The Erotica Readers & Writers Association Blog

Call for Submissions: Guiltless Pleasure Publishing

2009-12-08T14:19:00.002-05:00

The following call is from Tal Valante, owner of Guiltless Pleasure Publishing (GPP) , a new novel-length publication of genre erotica. GPP is the new kid on the block, and a far away block it is; the office of Guiltless Pleasure Publishing is located in Metula, Israel.

This is a paying (advances and royalties), print and digital publication. Launch date is March 2010.

Guiltless Pleasure Publishing

GPP aims to celebrate the best of erotic genre literature. From Fantasy to Science Fiction, Military to History, our heroes explore the world, themselves, and the many faces of love.

I'm actively seeking 2-3 novels for the grand opening, March 2010. GPP is a paying, print and digital publication. Full guidelines are available at:
www.guiltless-pleasure.com/submission-guidelines

Please tell publishers/editors you read their guidelines on the Erotica Readers & Writers Association Blog

Erotic Lure Newsletter: Dec/Jan Edition

2009-12-02T16:32:00.003-05:00

From the Erotica Readers & Writers Association
By Lisabet Sarai
December/January Edition
_______

Dear Kinky Co-conspirators,

The holiday season is upon us -- the season of sitting on red velour laps, multi-purpose candles, and mistletoe kisses. Did I ever tell you about the time I pinned a sprig to the elastic of my bikinis...? But -- as usual -- I digress. Santa will have my ass (literally) if I don't focus on my job, which is of course to guide you through the glittering wonderland of the December/January Erotica Readers & Writers Association site. We've got bushels of goodies for you, and you don't have to wait for Christmas. (I've always believed that delayed gratification was highly over-rated...)

Our monthly theme in the Gallery is Holiday Tales. Our inspired authors have done their very best to capture the joy, the heartbreak and the passion of this unique time when the year rounds to its close. Whatever your persuasion, these tales will touch you -- body, mind and spirit. Don't forget to check out the Flashers and Poetry page, where you'll find numerous nutritious nibbles of naughtiness.

(Ouch! Okay, okay, I'll nix the alliteration.)

Get into the holiday mood with our tantalizing tales:
erotica-readers.com/GD/S/Erotic_Fiction.htm

I know everyone's busy during this season, but there's no better way to relax and unwind than with a (preferably sexy) book. Our Books for Sensual Readers pages offer lots of suggestions. At the same time, you can be checking out potential gifts -- completely virtuous.

Of course you want to get your loved ones the very best. This month we feature BEST WOMEN'S EROTICA 2010 (edited by Violet Blue), BEST LESBIAN EROTICA 2010 (Kathleen Warnock), BEST LESBIAN ROMANCE 2010 (Radclyffe), BEST GAY EROTICA 2010 and BEST GAY ROMANCE 2010 (both from Richard Labonte), and BEST SEX WRITING 2010 (Rachel Kramer Bussel). Looking beyond superlatives, sample COMING TOGETHER: AGAINST THE ODDS, the latest in Alessia Brio's series of altruistic erotica anthologies. This one is on the theme of communication and supports Autism Speaks.

We've got lots of novels, too, from sensual romance to outrageous fantasy. Justine Elyot's ON DEMAND is set in a decadent hotel of hedonism and told from the point of view of the shy but highly observant Receptionist. THE GIRLFLESH CAPTIVES by Adriana Arden is an over-the-top tale of the competition between rival companies that supply slavegirls to interested parties. THE WAYS OF A MAN WITH A MAID is told by an anonymous Edwardian gentleman who maintains a well-equipped dungeon in an old insane asylum.

Photography, art, sexy self-help, graphic novels -- we've got it all. And you can have it all, simply by clicking on our links to Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Every purchase helps support ERWA in its mission (thirteen years and counting) to provide the very best erotic content on the web.

Savor the delights of reading:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/EB/Erotic_Books.htm

In the Smutters Lounge, the Yule log is on the hearth, the eggnog is poured (and spiked) and our columnists are waiting to share their thoughts with you. Ashley Lister interviews the prolific P.S. Havens in "Between the Lines". Donna George Storey debunks the popular notion that married people are not interested in sex, as well as providing the recipe for her International Cookies of Mystery. Robert Buckley's article, "Plenty of Miles Left", considers the implications of all the sixties rebels (like him and me!) becoming senior citizens, and suggests that we're likely to see a new sub-genre of senior erotica. (Actually, Bob has already written some, among my favorites in his story corpus.) J.T. Benjamin is worked up about, and thoroughly mystified by, the contradictory world of women's fashion. Jean Roberta conjures and then exorcises holiday ghosts -- those holidays from hell that we all have lived through.

We've got reviews, too. Rob Hardy reviews Lydia Syson's book about the eighteenth century doctor who invented sex therapy. Ashley surveys I.G. Frederick's BDSM romance DOMMEMOIR. Kristina Wright gives us a double header, providing enthusiastic takes on the Circlet Press anthology LIKE A GOD'S KISS as well as Rachel Kramer Bussel's PEEP SHOW collection. Vincent Diamond rounds out the reviews with a thoughtful look at Phillip MacKenzie Jr.'s gay military anthology SPECIAL FORCES.

Drop by the Lounge for scintillating conversation (and a wee nip):
erotica-readers.com/ERA/SL/Smutters_Lounge.htm

Authors, we know what you want for the holidays: a best-seller. In the Author Resources section, our columnists do their best to help you achieve that dream. Louisa Burton discusses the craft of using sentence structure to convey emotion and tone in "The Music of Words". Donna George Storey winds up her Shameless Self-Promotion series, looking forward and looking back, while slipping in some advice about radio interviews. In "Broken Rainbows", Ashley Lister muses on how studying the nuts and bolts of writing can steal some of the magic, and recommits himself to his art.

Visit the Calls for Submissions page to find just the right venue for publishing your opus. New items this month include Rachel Kramer Bussel's call for Best Bondage Erotica 2011, a contest from the prestigious erotica website Clean Sheets and a clutch of other Best Of collections. Also of interest are Phaze Books' call for M/M and menage steampunk and Samhain Publishing's request for red hot fairy tales. These are just samples. You'll find literally dozens of print and e-publishers, magazines and websites that want YOUR work.

Polish your prose at:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/AR/Erotica_Authors_Resources.htm

Sell your stuff at:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/G/Call_For_Submissions.htm

Things are exceptionally lively this month in the Sex Toy Playground. Mr. and Mrs. Toy give an enthusiastic two thumbs up to the Cyberskin Crystal Pussy Stroker. Kyra Saunders tells you the ins and outs of the Triple Play Teaser Glass Dildo. The folks at Adam and Eve, who are hosting the Playground this month, offer an informative article on the health benefits of using Ben Wa balls. Wasn't starting an exercise program one of your New Year's resolutions? The Sex Toy Scuttlebutt wraps it all up with a double serving of tantalizing toys that will help to make your season bright. Even better, Adam and Eve are offering a 20% discount to ERWA readers on any toy featured.

For all the naughty details, visit the Playground:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/ST/Sex_Toy_Playground.htm

You'll find lots of sweet and nasty stuff on our Adult Movies pages. In "Jesse Jane: Online", the delicious blonde star is pulled into a dark but thrilling cyber-sex relationship with a man who pushes her into increasingly extreme adventures. "Lesbian Adventures: Victorian Love Letters" offers the antithesis, tales of forbidden F/F passion filmed in a real Victorian mansion. Check out "Tory Black is Pretty Filthy"- the title says it all about this artful, stunning, hard-core epic. And for those of us who remember the world of sex before fake boobs and shaved pussies, check out the classic 1989 title, "The First Taboo", featuring Nina Hartley and Ron Jeremy.

Any title we feature can be yours at the click of a link -- buy, rent, or stream, whatever suits your fancy. Don't worry, we won't tell Santa.

Indulge your visual side:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/AM/Adult_Movies.htm

Inside the Erotic Mind this month you'll find a lively debate on the pros and cons of shaved genitalia -- both male and female. Four pages of discussion await you, with strong opinions on both sides. To add your own comments, just click on Participate.

Venture inside the Erotic Mind:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/ITEM/Inside_The_Erotic_Mind.htm

Our website of the month is the Christmas Corner on Amazon.com, your one-stop shop for holiday essentials. Discover Christmas ornaments in all shapes, colors, and themes, holiday music and movies, holiday baking essentials, craft supplies, entertaining books, and everything you need to celebrate the spirit of the season.

That just about wraps up (so to speak) our holiday edition. (Ouch! Careful! That whip is made for reindeer hide, you know...) Normally I leave you with some naughty innuendo, but once a year I allow myself to indulge in a bit of sentimentality. This is the sixth December that I've penned the Lure, and my tenth year as a member and contributor to ERWA. I've seen a lot during that time (and I'm not talking about dirty movies). I've seen fellow writers move from amateurs to pros. I've seen our authors become editors and even publishers. I've read stories in the Gallery that made me squeal with laughter, squirm with lust, and weep in sympathy.

I've never met Adrienne or Bob Buckley or Ashley Lister or Donna George Storey in the flesh, but I consider them close friends. ERWA is a special community that nurtures the development of talent and celebrates diversity and tolerance in the sexual realm. I'm sincerely grateful for the chance to be a part of this community. And I look forward to another productive and provocative year at ERWA.

In this season and always, may you experience peace, love, and lots of orgasms.

Your humble editor,
Lisabet

Visit Lisabet Sarai's Fantasy Factory
Check out Lisabet's blog
Join Lisabet's List

Sex Toy Scuttlebutt: December 2009 Edition

2009-11-30T16:31:00.011-05:00

The Sex Toy Scuttlebutt spotlights adult delights plucked from the extensive Adam & Eve website, home to hundreds of clit buzzing, butt plugging, dildo pumping, g-spot gushing, penis rubbing, prostate nudging adult toys made of silicone, rubber, plastic, glass, wood, and stainless steel, high tech, look-ma-no-hands, and old-fashion classic elegance.

With so many products cramming their shelves, selecting the best toy for your romp can be frustrating. In the interest of your pleasure, we are here to help via the Sex Toy Scuttlebutt.

As a special bonus, Adam & Eve will take 20% off your entire order, including products mentioned here in the Scuttlebutt. Just follow any of our links, make your choices, and at check-out, key in Coupon Code: ERWA10.

FOR HER

Golden Jack Rabbit Vibrator - Adam and Eve’s Jack Rabbit vibrator is better than ever! This new version of the popular women’s sex toy features a stronger motor, increased levels of power and even more options to leave you hopping!

The rabbit vibrator’s large tip rotates to create a more natural feel while you play with your new adult sex toy. The spinning metal beads located further down the adult sex toy’s shaft are positioned to massage and grind against your G Spot. The rabbit vibrator’s fixed track ensures that the beads provide consistent stimulation no matter how hard you clinch. And the high-powered adult sex toy’s rabbit stimulator really tickles and teases your clit, vibrating hundreds of times a minute for a super-strong stimulation.

Made from jelly, the rabbit vibrator is soft to the touch, but not very flexible with the rigid shaft running down the inside of the rod. The adult sex toy’s motor is much stronger than average vibrators, but it’s louder than average as well. The Golden Rabbit features 7 different levels of vibration and 6 levels of rotation to provide you with a more varied and pleasing experience.

The Golden Jack Rabbit Vibrator measures 1.75 inches across at its widest point and 10.5 inches from top to base, with 5.25 insertable inches. The push-button controller features separate controls for the vibration and rotation speeds and lights up as you try the different levels. The vibrator even features an off button to turn it completely off without having to cycle through all the options. The toy’s base screws open to reveal an easy load battery pack that helps reduce fumbling. A rubber O-ring seals the base to make the vibrator waterproof.

This women’s rabbit vibrator is compatible with water- or siliconed-based sex lubes. After using your adult sex toy, wash it in warm soapy water and rinse it off. Let the rabbit vibrator dry, and then store it a cool, dark place apart from your other adult sex toys. Adam and Eve strongly recommends buying a sex toy storage bag like the Sugar Saks to keep your rabbit vibrator in top shape.

Day Dreamers Joy Vibrator - Grab hold of the easy grip handle and brace yourself for a whole lot of afternoon delight! Turn your Day Dreamers Joy Vibrator on low for a teasing tingle that won’t be overheard, or twist the speed control cap all the way and ride its thrilling gyro-vibrations to a powerful climax!

This small vibrator’s velvet-cote surface is touchably smooth – no uncomfortable edges here. It provides powerful clitoral stimulation, yet feels oh-so-satisfying inside you. And with this small vibrator’s purple color and abstract beaded shape, it looks feminine and friendly. If you’re introducing a partner to the fun of playing with sex toys or trying out a vibrator for the first time yourself, the Day Dreamers Joy Vibrator is a great way to start the journey. This vibe would also be a great choice for fans of pocket rocket vibrators and other clit vibrators.

Make sure the control cap is tightly closed, and take this powerful little waterproof vibrator with you into the shower or tub. Or add a dab of lube and have a slippery good time anywhere the mood strikes! You can clean up this cute sex toy with mild soap and water, sex toy cleaner, or slip a condom on it during use. Before you store or travel with your Day Dreamers Joy Vibrator, make sure to remove the battery.

Small, discreet, and great for fun alone or with a partner – dream a little dream of the Day Dreamers Joy Vibrator!

FOR HIM

Cyberskin Crystal Pussy Stroker - The new crystal-clear CyberSkin® pussy masturbator feels so lifelike, you’ll think you’re sliding into the real thing! Accented with a frosted design, the clear CyberSkin of this sex toy lets you see the action with every stroke!

CyberSkin is soft and stretchy to fit any size man in a firm grip. And it warms up and holds your body temperature so that it feels like a real woman’s tight, warm pussy. Imagine popping your favorite DVD into the player, sitting back and watching scorching-hot women in steamy sex, while stroking away with this snug, steamy beauty! Or, if you’re not alone, imagine how aroused your partner will be when she uses the CyberSkin Crystal Pussy masturbator on you—or watches you use it yourself!

Lube up with a high-quality water-based sex lube such as Adam and Eve Personal Gel. Glide through the realistically-sculpted pussy lips into the super-tight opening and enjoy the snug, ribbed love tunnels that vary in size all the way down the 5” length for that real feel!

The ergonomic 2.5” wide tapered design gives you a firm grip no matter how hard you thrust! The Crystal Pussy masturbator is open-ended for easy cleaning, but if you desire more suction, just place your finger over the end hole. It’ll feel like the greatest blowjob you ever had!

The Cyberskin Crystal Pussy masturbator cleans up easily with warm, soapy water. Dry with a soft cloth and give it a light dusting of cornstarch to keep it fresh. Read our review at Mr & Mrs Toy Talk.

Waterproof Prostate Massager - Experiment with stimulating the “Male G Spot” with this slender and easy to use vibrating prostate massager! Made of firm plastic for easy guidance, the long shaft of this anal vibrator enables the user or his partner to hold the toy securely, letting the angled tip to work its magic directly against the prostate for unbelievable sensations. The base of this anal sex toy holds a powerful vibrator with speeds that quickly adjust with a twist for customized vibes, even in the heat of the moment.

The slender end of this prostate vibrator has a sensually bulged tip, tapered at the edge for comfortable insertion, especially when paired up with a favorite sex lubricant. The special tilted position of the tip means almost effortless prostate stimulation once the vibrator is inserted. The super slender shaft is perfect for beginners, enabling them to still feel the anal toy without it seeming overwhelming.

The multi-speed vibrations are centered in the tip for maximum stimulation where you want it most. Vibration speeds can be adjusted from a gentle tickle up to an orgasmic buzz by twisting the base to the left or right. A waterproof casing seals out water, to make this anal vibrator / prostate massager an ideal companion for a sexy bath or steamy shower experience, as well as a sexy addition between the sheets.

This pleasurable vibrator is made of firm plastic, which makes it non-porous and ideal for those with sensitivities to other adult toy materials. The Waterproof Prostate Massager anal vibrator is compatible with both silicone and water based lubricants, and easy to clean with soap and water or a sex toy cleaner. As with all waterproof sex toys, be sure to tighten the battery cap securely and inspect the O-ring seal before enjoying in the water.

FOR ALL

P3 Power Balls - Triple the vibrating pleasure with P3 Power Balls, the next generation of anal/vaginal beads. Each 1” ball has its own individual vibe! An easy push-button controller lets you choose from four levels of pulsation and vibration.

They’re perfect for anal or vaginal thrills, and slide in easily with Velvet Touch material. You’ve never felt beads like this before! They produce a varied, grinding-type of sensation that provides superior vaginal or anal stimulation.

The main attraction is that P3 Power Balls provide constant stimulation whenever you move and the motion of the balls is completely random so you never know what to expect and you never get accustomed to the sensations like one can with vibrators or other sex toys.

Coming Home - Starring: Jada Fire, Randy Spears; Director: Brad Armstrong; Studio: Wicked Pictures
2008 AVN Awards:
Best Actor: Brad Armstrong / Best Supporting Actor: Barrett Blade

Multi-award winning writer/director Brad Armstrong brings you 2008's most anticipated adult drama. An unforgettable 3-hour epic ripped from today's headlines, Coming Home is extraordinary movie making.

This is Wicked’s strongest feature in years, and one of those rarities in the adult industry: a movie actually about something.

Written, directed by and starring Brad Armstrong in the lead role, Coming Home tells the story of Brian Parsons, an Army reservist who gets called back to duty and sees his home life shattered as a result. Whether he intended to or not, Armstrong’s movie makes a rather poignant statement about the unforeseen effects the Iraq War is having and can have on young soldiers’ lives, and while Coming Home by no means takes any political sides, it does address one issue that mainstream media has yet touched upon: what happens to the guys that do make it back home?

_______
"Sex Toy Scuttlebutt: The Well-Stocked Boudoir" © 2009 Erotica Readers & Writers Association. All rights reserved.

"Shameless" Tips on Radio Interview Queries

2009-11-27T20:46:00.005-05:00

This month, in my last installment of Shameless Self-Promotion, I discuss the pleasures and challenges of appearing on radio shows to promote your novel. I’m including two of my sample queries here for your reference. The first is geared to a more high-brow host.

Dear Ms. X,

Ms. Y suggested I get in touch with you about a possible interview on “Book Talk” about my new novel, Amorous Woman, and other US-Japan intercultural issues related to the book.

Amorous Woman was published by Orion in the UK as part of their Neon line of literary erotica and was released in the US in May 2008. The novel was inspired by Ihara Saikaku’s 17th century Japanese erotic classic, The Life of an Amorous Woman. Intrigued by Saikaku’s picaresque, but emotionally complex tale, I decided to translate it into the modern story of an American woman’s experiences in Japan during its economic “bubble.” I’m a Princeton graduate with a Ph.D. in Japanese literature, and I’ve lived in Japan for several years. Amorous Woman is my first novel, although I’ve also published nearly a hundred literary and erotic stories and essays and my work received special mention in Pushcart Prize Stories 2004.

I’ve appeared on five radio shows including Ellen Shehadeh’s “View Point” on KWMR in Point Reyes Station, Denny Smithson’s “Cover to Cover” on KPFA in Berkeley and also read another literary essay for KQED’s “Writer’s Block” in San Francisco. In interviews I’ve discussed US-Japan cultural stereotypes such as the myths of the submissive geisha and the samurai salaryman, the historical and literary background of the novel, my definitions of erotica versus porn, the paradoxical prejudice against erotica in a consumer environment saturated with sexual messages, and how an academic and self-acknowledged feminist came to “talk back to porn” with a woman-centered exploration of eroticism as a complex element of human experience.

I’ve attached a brief synopsis and sample reviews of the novel below. I’d be happy to provide you with a copy of the book, print interviews including one in the East Bay Monthly, and links to other radio interviews at your request.

Thank you very much for your consideration of my proposal. I look forward to hearing from you.

Of course, ideally each query should reflect the intended market and not all interviewers are so serious. For a show that focuses on entertainment, I emphasized the more humorous possibilities as you see in the excerpts below:

Amorous Woman (Orion Publishing in the UK/US release through Trafalgar Books on May 28, 2008) is my first novel. It’s about a woman’s love affair with Japan and her adventures with as many men and women as she could pack into her futon along the way. Based on a Japanese erotic classic known for its wit, the story is rather like “Sex and the City” meets Memoirs of a Geisha with some David Sedaris thrown in for good measure.

I have a Ph.D. in Japanese literature from Stanford and have taught Japanese at U.C. Berkeley and Stanford. I have over eighty publication credits, including stories and essays in Gettysburg Review, Wine Spectator, Best American Erotica 2006, Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica and Best Women’s Erotica. I’ve been featured in magazines in the UK, translated into Italian and received special mention in Pushcart Prize Stories 2004. As part of my promotional efforts, I’ve appeared on Ellen Shehadeh’s View Point on KWMR in Point Reyes Station and have held several in-person readings and discussions. Because of my academic background, I am comfortable with public speaking and Q&A sessions. I enjoy bringing a humorous slant to my topic as well as talking about Japan, a country that still fascinates me twenty-five years after I first visited.

During the interview, I would be able to:

Discuss US-Japan cultural stereotypes such as the myths of the submissive geisha and the samurai salaryman—do the Japanese have better sex than we do in those love hotel dungeon rooms? And what about those vending machines that sell women’s “used” panties?

Talk about how a Stanford Ph.D. came to write a dirty novel and thus endanger the reputations of academics everywhere

Relate which aspects of my heroine’s adventures really happened to me—yes, I did have a boyfriend with one sensitive nipple and a group encounter on a spring night in Kyoto, although not exactly the way it happened in the book

Explain my take on the difference between erotica and porn—erotica’s what I like and porn’s what you like, but I’ve got some other provocative answers, too

Describe how erotica can change our lives by encouraging the exploration of how sex feels, a radical act in a society that focuses on how sex looks

Discuss the obstacles I’ve faced promoting the books and the pleasures in connecting with readers

If you’ve ever sat in a college class wondering if your professor had a secret life, I’m here to say the answer is definitely yes!

I’ve attached a brief synopsis and sample reviews of the novel below. I’d be happy to provide you with a copy of the book and print interviews at your request.

Thank you very much for your consideration of my proposal. I look forward to hearing from you.

For both queries, I also attached the information from my sell sheet including a one-paragraph pitch and a few brief excerpts from my favorite reviews. Good luck with your queries and have fun on the show!

Find out more about Donna George Storey and her adventures in shameless self-promotion at her blog.

The Tipping Point of Lust Contest; 1/31/10

2009-11-25T17:08:00.001-05:00

The Tipping Point of Lust Contest
Clean Sheets
Deadline is January 31, 2010

First Prize: $100.00 and publication in Clean Sheets Magazine

Second Prize: $50.00 publication in Clean Sheets Magazine

Third Prize: A copy of any two Clean Sheets direct-books and publication in Clean Sheets Magazine

Tell us a story. Make it sexy. The theme is “The Tipping Point of Lust” or, the tipping point of anything erotic that you believe in -- maybe The Tipping Point of Love, The Tipping Point of Bondage, The Tipping Point of Craving Beautiful Glass Dildoes, The Tipping Point for Breasts...you get the idea. Bring the grand concept of the tipping point -- that one dramatic moment when everything can change all at once -- down to the personal level. There’s no need to go all Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point) on us and be technical with his concepts, just tell a story that convinces the reader that somebody or something has reached that point where all the forces of the universe have aligned to alter things with a driving passion and the power of circumstance that are beyond anyone’s control. Make it poetic, profound, funny or wild, but be original.

Entries will be blinded (no names on them) and judged by a panel of Clean Sheets editors..

The Official Rules:

1. Less than 2,500 words only.

2. Theme must be erotic, and also must include the words "the tipping point" in the title.

3. In the subject line of your submission please include a descriptive line that includes your title.

4. E-mail submissions only, to tippingpointcontest@gmail.com

5. Send your submission either pasted inside the e-mail or as a .doc or .rtf attached file

6. No receipt will be be sent for your submission -- you can assume we have it unless it's returned to you.

7. Submission deadline is January 31, 2010, and winners will be published in early March 2010.

8. Prizes: Cash prizes will be sent approximately four weeks after the close of the contest.

Call For Contest Entries: deadline 01/15/2010

2009-11-18T13:55:00.001-05:00

The following Pill Hill Press contest info is from Cindi Myers Market Newsletter, an excellent source of info for authors. Anyone can sign up by sending a blank email to

Call For Contest Entries

Love Kills: My Bloody Valentine
Short Story Contest
Winning stories selected & edited by Jessy Marie Roberts
Email entries (via docx, doc or rtf attachment)
to: lovekills@pillhillpress.com

Submission deadline for love kills short story contest is 15 January 2010.

Please put SUBMISSION, followed by the title of the story, in the subject line of your email. Thanks!

Pill Hill Press is excited to announce its first writing contest. Winning stories will be published in a print anthology. Winners will receive:

1st Place - $125.00 + 1 contributor's copy of the book
2nd Place - $50.00 + 1 contributor's copy of the book
3rd Place - $25.00 + 1 contributor's copy of the book
Runners-up - 1 contributor's copy of the book

We are looking for SCARY stories, written in third person, featuring the theme LOVE KILLS: MY BLOODY VALENTINE. Stories should take place at or around Valentine's Day. Think obsession, lust, heartache, stalkers, etc. Serial killer stories welcome.

We prefer stories with atmospheric suspense vs. gore. Gruesome and/or sexy scenes are acceptable as long as they are essential to plot development.

Stories can take place at any time (past, present, future, alternate), and can take place anywhere (Earth, sea, outer space, other planets, etc.) as long as they fit the theme of LOVE KILLS: MY BLOODY VALENTINE.

We prefer stories in the 3,000-5,000 word range, though we will accept stories 2,000-6,000 words. Please do not enter stories under 2,000 words or over 6,000 words.

Contest entries will be accepted until 15 January 2010.
Tentative Release Date: 14 February 2010

Questions about this anthology? Email jessy@pillhillpress.com
Writers Guidelines: http://www.pillhillpress.com/writers-guidelines.html

Call for Submissions: Big Tools, 12/12/09

2009-11-15T15:35:00.001-05:00

Big Tools
Editor: Shane Allison
Publisher: Cleis Press
Deadline: December 12, 2009
Payment: $50

Who doesn't love a hot sweaty construction worker whose muscle-bound body glistens in the summer's relentless heat? The assets of a beefy carpenter or a strapping telephone repairman who works our loins into a horny frenzy?

This book of erotica will focus on the theme of those hot blue collar Mr. Fix Its. From plumbers who clean or pipes to cable guys and contractors. Any man who knows how to put his tools to good use. These stories can be told in first, second, or third person. Three or more characters in the stories would be great. Work that goes outside of the usual formula is always acceptable as long as they are highly erotic.

Reproductions are fine, but originals are much better. Include all contact information as well as your bio. Please keep your bio to 50 words or less.

Please send your stories in .doc or .rtf in Times New Roman, double space format to sdallison01@hotmail.com

Confessions of a Literary Streetwalker: Risks

2009-11-10T19:58:00.002-05:00

"The shock of September 11 is subsiding. Each day adds distance. Distance diminishes fear. Cautiously our lives are returning to normal. But "normal" will never be the same again. We have seen the enemy and the enemy is among us .... the publishers, producers, peddlers and purveyors of pornography."

It didn't take me long to find that quote, just a few minutes of searching. It came from an LDS Web site, Meridian Magazine, but I could have picked fifty others. Maybe it's because of the election, or because of a few horror stories that have recently come my way, but I think it's time to have a chat about what it can mean to ... well, do what we do.

We write pornography. Say it with me: por-nog-ra-phy. Not 'erotica' -- a word too many writers use to distance themselves, or even elevate themselves, from the down and dirty stuff on most adult bookstore shelves -- but smut, filth ... and so forth.

I've mentioned before how it's dangerous to draw a line in the sand, putting fellow writers on the side of 'smut' and others in 'erotica.' The Supreme Court couldn't decide where to scrawl that mark -- what chance do we have?

What good are our petty semantics when too many people would love to see us out of business, thrown in jail, or much, much worse? They don't see a bit of difference between what I write and what you write. We can sit and argue all we like over who's innocent and who's guilty until our last meals arrive, but we'll still hang together.

I think it's time to face some serious facts about what we do. 'Swinging from a rope' hyperbole aside, we face some serious risks for putting pen to paper or file to disk. I know far too many people who have been fired, stalked, threatened, had their writing used against them in divorces and child custody cases, and much worse.

People hate us. Not everyone, certainly, but even in oases like San Francisco people who write about sex can suffer tremendous difficulties. Even the most -- supposedly -- tolerant companies have a hard time with an employee who writes smut. A liberal court will still look down on a defendant who's published stories in Naughty Nurses. The religious fanatic will most certainly throw the first, second, third stone -- or as many as it takes -- at a filth peddler.

This is what we have to accept. Sure, things are better than they have been before and, if we're lucky, they will slowly progress despite the fundamentalism of the current government, but we all have to open our eyes to the ugly truths that can accompany a decision to write pornography.

What can we do? Well, aside from joining the ACLU (www.aclu.org) there isn't a lot to we can directly do to protect ourselves if the law, or Bible-wielding fanatics, break down our doors, but there are a few relatively simple techniques we can employ to be safe. Take these as you will, and keep in mind that I'm not an expert in the law, but most importantly, try to accept that what you are doing is dangerous.

Assess your risks. If you have kids, if you have a sensitive job, if you own a house, if you have touchy parents, if you live in a conservative city or state, you should be extra careful about your identity and what you are writing. Even if you think you have nothing to lose, you do -- your freedom. Many cities and states have very loose pornography laws, and all it would take is a cop, a sheriff, or a district attorney to decide you needed to be behind bars to put you there.

Hide. Yes, I think we should all be proud of what we do, what we create, but use some common sense about how easily you can be identified or found. If you have anything to lose, use a pseudonym, a post office box, never post your picture, and so forth. Women, especially, should be extra careful. I know far too many female writers who have been stalked or Internet-attacked because of what they do.

Keep your yap shut. Don't tell your bank, your boss, your accountant, your plumber, or anyone at all, what you do -- unless you know them very well. When someone asks, I say I'm a writer. If I know them better, I say I write all kinds of things -- including smut. If I know them very, very, very well then maybe I'll show them my newest book. People, it shouldn't have to be said, are very weird. Just because you like someone doesn't mean you should divulge that you just sold a story to Truckstop Transsexuals.

Remember that line we drew between 'pornography' and 'erotica'? Well, here's another. You might be straight, you might be bi, but in the eyes of those who despise pornography you are just as damned and perverted as a filthy sodomite. It makes me furious to meet a homophobic pornographer. Every strike against gay rights is another blow to your civil liberties and is a step closer to you being censored, out of a job, out of your house, or in jail. You can argue this all you want, but I've yet to see a hysterical homophobe who isn't anti-smut. For you to be anti-gay isn't just an idiotic prejudice, it's giving the forces of puritanical righteousness even more ammunition for their war -- on all of us.

I could go on, but I think I've given you enough to chew on. I believe that writing about sex is something that no one should be ashamed of, but I also think that we all need to recognize and accept that there are many out there who do not share those feelings. Write what you want, say what you believe, but do it with your eyes open. Understand the risks, accept the risks and be smart about what you do -- so you can keep working and growing as a writer for many years to come.

Call for Submissions: ... Hot Romance, 2/28/2010

2009-11-12T14:10:00.002-05:00

The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance
Editor: Maxim Jakubowski
Publisher: Robinson (UK), Running Press (USA)
Deadline: February 28, 2010
Payment: $300 plus 2 copies of the book

I am seeking stories ranging between 6,000 and 10,000 words, with strong characters and plot, falling to a certain extent between romance and erotica in terms of explicitness. Material sometimes published by Ellora’s Cave, Heat, Aphrodisia, Samhain, Red or Spice would be a characteristic guideline in terms of content and what I am seeking. The book will be aimed at a predominantly female readership.

I can pay $300 for non-exclusive anthology rights only, payable on publication plus 2 copies of the book, and my deadline is end of February 2010.

Disposable manuscripts should be submitted to me at 95 Finchley Lane, London NW4 1BY, UK. NO email submissions please.

I will respond to submissions by Easter 2010.

Call for Submissions: Carina Press

2009-11-09T14:54:00.001-05:00

Carina Press is now accepting submissions for our digital publishing line.

Our mission is to connect readers with authors who write the stories they want to read. We will be introducing the bestsellers of tomorrow.

Carina Press will feature books from talented authors in all genres of romance, erotica, science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, women’s fiction, and more. If the book of your heart fits into a niche that has very little shelf space in a traditional bookstore, Carina Press is eager to read and potentially publish your story.

WHAT WE’RE SEEKING…

Carina Press will consider shorter length stories of less than 50,000 words, genre novels between 50,000 to 100,000 words and longer and complex narratives of over 100,000 words. We expect to publish a majority of romance and erotic romance but are also very interested in women’s fiction, science fiction, fantasy, futuristic, mystery, thrillers, horror, and niches. If you have something new and fresh we would be happy to read your story!

Your passion, quality of writing and voice is what will make your manuscript stand out and be considered for publication.

At this time we are not acquiring young adult novels. Additionally, Carina Press is not acquiring non-fiction or poetry of any kind.

Guidelines and submission details at:
carinapress.com/?page_id=2

Adam & Eve gives ERWA customers 20% off

2009-11-08T18:20:00.002-05:00

Adam & Eve agreed to give ERWA customers 20% off their entire order.

Just in case you're not familiar with Adam & Eve, they sell sex toys and movies for men, women and couples. They have a huge selection of adult products, prices are reasonable, and their customer service is excellent.

And perhaps most important, Adam & Eve is a community conscious company, heavily committed to public service, with company and employee involvement in local charities, schools, community groups, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Relay for Life and the Special Olympics. Additionally, more than 25% of Adam & Eve profits are donated to charitable organizations including DKT International. Over the past decade, more than 40% of Adam & Eve profits have been donated to charity programs. This is a good company to support.

To receive the ERWA discount follow any Adam & Eve link in ERWA's Sex Toy Scuttlebutt
Or use this Adam & Eve link: www.adameve.com/7637.html

Go anywhere on the Adam & Eve site, make your choices, and at check-out enter Coupon Code 'ERWA10', which entitles ERWA customers 20% off the entire order.

Happy shopping,

Adrienne
Erotica Readers & Writers Association
www.erotica-readers.com
-

Sex Toy Scuttlebutt: The Well-Stocked Boudoir

2009-01-27T16:03:00.004-05:00

Valentine Day Edition

Diamonds for Valentine's Day... again? Give your lover something truly spectacular this Valentine's Day with a sexy Babeland treat that you both can enjoy.

As a special bonus for the lubricious folk of the Erotica Readers & Writers Association Blog, the Bodacious Babeland Babes will take 10% off the price of any product linked in this edition of the Sex Toy Scuttlebutt. At check-out, key in Coupon Code: ERWA08.

Usual Suspects Kit - Artistic, edgy, collectable, and utterly hot-sex toy designer Jimmyjane hits another orgasmic bullseye with a sexy kit containing the almighty trio of sex toys: the Iconic Rabbit, the Iconic Pocket, and the Iconic Ring. They've put their gorgeous, elegant spin on three of the most iconic vibrators of all time: the Rabbit (great for clit and G-spot vibration), the Pocket Rocket (nice for travel and discreet trysts), and a vibrating cock ring vibe (perfect for orgasms for two). To top it all off, the packaging is nothing short of visually perfect, making this an ideal gift for both the sex toy lover who has everything, or the newbies who want to explore all their bases with one stylish gift.

We-Vibe Couple's Kit - Build intimacy, spark creativity and explore new territory with the perfect-for-two We Vibe Couple's Kit. Warm up with a mist of our sumptuous Babeland Massage Spray and a full-body rub down. Wear the ultimate couple's vibrator, the We Vibe, during penetration for targeted vibration of the G spot and clit. Add spontaneity by drawing a card from the Kama Sutra-inspired Sex Deck of Positions, and keep things wet with a dab of our super-slick Entice lube.

Share the Love Kit - Share love, secrets, sex-and orgasms-with a sweet couple's kit that provides a friendly introduction to sex toys and insures that both of you are in on the action. Warm up with a full-body massage, made ultra-luxurious with the help of our Massage Candle. Take a tumble with Naughty Bedroom Dice and follow the sexy, fun directions, then share your sex toys: our bestselling, non-intimidating Babeland Pocket Rocket clit vibrator and the easy-to-use vibrating Sonic Ring cock ring kit. Batteries, lube, and condom included.

Eco-Delight Kit - Great sex just got greener, thanks to the planet-, body-, and orgasm-friendly contents of our Eco-Delight Kit. Make 'conscience' pleasure yours: slide onto the non-toxic, rechargeable deluxe Delight vibrator, get wet with organic flower-infused Naked Lube, indulge with a soy-based melting wax Rice Flower Massage Candle, and sheathe yourself in silky, vegan Mamba latex condoms (made by a Swedish non-profit). Even the packaging is good to Mother Earth-just plant the recycled paper studded with wild flower seeds and watch your pleasure blossom.

Sensational SaSi Kit - Indulge her every desire-and bring her to the brink of orgasm again and again-with the Sensational SaSi Kit. Slip a Satin Mask over her eyes and take charge: tease her with a sensuous Pleasure Feather and drizzle warm, melting oil from a decadent Babeland Massage Candle over every inch of skin. Then find out just what will take her over the edge (or prolong orgasm indefinitely) with customizable vibration patterns from the ultimate luxury vibe, the SaSi.

Erotic Lure Newsletter: November 2009 Edition

2009-11-01T15:34:00.003-05:00

From the Erotica Readers & Writers Association
By Lisabet Sarai
November 2009
_______

Dear Hungry Hedonists,

It's November once again at the Erotica Readers & Writers Association, time for our annual feast of erotic delicacies and my usual jokes about the kinky potential of the early New England colonists' stocks. Perhaps I'll eschew those witticisms this year. For one thing, my Pilgrim costume is not in the best of shape after an eager disciplinarian slit it up the back last November in his quest for improved access...

Anyway, I'm sure that you don't want to hear about my sex life. Let me tell you instead about the bounty that awaits you in this month's edition of ERWA.

In the Story Galleries, we have collected a juicy half dozen tantalizing tales that showcase the incredible versatility of our authors. From dark obsession to sweet voyeurism, kinky power games to alternative futures, you are bound to find something that touches your heart and excites your senses. Slip into the Flashers and Poetry page for more delights, from humor to pathos.

Our authors do it all for you:
erotica-readers.com/GD/S/Erotic_Fiction.htm

As the weather turns crisp, it's time to curl up by a warm fire with a hot book. ERWA has dozens of recommendations. Rachel Kramer Bussel's latest collection, PEEP SHOW, offers sizzling tales of voyeurs and exhibitionists. Black Lace has released two new anthologies of its signature women's erotica, MISBEHAVIOUR and THE AFFAIR. If your thoughts are turning toward the upcoming holidays, pick up a copy of WRAPPED IN SEDUCTION, three naughty novellas on Christmas themes. For the readers on your Christmas list (yes, it's time to be thinking about gifts already!), how about giving a classic? John Cleland's infamous FANNY HILL and Charles Devereaux's 1889 oriental romp VENUS IN INDIA are both now available in new editions. Rob Rosen's DIVAS LAS VEGAS is my pick in the gay fiction category. It's a fun-filled, sin-soaked mystery spoof set on the glittering Strip. WOMAN OF THE BITE, edited by Cecilia Tan, will satisfy your hunger for lesbian vampire erotica. Visual types may enjoy STRANGE DAYS: ALIENS, ADVENTURERS, DEVILS AND DAMES, by Arnie and Cathy Fenner, a superb collection of cover art from the era of pulp magazines. And those of you who think about sex even when you're not aroused will appreciate PR0NNNOVATION? PORNOGRAPHY AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, a collection of talks from the outrageous Arse Elektronica conference.

Our Books for Sensual Readers pages are an overflowing cornucopia of the concupiscent:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/EB/Erotic_Books.htm

Whether you're holiday shopping or just being good to yourself, don't forget to use our affiliate links whenever you can. Every purchase you make (even kitchenware or sweat socks!) from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and our other partners contributes to ERWA's continued existence as the premier site for free erotic content on the World Wide Web.

After racing up and down among our virtual bookshelves, I always enjoy dropping by the Smutters Lounge for some relaxation and edification. This month Ashley Lister interviews Mitzi Szereto, editor of the acclaimed Erotic Travel Tales series, and also reviews her book IN SLEEPING BEAUTY'S BED. Donna George Storey comments on the similarities between writing critiques and sex in "Don't Fondle My Sentences" (but then again, Donna is adept at seeing connections between almost everything and sex...!) J.T. Benjamin is all worked up about the all-too-public indiscretions of so-called celebrities and is considering starting a new gossip magazine called "I Don't Care". Jean Roberta's column, "The Garden of Earthly Delights", riffs on the theme of Thanksgiving bounty to consider the value of sexual fantasy. In book reviews, aside from Ashley's offering, we have Rob Hardy's review of LADY IN RED by Hallie Rubenhold, an enlightening and entertaining account of eighteenth century public indiscretions. I contribute a review of D.M. Atkins' and Chris Taylor's homoerotic paranormal romance, FAEWOLF.

Stimulate yourself in the Smutters Lounge:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/SL/Smutters_Lounge.htm

Speaking of stimulation, the Sex Toy Playground this month offers an authoritative introduction to stimulating the prostate from the folks at Adam and Eve. (Personally, I appreciated their gender-neutral references to exploring with one's "partner".) Mr. and Mrs. Toy are up to their usual tricks, reviewing the Clear Crystal Wand, a multi-function lucite toy for both him and her. The gals from Babeland have assembled a bountiful harvest of erotic instruments in their Sex Toy Scuttlebutt column. Be thankful -- ERWA subscribers get 10% off any toy featured!

Indulge yourself in the Playground:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/ST/Sex_Toy_Playground.htm

Shorter days mean longer nights. Take advantage of the dark with some new adult movies. This month seems to be parody month (I wonder if Ashley Lister had anything to do with our selection.) We feature "The Sex Files: A Dark XXX Parody", "30 Rock: An XXX Parody" and the must-have "This Isn't Twilight". Also worthy of note is the hilarious and slippery "Flight Attendants" and Jessica Drake's dark thriller "Lies". On the classic porn page I came across a movie that is completely unfamiliar but that sounds wonderful, the 1977 "Visions of Clair". The film stars Annette Haven as the exsquisitely beautiful occupant of a mysterious mansion who draws both men and women to do her sexual bidding. Sounds like my sort of scenario.

All these titles and scores more can be yours with a simple click on one of our affiliate links. And you can save money, too: Adam and Eve has a buy one DVD, get four offer right now, and Adult DVD Empire is offering a 30% discount on some titles. What are you waiting for? It's practically virtuous!

For those who like to watch:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/AM/Adult_Movies.htm

Inside the Erotic Mind, the denizens discuss the sense of smell and the role it plays in arousal. Perfume or pure sweat, which do you prefer? Share your opinions by clicking on the Participate link.

Venture inside the erotic mind:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/ITEM/Inside_The_Erotic_Mind.htm

Erotica authors, I have not forgotten you! On the Authors Resources page this month, Louisa Burton gives great advice on pacing and avoiding story bloat. "If it isn't STORY," she reminds us, "leave it out." Donna George Storey's Shameless Self-Promotion column is entitled "Bigger is Better". Hey, she's talking about BOOKSTORES, and the fact that small independents, virtuous as they are, are often not friendly to small authors. Ashley Lister is "Celebrating Poetry" by sharing his own hilarious homage to Edgar Allen Poe and T.S. Elliot. Warning! Do not read this column while you are drinking coffee. Your keyboard may never recover.

As usual the Calls for Submission pages are literally stuffed with great opportunities for the aspiring erotica writer. Maxim Jakubowski has extended the deadline for his Sex in the City series. Adam Nevill has calls out for a raft of new anthologies to be published by Xcite Books in the U.K. Shane Allison has updated the call for his gay antho Big Tools. And don't forget the call for Coming Together: As One, Alessia Brio's latest charity anthology, which is focused on menage stories. There's no pay other than the satisfaction of helping a good cause, but her books get a lot of media attention.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. You'll find dozens more publishers, magazines and websites in the most comprehensive and up-to-date erotica market guide on the web.

Write your opus:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/AR/Erotica_Authors_Resources.htm

Then sell it:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/G/Call_For_Submissions.htm

Our current Web Gem is Exotic World Gifts. They offer unique, hand-crafted products that support fair trade and safe, healthy working conditions. Exotic World Gifts' mission is to connect consumers with small scale artisans around the world, providing the artisans with sustainable income. The site is user-friendly, prices and shipping costs are reasonable. It's a great way to knock items off your holiday gift list and feel good doing it.

Before I sign off, I want to thank Ashley Lister for penning last month's Lure, while I was traveling in exotic realms of the senses. (Actually, I was at a conference.) Ashley is always adept at stepping into my shoes--in this case my favorite purple suede thigh-high boots. Now if I could only get him to give them back!

Have a great month, enjoy your Thanksgiving if you happen to be a Yank, and don't do anything I wouldn't do.

That leaves you a lot of leeway...

Gratefully yours,
Lisabet

Visit Lisabet Sarai's Fantasy Factory
Check out Lisabet's Oh Get a Grip blog
Join Lisabet's List

Erotica Writers Contest

2009-10-10T19:21:00.001-04:00

Writers of Erotic Stories, Erotic Fiction, Short Fiction Stories and Erotic Literature

Mainstream Erotica is looking for additional excellent erotica writers, and we’re putting on a contest to achieve this objective! Writers will be able to submit their work to us NOW for posting. Starting on November 1st, 2009 M E will post the best ten stories submitted each month and they will remain on the site for one month as our readers rank them. We think this process will help us identify more and better writers of erotic stories but also help us discover more about the type of erotica our readers like, thus a win/win for us all.

Submissions must be a minimum of 1000 words, with no maximum; and the ten best monthly stories posted to our site will be compensated a flat rate of $30. In addition, each monthly winner, of those 10 stories, will be hired by M E as a freelance writer to write erotic stories and/or fiction for our publication.

One writer from each quarter will become a quarter-finalist. This person’s work will be juried by our M E staff and decided upon based upon merit and writing skill. That person becomes a quarter-finalist and at the end of the year each of the four quarter-finalists will go head-to-head and submit new work to be judged for a final first place prize, which will include $1000.00 in cash and prizes, as well as the title of Mainstream Erotica’s Erotic Stories Writer of the Year!

Please post your submissions to erotica@mainstreamerotica.com. Please label all submission with the following “EROTIC FICTION WRITERS CONTEST/ DATE”.

All work must be new and unpublished on any other online or print publication. Each monthly erotic stories winner will be asked to submit a new piece to M E for us to publish (writer will be compensated for these pieces) At which time we will have you sign a contract stating all of our terms and conditions.

Please only send one entry per person, per month. We appreciate all your hard work, and let the games begin!

Erotic Lure Newsletter: October 2009 Edition

2009-10-01T13:48:00.003-04:00

From the Erotica Readers & Writers Association
By Ashley Lister
October 2009
_______

Greetings Erotic Readers & Writers,

This is Ashley Lister, sitting in for the luscious Lisabet Sarai and guiding you through this month's updated pages at the wonderful world of ERWA. Lisabet is jet-setting to far-flung and fascinating corners of the globe but, before she left, she dressed me in the traditional garb of the ERWA tour guide and asked me to take good care of each and everyone of you. So, if you'll fasten your seatbelts and make sure you’re sitting comfortably, allow me to take you on a smooth and pleasurable ride.

Let’s start with Jean Roberta's review of Remittance Girl's A Slip of the Lip. A Slip of the Lip is a free collection of 21 stories with the focus on kissing. Read the review, then download the book. ERWA is the premier resource for top quality erotic fiction and this collection showcases the talents of ERWA’s stable of gifted writers. Download it now. Read and enjoy. I can wait here until you've finished.

Good. Have you got your copy? Then come with me to the story galleries. The theme this month is La Petite Mort. Someone explained to me that this refers to the French euphemism for orgasm. I was relieved. I thought the theme was about dead midgets and that’s never sexy. But there are no dead midgets here: only plenty of delicious ‘La Petite Morts’ brought to you by erotic writers of the highest calibre.

Please, enjoy your stay at the story galleries. There are plenty of tales to titillate, tease and tempt you to linger longer. Like I said before, I can wait here whilst you peruse what’s on offer. I'm in no rush to get out of this uniform. It nicely accentuates my potbelly.

Books? Did someone say books? Haven't you had your fill with A Slip of the Lip and all the fantastic free fiction at the story galleries? Perhaps it’s because you like to hold something hard in your hand? Like a book. Check out the featured books. Aside from Remittance Girl’s A Slip of the Lip, you can also hear all about D L King’s latest erotic anthology: The Sweetest Kiss. Now that autumn is upon us, it’s time to think about snuggling up with something beneath the covers, and what could be better than sexy-spooky vampire stories? Apart from snuggling up with your ERWA tour-guide, I don't think anything else could be more sexy or more satisfying. Books for Sensual Readers Please, check it out. I don't mind waiting. I have all the time in the world.

Do you write? Then you'll love the author resources this month. Louisa Burton in her inimitable FictionCraft column, reminds us how to keep it real. The shameless Donna George Storey (Shameless Self Promotion) advocates the idea of making promo videos to sell our fiction. Seriously: if you’re published and wanting to promote your work, read Donna’s sage advice on how to get your words into moving promotional pictures. Then, whilst we’re still talking writers and writing, you might want to read my column on how I enjoy stealing ideas. Authors’ Resources: it’s the hip place to be.

The next stop on this tour will also appeal to authors as we check out the current Calls For Submissions. To avoid confusion, the new stuff is marked with the word ‘new.’ If you have problems with this labelling system, then you’re an idiot. Seriously, this is editors and publishers looking for well-written material and telling you exactly what they want. If you’re an author and you overlook this part of the tour, then you’re obviously not serious about your writing.

Let’s step Inside The Erotic Mind for a moment. The burning question at the moment is: What Turns You On? Are the fun-loving folks Inside The Erotic Mind discussing YOU and YOUR PERSONAL pleasure buttons? You'll have to visit to find out. Your contributions and comments will always be welcome.

Which brings us to Smutters Lounge. Here you can cast your eye over my probing interview with the enormously talented D L King. Donna George Story asks ‘Are You A Real Writer?' (No, Donna, I'm a tour-guide today) and Robert Buckley takes us on an insider’s tour of Salem. If that’s not enough for your ravenous appetites, then check out why J T Benjamin is getting All Worked Up this month and what Jean Roberta has to say about Innocent Guns (Sex is all Metaphors). Trust me there isn't a word in these columns that will disappoint.

And now, you've had your senses stimulated viscerally and figuratively, let’s get round to stimulating them literally. The Sex Toy Playground has the buzz on all the latest toys, trinkets and tickly-things that can bring a smile to those hard to reach places. If a ride with this trusted tour-guide isn't enough to tickle your fancy, there should be something here from the plug-and-play section that puts the big O in your October.

The Best In Adult Movies features… well, the best in adult movies. If you've read the book and tried the toy: now see the film.

And, finally, there’s the newly updated Portfolio of Links from ERWA. If you haven't found what you’re looking for through our whirlwind tour, then the chances are that there will be a link here that puts the sizzle in your sausage.

The Web Gem this month is Hips and Curves.com, featuring a spectacular assortment of sexy plus size Halloween costumes. Get your treats this Halloween in a frilly French Maid outfit, a Dance Hall Honey, Hole in One Golfer, how about a Rowdy Referee or Wood Nymph. There's dozens of choices at Hips and Curves.com

Which brings us nicely back to where we started. Thank you so much for travelling with me, I hope you've found something of interest on this month’s site and I trust you'll come back and visit repeatedly throughout the month now that you know where everything is.

Enjoy your October with ERWA.

Ashley

Visit Ashley at:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/COF/ALister.htm

Make Your Own Book Trailer!

2009-09-30T17:31:00.002-04:00

This month in my Shameless Self-Promotion column I discuss a cutting edge and visually-stimulating way to get your book before new viewers (and potential buyers)--the book trailer. There are plenty of professionals willing to help you make a trailer, but if you're a do-it-yourself type, it can be lots of fun to make your own. So check out then trailer for my novel, Amorous Woman, then read all about how my husband and I did it. I mean made the trailer, of course!

I hope you enjoy your erotic trip to Japan...,

“Shameless” Tips on Book Trailers with Kim McDougall

2009-09-28T12:09:00.004-04:00

This month’s Shameless Self-Promotion discusses the cross-media thrill of creating a book trailer. I have the pleasure to interview professional book trailer producer Kim McDougall, who has graciously agreed to share her experiences promoting her work in general and creating book trailers in particular. Kim is a professional photographer, award-winning and prolific author and the founder of the new book trailer promotion site, Blazing Trailers. She writes fiction that “ignores boundaries, mixes genres and confounds classification”—which is definitely my kind of fiction! Her many credits include the fantasy titles The Golden Hour, “Luminari,” and the Twisted Tales series. She writes for children and young adults as Kim Chatel with titles including The Stone Beach, Rainbow Sheep, and A Talent for Quiet.

Shameless Self-Promotion: What have you found to be the most effective ways to promote your books? The most enjoyable?

Kim McDougall: The most enjoyable for me is definitely visiting schools and libraries to read my book to kids. Sometimes we do a craft too. This brings me full circle, back to the beginning of the creative process. It’s a reminder (after all the hard work, waiting and promoting) of why I write for kids in the first place. I have also made decent sales this way. I usually get about a 10% return from these visits. So if I see 300 kids, I might sell 30 books.

SSP: The least effective ways or biggest challenges?

I’m not convinced that chat groups and forums are a great way to promote. I know some authors have been successful with these, but I just feel like I preaching to the choir. And while it’s pleasant to chat with other writers, I haven’t seen any indication that this translates in many sales, especially considering the time involved.

SSP: What has been the most surprising thing about the experience of book promotion?

I was surprised that local chain bookstores were so difficult to deal with. Barnes and Noble won’t have me in to do a book signing because my book is POD. Yet another author in with my publisher is having great success with her POD books at her local B&N in California. The biased against POD is a local thing and I don’t understand it. There is nothing for the bookstore to lose.

SSP: Any tips about designing a website?

I’ve received one comment from a viewer on my site www.kimmcdougall. It was positive. She was impressed with my site because it was clean, simple and easy to navigate. She complained that so many writers try to jam everything and the kitchen sink into their sites. I have to agree. When I go to a site that has so much clutter I can’t find anything, I’m immediately turned off.

SSP: Do you have any thoughts on blogging?
Because I’m such an inconsistent blogger, I’ve found that keeping a blog myself is a waste of time. These things need to build steady steam to be effective. For myself, I have found two effective ways of making blogs work for me.

First, I guest blog at other people’s blogs. This gives me exposure to varying audiences, without having to keep a blog myself.

Second, I use Google alerts to find blogs talking about subjects similar to my book. For instance, I get Google alerts about needle-felting, and when I find someone blogging about it, I go in and invite them to my site to see the movie about me making a felt sheep. This is a soft sell. I may mention my book, Rainbow Sheep, if it’s appropriate, but if I get them to visit my site, they’ll find the book themselves. This is a tricky way of promoting though. You don’t want to spam a blog with a simple ad for your book. Rather, this is a way to strike up a conversation with others who may have the same interests as you and hope that something will come of it.

SSP: Can you share your experiences with book fairs or in-person events?

Because of the craft element in Rainbow Sheep, I have been able to sell my book quite successfully at local craft fairs. In fact, I do better at these than at bookstores. Some craft fairs will allow author signings. It’s a good thing to look into locally. I also make many great contacts in the community this way.

SSP: How about swag--such as postcards, bookmarks, pens, flyers, T-shirts, magnets, etc. Which has been the most useful?

I don’t believe giving away books is a good way to sell books. If you have a series, this might work, by holding a contest to win the first book. However, in general, when I hold contests, I give away other things. For December, I had a giveaway for my short story, “Luminari,” from Eternal Press. I made necklaces of little glass vials filled with gold glitter to represent the “Luminari” in the story. I gave these away free to the first 25 buyers of the story in December. I also used them for contests on chat forums.

The cost of the supplies and the mailing was more than my royalties on the story, but I consider it a loss-leader. It brought people to my site and enabled me to start a mailing list.

SSP: You specialize in creating book trailers for other authors (and yourself), do you have any specific tips for beginning book trailer artists--maximum or minimum length, use of effects, things to avoid, best places to buy images or music?

When all is said and done, a trailer is a commercial and I think many authors making their own forget that. The three things you want your viewer to take away from the trailer are: your book title, your name and a vague memory of your cover. You want to engage the viewer with the imagery and music, but those three factors need to pop, too.

Here’s is a description of many author trailers I view that I feel don’t work as a promo: 4-5 minutes of static photos, with long lines of description, ending with the book cover. If I had already read the book, the passing images might hold relevance to me, but as a possible buyer, they make little impact. And while these slide shows may be beautiful to watch, they aren’t a good selling tool because they don’t leave the viewer thinking, “Wow, I’d like to read that book!”

I try to combine video with photos and bring movement to the still images. Also, I prefer to use fewer images, but choose those with more impact. Music is also really important. Dramatic music can make a huge difference to the feeling of a trailer. Finally, I try to limit my trailers to two minutes. It’s so easy for a viewer to click away from a video that is too long or doesn’t interest them.

SSP: Which trailer(s) would you consider good examples of your work?

Here’s an example of a trailer that uses still imagery but is not static. “River Bones” by Mary Deal. It uses only a few images, but they are all dramatic as is the music. This would be a fairly inexpensive trailer to make.

“The Locket,” by Suzanne Lieurance is another example of static images, coming alive. This one uses sound effects to good measure.

One of my favorite trailers using video clips, is one of my earliest for my YA novel “The Stone Beach.” This would be a more expensive trailer to make, but it is quite dramatic. You’ll notice, there is very little text on this one.

Another alternative is to take one video clip and split it into pieces so to spread it over an entire trailer. This in an inexpensive way to bring movement to a trailer. An example of this is my trailer for “Barbegazi.”

SSP: How do you get book trailers noticed?

The reason I established Blazing Trailers, was because there were few places to showcase trailers properly. It is important to post your trailer all over the net. There are many sites other than YouTube and a simple Google search will call up a dozens of them. Let these sites bring traffic to your site.

But when it comes to inviting people to see your trailer, you’re best to offer a link to your site or a place like Blazing Trailers where the viewer has an immediate opportunity to buy your book. If you’re on a chat and you say “look at my trailer on YouTube.” The viewer may go look at it, but then what? It’s a dead end. But if you post your trailer on your site with a buy link, they have to opportunity to find out more information about the book and possibly buy it.

That’s why at Blazing Trailers, each book page has the trailer and then a blurb, excerpt, review and buying information.

Here are a couple of sites that get good viewer clicks that some authors might not know about.

Gather.com

Break.com

Previewthebook.com (for shorter book trailers)

SSP: Thank you so much, Kim, for sharing your experiences and especially for the insights into making book trailers! For more very helpful information on creating your own book trailer and using it to market your book, check out this interview with Kim at Book Talk Corner.

Find out more about Donna George Storey and her adventures in shameless self-promotion at her blog.

Confessions of a Literary Streetwalker: The Best of the Best of the Best

2009-09-23T23:53:00.004-04:00

(as part of my new gig writing for the ERWA's blog here's one of my classic Confessions columns. Enjoy!)

Here's a quote that's very near and dear to my heart:

From the age of six I had a mania for drawing the shapes of things. When I was fifty I had published a universe of designs, but all I have done before the age of seventy is not worth bothering with. At seventy five I'll have learned something of the pattern of nature, of animals, of plants, of trees, birds, fish and insects. When I am eighty you will see real progress. At ninety I shall have cut my way deeply into the mystery of life itself. At a hundred I shall be a marvelous artist. At a hundred and ten everything I create; a dot, a line, will jump to life as never before. To all of you who are going to live as long as I do, I promise to keep my word. I am writing this in my old age. I used to call myself Hokosai, but today I sign my self 'The Old Man Mad About Drawing.'

That was from Katsushika Hokusai, a Japanese painter of the Ukiyo-e school (1760-1849). Don't worry about not knowing him, because you do. He created the famous Great Wave Off Kanagawa, published in his "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" -- a print of which you've probably
seen a thousand times.

Hokusai says it all: the work is what's really important, that he will always continue to grow and progress as an artist, and that who he is will always remain less than what he creates.

Writing is like art. We struggle to put our thoughts and intimate fantasies down just-so, then we send them out into an often harsh and uncaring world, hoping that someone out there will pat us on the head, give us a few coins, and tell us we did a good job.

What with this emotionally chaotic environment a little success can push just about anyone into feeling overly superior. Being kicked and punched by the trials and tribulations of the writing life making just about anyone desperate to feel good about themselves -- even if it means
losing perspective, looking down on other writers. Arrogance becomes an emotional survival tool, a way of convincing themselves they deserve to be patted on the noggin a few more times than anyone else, paid more coins, and told they are beyond brilliant, extremely special.

It's very easy to spot someone afflicted with this. Since their superiority constantly needs to be buttressed, they measure and wage the accomplishments and merits of other writers putting to decide if they are better (and so should be humbled) or worse (and so should be the source of worship or admiration). In writers, this can come off as someone who thinks they deserve better ... everything than anyone else: pay, attention, consideration, etc. In editors, this appears as rudeness, terseness, or an unwillingness to treat contributors as anything but a resource to be exploited.

Now my house has more than a few windows, and I have more than enough stones, so I say all this with a bowed head: I am not exactly without this sin. But I do think that trying to treat those around you as equals should be the goal of every human on this planet, let alone folks with literary aspirations. Sometimes we might fail, but even trying as best we can -- or at least owning the emotion when it gets to be too much -- is better than embracing an illusion of superiority.

What this has to do with erotica writing has a lot to do with marketing. As in my last column ("Pedaling Your Ass") where I vented a bit on the practice of selling yourself rather than your work, arrogance can be a serious roadblock for a writer. It is an illusion -- and a pervasive
one -- that good work will always win out. This is true to a certain extent, but there are a lot of factors that can step in the way of reading a great story and actually buying it. Part of that is the relationship that exists between writers and publishers or editors. A writer who honestly believes they are God's gift to mankind might be able to convince a few people, but after a point their stories will be more received with a wince than a smile: no matter how good a writer they are their demands are just not worth it.

For editors and publishers, arrogance shows when more and more authors simply don't want to deal with them. After a point they might find themselves with a shallower and shallower pool of talent from which to pick their stories -- and as more authors get burned by their attitude and the word spreads they might also find themselves being spoken ill of to more influential folks, like publishers.

Not to take away from the spiritual goodness of being kind to others, acting superior is also simply a bad career move. This is a very tiny community, with a lot of people moving around. Playing God might be fun for a few years but all it takes is stepping on a few too many toes -- especially toes that belong on the feet of someone who might suddenly be able to help you in a big way some day – making arrogance a foolish role to play.

I am not a Christian (despite my pseudonym) but they have a great way of saying it, one that should be tacked in front of everyone's forehead: "Do onto others as you would have then do unto you." It might not be as elegant and passionate as my Hokusai quote, but it's still a maxim we should all strive to live by -- professionally as well as personally.

Call for Submisisons: 4 calls

2009-09-24T19:13:00.002-04:00

There's 4 new calls for submissions on ERWA:

Coming Together: As One
Editor: Alessia Brio
Publisher: Phaze
Deadline: December 31, 2009
http://erotica-readers.com/ERA/G/Coming_Together.htm

Best Gay Erotica 2011
Series Editor: Richard Labonte; Judge, Kevin Killian
Publisher: Cleis Press, November 2010
Deadline: April 1, 2010
Payment: Payment $50-$75, plus two contributor copies
http://erotica-readers.com/ERA/G/Best_Gay_Erotica_2011.htm

Best Gay Romance 2011
Series Editor: Richard Labonte
Publisher: Cleis Press, December 2010
Deadline: May 1, 2010
Payment: Payment $50-$75, plus two contributor copies
http://erotica-readers.com/ERA/G/Best_Gay_Romance_2011.htm

Mainstream Erotica
A sharp looking pay-for-subscription online magazine
http://erotica-readers.com/ERA/G/Mainstream_Erotica.htm

A Slip of the Lip: ERWA Collection of Kisses

2009-09-23T16:24:00.003-04:00

Kisses are electrifying, passionate, and powerful ... and difficult to express in words. ERWA authors, a group of audacious writers, took on the challenge. The remarkable results are featured in our free ebook, A Slip of the Lip: The Erotica Readers & Writers Association Collection of Kisses, edited by Remittance Girl.

To wet your appetite for A Slip of the Lip, here is the Introduction to our collection of kisses:

Introduction from
Slip of the Lip: The Erotica Readers & Writers Association Collection of Kisses
Edited by Remittance Girl

Kisses have been described in literature throughout history, but rarely have they been given the attention they deserve. A kiss is often the first, truly intimate contact lovers have. In fact, it is often the event that allows the people involved to think of themselves as lovers.

Other animals may meet, mate and bond but only humans kiss. And, although there are many cultures that view other forms of contact as more intimate, western literature, photography and film have spread the romantic and erotic concept of the kiss around the world.

In erotic fiction, the kiss is too often described in passing on the way to more overtly sexual acts. This collection of kisses grew out of a challenge thrown down in the Writers' section of the Erotica Readers & Writers mail list: write the best, most innovative and original description of a kiss.

Each of the pieces is less than 1000 words long. They are not meant to be complete stories, only the capturing of those breathtaking, heart pumping, andrenalin inducing moments when lips meet and - whatever lies you might tell yourself - there’s no going back.

The old theme song from the 1942 movie Casablanca tells us that ‘a kiss is just a kiss,’ but we beg to differ.

—Remittance Girl, editor

Please feel free to download the entire collection in .pdf form at:
Slip of the Lip: The Erotica Readers & Writers Association Collection of Kisses

Jekyll and Hyde

2009-08-16T08:09:00.005-04:00

By Lisabet Sarai

I live a double life.

I'm not talking about the contrast between my glamorous, risqué life as author Lisabet Sarai and my alternate existence as a mild-mannered, bespectacled software engineer. That duality does occasionally strain my grasp on reality. However, my soul is far more deeply divided. I'm referring to my disparate literary identities: Lisabet Sarai, erotica author, and Lisabet Sarai, author of erotic romance. The conflict between these two aspects of my self sometimes threatens to tear me apart.

You laugh indulgently. Come now, don't exaggerate, you say. How much difference can there possibly be between the two genres? Both of them include lots of sex, right? What's in a name? If you know how to write erotica, it should be easy to morph your work into romance. Just add a happy ending, and voila!

If only it were that simple.

True, both erotica and erotic romance will include sexual scenarios. However, hard core erotic romance readers have expectations and preferences that are dramatically different from those of erotica readers. Consider, for example, the question of multiple partners and sexual groupings. A typical erotica novel will often include not only sex scenes that involve the main character(s), but also sexual activity with or between minor characters. Romance readers, in contrast, want to focus on the primary relationship. Sex scenes between subsidiary characters, or situations where major characters have sex with people who are not their intended mates, tend to be frowned upon. In a romance, they distract from the main point, namely, the love story.

Another dimension of difference relates to variety in sexual orientation. My own erotic writing reflects my pansexual beliefs. I have no compunctions about including M/F, M/M, F/F, M/M/F, M/F/M and any other combination you can think of in the same book. From what I've gathered, romance readers tend to be more selective. If a book is labeled as M/M, readers do not want to stumble upon a F/F scene. Some romance readers want a M/F/M ménage while others are interested in a M/M/F ménage; the two audiences will only partially overlap. Romance readers appear to have very specific notions about what they do and do not want to read.

I do not mean to suggest that romance readers are more inhibited or more prudish than erotica readers, because this is not necessarily true. Explicit sex, including homoeroticism and various kinks, is quite at home in modern romance. However, based on my observations and conversations, I would say that romance readers are looking for a different sort of experience than a reader of “pure” erotica. Arousal is fine, but it's not enough to satisfy a reader of romance. Furthermore, I think it's fair to suggest that romance readers are less interested than erotica readers in the psychological complexities of sexual desire, particularly the darker aspects of sexuality. Romance readers confirm again and again that what they are seeking is an escape from humdrum or even painful reality into a world where perfect love, trust and communication are possible. The sexual excitement is simply an added benefit.

So how does this affect me as an author? I began my career writing erotica, but for the last two years, I have been working in both genres.. When I start working on a story intended for a romance audience, I experience such a lurching re-orientation of focus that it almost makes me nauseous. I curtail my impulses to go off on sexual tangents. I suppress my nastier fantasies. I try to recreate the thrill of falling in love and then let the sexual connections occur as a consequence, rather than the opposite. I strain my imagination seeking a happy ending that will be convincing rather than trite. Sometimes it's quite a struggle.

When I turn my hand back to erotica, the symptoms are nearly as acute. It's difficult for me to write characters who are ugly or selfish, promiscuous or exploitative. My sex scenes veer away from the extremes I might have written before I entered the sunnier world of romance. And despite myself, I end up with happy endings, whereas I used to revel in ambiguous or bittersweet conclusions.

Several months ago I finished my first shape-shifter romance novel (an extremely popular sub-genre), Serpent's Kiss. The book is rated as “burning” - “explicit, highly imaginative and hot, where almost anything goes...very uninhibited in both sexual dialect and descriptiveness”. The fact that romance publishers feel the need to label their offerings based on their sexual content is another indicator of my point about the selective tastes of their readers. In any case, after I submitted the manuscript, I had the weirdest compulsion. I felt that I had to write something completely filthy, with no hint of a love story, as an antidote to producing 50K words of true love and happily ever after. The result was my story “The Antidote”, which you can read on my website.

It made me feel a little better—but that story still has something like a happy ending. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever reconcile the two sides of Lisabet Sarai—whether I'll ever get sufficient control of my craft to be able to slip effortlessly from my Dr. Jekyll romance persona into the dirty mind of Mr. Hyde.

Call for Submissions: Best Lesbian Romance, 4/1/2010

2009-09-14T19:58:00.000-04:00

Best Lesbian Romance 2011
Editor: Radclyffe
Publisher: Cleis Press
Deadline: April 1, 2010
Payment: $50 and 2 contributor copies

Guidelines for Submissions

• Published or unpublished short stories or novel excerpts

• Previously published material acceptable if published between September 1, 2009 & December 31, 2010

• Word count: 1500 - 5000 words

• Electronic submissions only to: radclyffe.bsb@gmail.com
- e-mail header: BLR 11_Author_Title (BLR 11_Your Name_Title)
-.rtf attachment (story)
- e-mail body: story title, author name, pseudonym, address, phone/fax, e-mail address, word count, if story previously published: anthology title/publisher/Pub date, 50 word bio

• Story Format:
- Arial; 12 pt
- double-spaced; standard paragraphing; no HTML
- file name: Author_Title (Your Name_Story Title)

• General Info:
- The anthology is scheduled for publication from Cleis Press Fall 2010
- Submission decisions will be provided by e-mail summer 2010
- Erotic content is welcome as long as the emotional/romantic elements are focal
- Multiple submissions (no more than 3) accepted
- Payment: $50 and 2 contributor copies
- Please send questions to: radclyffe.bsb@gmail.com

Erotic Lure Newsletter: September 2009 Edition

2009-09-04T12:10:00.003-04:00

From the Erotica Readers & Writers Association
By Lisabet Sarai
September 2009
_______

Dear Students of the Sensual,

Welcome to September's edition of the Erotic Lure, your monthly guide to the Erotica Readers & Writers Association web site. Although I got the last of my many degrees decades ago, September for me still means the excitement of "back to school". Virgin notebooks waiting to be filled with insights. New teachers and new subjects. Sweaty young men in gym clothes showing off their muscles on the athletic field. Young ladies in their deceptively innocent school uniforms, tight white blouses and dimpled knees...

But wait. Despite a long literary tradition, we are now forbidden from considering anyone under eighteen in any kind of sexual light. It's strictly taboo. I'd better switch to some other fantasy!

For a taste of the taboo, check out this month's gallery theme, "Rapturous Blasphemy". You'll find startling and original takes on the endlessly fascinating topic of sex and religion. We also offer a pair of delicious Tantalizing Tales on other themes, and a bumper crop of flashers, both serious and hilarious. Meanwhile, our talented poets have been busy, fashioning elegant free verse that will make you yearn and burn.

For exclusive, evocative erotica you won't find anywhere else, visit:
erotica-readers.com/GD/S/Erotic_Fiction.htm

When you're tired of your assigned reading, visit our Books for Sensual Readers pages for more arousing literary fare. Relax with M.Christian's new short story collection LICKS AND PROMISES, or Nancy Madore's ENCHANTED DREAMS: EROTIC TALES OF THE SUPERNATURAL. Victoria Dahl offers a sassy, sexy tale of a small town girl who runs her own auto body shop in START ME UP. J.L.Langley's gay scifi romance THE ENGLOR AFFAIR provides "hot sweaty manlove of the interplanetary kind". Clara Nipper's FEMME NOIR is a satirical lesbian take on the hard-boiled detective genre, immersing the reader in a world of tough broads and big babes.

In DARK OBSESSION, Frederica Alleyn fashions a pseudo-Victorian tale of perverse sexual activity hidden behind the facade of wealth and social respectability. For genuine Victorian smut, read the massive classic MY SECRET LIFE, now in a new edition from Harper Collins UK. Follow "Walter" in his endless odyssey of lust as he flaunts the supposedly rigid moral code extant during Queen Victoria's reign. Speaking of classics, don't miss graphic novel version of THE STORY OF O, illustrated by the legendary Guido Crepax. (I know what I want for Christmas!)

You're working so hard on your homework -- why deny yourself a bit of entertainment? All these books, and dozens more, can be yours at the click of a mouse through our affiliate links to Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Every time you buy anything from our affiliates, you're helping ERWA to bring you great erotic fiction, non-fiction, opinions, news and product reviews, month after month -- the way we've been doing for the past thirteen years.

Reward yourself with some recreational reading at
erotica-readers.com/ERA/EB/Erotic_Books.htm

In the September Smutters Lounge, we have a full cohort of provocative columnists to stimulate your mind. Donna George Storey discourses on the secrets of seduction; you can be sure that as usual, she includes some of her tempting recipes. Ashley Lister interviews BDSM author Kristina Lloyd in his Between the Lines series. Robert Buckley's wonderful Cracking Foxy column wonders where the cozy, quiet places have gone, commenting that "loud is the antithesis of romantic". (I could not agree more!) J.T. Benjamin is less strident than usual but as sharp as ever as he ponders the future of technology and pornography in the company of his right-wing born-again friend The Missionary. In "The Distracting Smirk", on the other hand, Jean Roberta offers well-expressed outrage at the media focus on celebrities' sexual lives at the expense of more substantive issues.

Our reviewers get A's for effort this month, providing their takes on more than half a dozen recently published books. Ashley Lister is at the top of the class reviewing M. Christian's LICKS AND PROMISES, Rachel Kramer Bussel's THE MILE HIGH CLUB, and Madeline Moore's SARAH'S EDUCATION. Kristina Wright summarizes the savory OYSTERS AND CHOCOLATE collection, edited by Jordan LaRousse and Samantha Sade. Vincent Diamond reviews James Buchanan's collection of gay cop and criminal tales, READY TO SERVE. Our non-fiction reviewer Rob Hardy takes on Richard Bernstein's THE EAST, THE WEST AND SEX: A HISTORY OF EROTIC ENCOUNTERS, while your humble editor does a quick take on the Circlet Press title UP FOR GRABS, edited Lauren P. Burka.

Get the run-down on what's happening in the world of the erotic:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/SL/Smutters_Lounge.htm

As usual, the Sex Toy Playground is jumping (or perhaps I should say vibrating) with two reviews (Teardrop Bullet Vibe, by Kyra Saunders, and iLusting Vibe, by Mr. and Mrs. Toy) and our monthly Sex Toy Scuttlebutt column, prepared by toy doyennes at Babeland. I always appreciate the honesty of these toy reviews. They're not advertising pieces, but serious evaluations of the pros and cons of each item. Speaking of advertising, though, I should mention that ERWA subscribers can get a 10% discount on any toy featured in the Scuttlebutt, simply by clicking the associated link. (Repeat after me: "I will buy all my toys through ERWA.")

Refill your toy chest at
erotica-readers.com/ERA/ST/Sex_Toy_Playground.htm

Once you've picked your favorite toys, slide on over to the Best in Adult Film pages to find out what's available for your visual side. From the many new flicks featured this month, I picked "Heaven", the tale of an exotic dancer drawn into the hard-fucking, double-crossing world of the mob. Another intriguing title is Brad Armstrong's "The 8th Day", a dark, futuristic adventure in a post-apocalypse world of half-human sex fiends and bizarre religious cults. "The Babysitter" skirts the edge of taboo with its lust between a mature married man and the barely-legal cutie who cares for his kids. If you like hot sex but don't particularly care about plot, get yourself a copy of "Raylene's Dirty Work", a set of over-the-top vignettes on the general theme of horny housewives which features gorgeous brunette Raylene as the dirtiest girl of them all.

Practice makes perfect, so I'll tell you once again: you can buy any title we list through our convenient affiliate links. Keep an eye on the upper right of our pages, too, where we highlight the month's best deals. In September, for instance, Adam and Eve is offering a five for one deal on adult movies. What are you waiting for?

Get yourself some eye candy at
erotica-readers.com/ERA/AM/Adult_Movies.htm

Inside the Erotic Mind this month, our members consider the question of blasphemous fantasies. Why is it so arousing to think about seducing the priest or getting it on in a church? I suspect this thread was triggered by our September story theme (see above). In any case, you'll find some intriguing opinions. You can share your own notions, too. Just click on the Participate link.

Break taboos at
erotica-readers.com/ERA/ITEM/Inside_The_Erotic_Mind.htm

Authors, I did not forget you. I just figured that you'd appreciate some recreation before thinking about work. As usual, the Authors Resources pages provide expert guidance on turning inspiration and perspiration into publication. Louisa Burton's "Keeping it Simple" reminds us that "a story is only as good as the words that are used to tell it" and that when it comes to prose, less is sometimes more. The shy, retiring Donna George Storey gives detailed advice on "Promoting in the Flesh", sharing her own experiences with release parties, readings, signings and book fairs. (I particularly liked her idea of adult fortune cookies.) "Ashley Lister is Anal" weaves commentary about particular sexual peccadilloes with some words of wisdom about being organized.

Make the most of your talent at
erotica-readers.com/ERA/AR/Erotica_Authors_Resources.htm

The Calls for Submissions pages have many new entries including three new anthologies from Circlet Press, a Yaoi anthology from Phaze, and two upcoming collections being assembled by Rachel Kramer Bussel. I was particularly struck by Dreamspinner Press' call for "Mistletoe Madness", gay holiday stories which will be distributed in an Advent Calendar format. In addition to specific calls, the Submissions page lists ongoing submission guidelines for dozens of print and e-publishers, magazines, and websites. The pages are updated whenever we get new information, not just monthly, so if you're an author, stop by often to see what's new. And don't forget to tell publishers or editors to whom you are submitting that you found their information on ERWA.

Find a home for your darlings at
erotica-readers.com/ERA/G/Call_For_Submissions.htm

Every week or two ERWA updates its Web Gems with new sites that we think our readers will enjoy. In honor of the start of school, we are currently featuring Games for the Brain. This cool little website is packed with games that will challenge and amuse you, from artsy Draggers to TriviaNut. The best part is after you've spent the good part of an hour with these games, you can reassure yourself that it was time well spent, and you're that much smarter for the playing. (If the teacher catches you, you've got a great excuse!)

Speaking of the teacher, I see him coming now, ruler in hand. I've been as good as I know how to be, but somehow he always finds some infraction worthy of punishment... Oh well. I certainly can't claim that school is boring.

I'll be traveling around the turn of next month, so the magnificent Ashley Lister will be bringing you the October Erotic Lure. I'm sure he'll keep you entertained. I'll see you in November.

Be good...

Studiously yours,
Lisabet

Visit Lisabet Sarai's Fantasy Factory
Check out Lisabet's Oh Get a Grip blog
Join Lisabet's List

Avon's new submission policy

2009-09-02T14:37:00.001-04:00

To submit your romance, erotica, or women's fiction (only), please query first. You must query by e-mail. When you do so, please put QUERY in the subject line. Due to the overwhelming amount of spam e-mail received, subject lines that have manuscript titles often do not reach the editors. Your query should be brief, no more than a two-page description of your book. Do not send chapters or a full synopsis at this time. Also, please not send attachments—THEY WILL NOT BE OPENED. You will receive a response—either a decline or a request for more material—in approximately one to two weeks.

Complete details at:
erotica-readers.com/ERA/G/Avon_Red.htm

Call for Submissions: Skater Boys, 11/15/09

2009-09-01T21:37:00.001-04:00

Skater Boys
Editor: Neil Plakcy
Publisher: Cleis Press
Deadline: November 15, 2009
Payment: $60.00 per story, plus 1 copy of the book

The editor of HARD HATS (Cleis, 2008) and SURFER BOYS (Cleis, 2009) is in search of gritty, hard-edges erotic stories about the sexual escapades of boys on boards.

Lean, shirtless, tattooed young men flaunting their bodies as they perform impossible physical feats—on the streets and in the bedroom. They’re the stuff of fantasy—but also oh, so temptingly present wherever there’s room for a skateboard.

Riding a board is a way to lift a middle finger at ordinary society, a way to break out and express your own identity. For those guys whose identity includes a love for the taste and touch of another man, there’s an erotic connection between the freedom of the streets and the freedom of the sheets.

Following the success of Surfer Boys, Neil Plakcy and some of today’s best writers of gay erotica will tackle the testosterone-driven archetype of the skater boy, and all his magnificent physical prowess.

Don't let the title mislead you, though; all “boys” must be of legal age.

Story length: 3,000 5,000 words
Deadline: November 15, 2009
Publication Date: 2010
Payment: $60.00 per story, payable on publication, plus 1 copy of the book

You may forward this call to other erotica writers you know. Submit your story to Neil Plakcy at plax@bellsouth.net as a MS word attachment.