Music Mondays: "Icicle" by Tori Amos

And when my hand touches myself
I can finally rest my head
And when they say take of his body
I think I'll take from mine instead
-- Tori Amos



Has there been any better song about masturbation? Loving erotica, how could I not adore her repetition of "feel the word?" Also, how hot and provocative is this performance?

I thought of this song because of Untouched, the book I've got coming out from Sweetmeats Press in August.

For a while, I've been developing a personal understanding of sexuality that places it as first and foremost within oneself. It can be shared with others, but the core is in oneself alone. For me, masturbation is a big part of that belief. And we all have a sex life of some kind regardless of when we last "got laid"—that's not required for proof of sex life. (I also believe in people's write to choose not to be sexual. I would say that this is also a decision rooted first and foremost in oneself—no matter how other people may try to make it about them).

The seed idea of Untouched was that I wanted to write a book about a character whose primary sex life and sexual expression was alone. I wanted her to have an intense and vibrant personal sex life and to like and enjoy that, but to struggle with how or if it should be shared. I also really love to write (and read) masturbation scenes—not enough of that in erotica, in my opinion.

The book grew a lot from there and developed into something far beyond my original idea, but at its heart, this remains: One's sex life is one's own. To me, that idea is kin to Tori Amos's, "I think I'll take from mine instead."