Heterosexual Erotica

Circlet Press will soon release a new anthology, Like a Spell, edited by Jennifer Levine. It looks like a cool book in general, but I wanted to highlight one particular decision that Circlet made, which I think is an important and overlooked part of creating a truly diverse landscape.

Like a Spell is going to come out as an omnibus of four smaller anthologies, divided by sexuality. So, for example, there's Earth, an anthology of lesbian fantasy erotica. But there's also Air, "magically heterosexual fantasy erotica."

Publisher Cecilia Tan wrote this on Patreon about the decision:

Volume 3 presented a sort of new challenge. We realized it's the "norm" to label gay, lesbian, kinky, trans, et cetera erotica as such, but heterosexual erotica gets to be the "default." If a book just says "erotica" it's assumed to be het. With a Circlet Press book, though, you really can't make that assumption, and it felt unbalanced to label three of the four books and then have one that just said "erotica." Usually in Circlet-land something unlabeled means "everything mixed together" or pansexual. So we decide to give Vol 3 the subtitle "Magically Heterosexual Fantasy Erotica". 

I think this was a good decision on Circlet's part, and it also points to a way to push against the default. I think this applies in other realms, too. For example, one thing that I think can help push against the idea of whiteness as default in fiction is to specify that white characters are white. All too often, I read stories where brown characters are specified and white characters are left unspecified. While this is an improvement over having no brown characters at all, it still centers the story firmly in a white perspective.

Similarly, I think it's a good idea to label heterosexual erotica as heterosexual, because that's the way to stop seeing heterosexuality as the default.

I have mixed feelings about coming out scenes. On the one hand, I eat them up. I really like to read them. On the other, I'm bothered by the idea that they're necessary. While I think it might be easy to conclude that we shouldn't have them, I think that goes the wrong way. It's similar to the way the idea of "colorblindness" turns out to be largely counterproductive outside of a few specific scenarios where it's useful (such as resume review systems that aim to create a colorblind situation for recruiters).

If we wind up in a future that's truly accepting of all sexual orientations, I don't think coming out will end. I think, though, that it won't be only some people who have to come out—it'll be everyone. If no one's sexual orientation is assumed, we'll all need a label. We'll all go through the process of figuring out what our orientation is, and I think that's a beautiful thing.

So I'm all for the heterosexual erotica label. And I'm excited to read Like A Spell.

If you want to stay up to date about goings on at Circlet (and be among the first to read new releases), you should consider joining Circlet's Patreon.

Auction: Readers and Writers for LGBT Chechens #ChechenRainbow

One of the things that's hard about right now is that there are so many things competing for our attention. It feels relentless. I want to give money to too many good causes, and I want to do more than I'm capable of doing to stop the various sorts of villainy that are going on in the world right now. That said, I feel like it's important to pay attention as much as possible, and to do as much as possible. And some of the ways I can help involve things I enjoy doing, like reading fun books.

So today I'm going to tell you about an effort to help people in Chechnya. As Amnesty International puts it, "Men believed to be gay are being abducted, tortured or even killed in Chechnya as part of a coordinated campaign with impunity." You can download their full report on this issue here.

A group of authors and publishers have gotten together to help raise money for the Russian LGBT Network, ILGA-Europe, and Rainbow Railroad, three organizations that are working with people in Chechnya (you can read more about this effort here). That last link includes a list of ways to help.

Today, though, I'm going to focus on the auction these authors and publishers are running (to raise money for the three organizations I mentioned above).

My friend Lisabet Sarai got in touch to let me know she's offering 2 signed copies of her book Quarantine. You can bid on the book here, if you're so inclined.

I see other friends helping, too. For example, Cecilia Tan is offering an awesome ebook bundle here (that bundle includes her Magic University series, the Prince's Boy, and the Velderet, so it's really an incredible deal).

If you'd like to look at everything on auction, you can do that here.

Bidding ends at 12 pm CDT on May 13th.

Auction winners donate directly to the charities and claim items by sending their donation receipts, so you know for sure that the money will reach the necessary causes.

If you've got the bandwidth to help, or even just want to read a good book, please consider helping with this effort.

<3 <3 <3

If You're Not At Porn Camp...

This weekend is Circlet Press's annual #porncamp, East Coast edition. The lighthearted name conceals what an intense and useful event it always is (though it is also hilariously funny, at least some of the time). Circlet's publisher, Cecelia Tan, is one of the smartest people I know, and she knows how to surround herself with similarly talented and intelligent individuals. The outcome of getting these people together is an essential compendium of information on the state of erotica.

Sadly, this year, I wasn't able to attend, though I'll be following #porncamp on Twitter (if you're interested in the business of erotica, I highly recommend you do the same). I'm looking forward to seeing what comes up this weekend.

This occasion also seems like a good time to mention the Circlet Press Patreon page. I'll let Cecelia explain the situation in her own words:

Circlet offers one of the most generous Patreon rewards packages I've seen. For example, for just a $2 pledge, you get 4 backlist books immediately. If you pony up $25 a month, you get access to Circlet's entire digital backlist, so you literally could read All The Books.

If this sort of thing interests you, I highly recommend checking it out. Not only do you get plenty of cool stuff, you help support a press that does exciting, sexy, essential work. Not only that, Cecilia's mentorship has meant a great deal to myself and many other erotica writers and editors.



I know I would never have edited a book like MakerSex without Circlet, and I'm so proud of what resulted from that project.

So, to summarize, check out #porncamp on Twitter. If you'd like to read some Circlet books (maybe including MakerSex?), this is a great weekend to take a look at the Patreon page as well.

<3 <3 <3

Fan of a Friend: Cecilia Tan's Prince's Boy Cover Reveal

I may have written about this before, but I've been reading Cecilia Tan's work since my very first encounters with erotica (I know, lucky me—I found some great stuff right away). And there are few writers I admire more. I'm picky about my BDSM these days, and I trust Cecilia's to the point that I'll read it without worrying about the pairing, the perspective, the specific actions, whatever. I know that if her name's on the work, it'll be hot, emotional, insightful, and often magical.

So I'm honored to help her spread the word about her upcoming collection, The Prince's Boy. Here's some early info about what's on the way:

The Prince's Boy: Collection

by Cecilia Tan

$9.99 ebook bundle

ISBN 978-1-61390-015-4

Dark erotic magic ensnares a prince and his whipping boy in a world of castle intrigue. THE PRINCE'S BOY tells the story of Kenet, prince of Maldevar, and his whipping boy Jorin, as they fight to save their country—and their love—from evil.

The much-lauded tale of men, lust, and dark magic, now collected into one complete tale! Includes the full text of volumes one and two and two bonus stories.

Honorable mention in the Rainbow Awards (for gay fantasy fiction)

Honorable mention in the NLA Writing Awards (for BDSM-positive fiction)

In a fantasy world where the lust of male for male fuels Night Magic, Prince Kenet lives a sheltered life. Isolated from the war that threatens the kingdom, he and his whipping boy Jorin are of age, but still sneak forbidden pleasures in their bed at night. When a dark mage tries to bespell Kenet into sexual submission, the prince and his boy are thrust into the world of intrigue, sex, and war.

Drawing on complex themes of dominance and submission, the need for secrecy in a world where homosexuality is not accepted, and the intertwining of sex with magic, Tan weaves a complex, sex-filled adventure that is part "Three Musketeers" and part "Claiming of Sleeping Beauty."

Cecilia Tan is “simply one of the most important writers, editors, and innovators in contemporary American erotic literature,” according to Susie Bright. She is the author of many novels and short stories, editor of dozens of erotic short story anthologies, and the founder of Circlet Press. She was inducted into the Saints and Sinners Hall of Fame for GLBT writers in 2010.

Praise for THE PRINCE'S BOY:

"Brilliant from start to finish, but whew! What a marathon! You'd better train up for this one, or be prepared to read it in small bite sized pieces (if you can put it down, and yes, it is that good). It is not for the faint of heart. There is graphic torture, rape, slavery, every form of questionable behavior one could think of. And with all that? A story not to be missed. By turns gritty and lyrical. It is the chiming of tiny crystal hand bells and the inescapable, thundering peal of the bells of Notre Dame. A powerhouse, a tour de force. Not to be missed. But buckle up baby. It's one hell of a ride." —Elisa Rolle, The Rainbow Awards

"The story is a good one, the characters are well developed. I went looking for the next installment more for the story than the sex, though I will also say that there are areas that the sex carries the story." —BDSM Book Reviews

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Do you want to see the pictures all huge and gorgeous on Cecilia's own website? You can, here! Do you want to preorder the book now? Also possible, at Amazon. Cecilia tells me the ebook bundle is set to go live on November 15th. :)

Coming Out and Coming of Age

Cecilia Tan, author and publisher of Circlet Press, describes Daron's Guitar Chronicles as "a webfiction serial about a young guitarist coming out and coming of age in the 1980s." She's been running the serial since 2010, but is now turning to Kickstarter to fund a print edition. Check it out, and considering giving her a hand! (Her video describing the project follows).

Like Hearts Enchanted

I love the cover of Like Hearts Enchanted, edited by Kathleen Tudor and Cecilia Tan. It'll be out soon from Circlet, and it includes a story of mine, "Violets." The original call described the anthology as follows: Everyone has experienced some form of unrequited love, but what if you could wave a magic wand or brew yourself a potion to turn things around? Would there be unintended consequences, or unforeseen troubles to overcome? How far would you go to bring love into your own life? Would you climb an enchanted mountain for that all-important ingredient? Or perhaps you’re not the caster of the spell… you’re the target. From singing sirens of the sea to faerie enchantresses, the storybooks are full of mortals being lured by lust, love, and magic. A love spell is cast… you show us what happens next.

I wanted my story to feel soft--my love spell would come as a gentle epiphany, revealing feelings already present but buried beneath the surface. Violets quickly became my guide.

According to Diane Ackerman's A Natural History of the Senses:

Violets contain ionone, which short-circuits our sense of smell. The flower continues to exude its fragrance, but we lose the ability to smell it. Wait a minute or two, and its smell will blare again. Then it will fade again, and so on. How like [Napoleon's] Josephine, a woman of full-bodied if occasionally recondite sensuality, to choose as her trademark a scent that assaults the nose with a dam-burst of odor one second, and the next leaves the nose virginal, only to rampage yet again. No scent is more flirtatious. Appearing, disappearing, appearing, disappearing, it plays hide and seek with our senses, and there's no way to get too much of it.

The image of the violet's elusive scent stuck with me. When I found that violets traditionally have a connection to the Virgin Mary, I had my story. The connection provided a tradition in which the magic could take place.

I'm excited to see the entire book, and I'll post more about "Violets"--including an excerpt--when it's closer to the anthology's release date.