At least, it makes me happy. I love having a drink with my Spousal-Type Creature, taking a shower, and… well, you get the idea. ;-)

So what’s the answer, to drink or not to drink? Science is pointing toward moderation being the key, as with so many things. A little goes a long way, and the focus should be on enjoying the experience, not on drinking one another under the table. (Or drinking yourself under the table, a la yours truly.)

The alcohol/ sex debate will continue, much like “should you eliminate sugar from your diet?” “Are carbs evil?” “How to get thin thighs without getting off the couch!”

You get the idea.

Life is too short not to enjoy it, and if having a glass of your favorite beverage and knocking boots with someone you care about (even if you only care about them tonight), be safe and go for it.


References:

“What Alcohol Really Does to Your Sex Life.” Petra Zebroff. Huff Post. 07 January 2013. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/petra-zebroff/alcohol-affects-sex-life_b_2389856.html

“10 Fascinating Facts About the Male Orgasm.” Laura Berman, PhD. Everyday Health. 20 November 2012. http://www.everydayhealth.com/sexual-health-pictures/dr-laura-berman-male-orgasm-facts.aspx#01

WTF Wednesday

It’s a WTF Wednesday again this week, but lacking time to go into it, check out the weekly story under the Weekly Dose of Smut tab. It’s only up for a week (I swear this time!), so be sure not to miss it. Have a wonderful day and happy reading!