erotic fiction, 4:Play

REVIEWS

2015-08-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

Here's the official press release for 4:Play @ Press Release Point.

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:: Reviews/Interviews/Stuff ::

01 Sept -- Review @ It's Basement Time

"...I was surprised that I ended up liking 'Wicked Lovely'...the fact that they were (step) brother and sister is overshadowed by their sheer desire to be with one another, that that other person is the only person for them. That made the story for me."

05 Sept -- Review @ Unlikely Aristotle

"...(4:Play) wasn't all just steamy one night stands or totally unrealistic lesbian encounters. The book encompassed the entire sexual spectrum from the mundane to the kind of gross to the kinky to the 'alternative' to the supernatural."

Dec 09 -- Review @ Charlotte Erotica Examiner

"...what is most interesting is that the stories are very clear in covering topics that challenge the reader to see sex, and love through a perspective that is more accepting of others' differences whether it's sexual orientation, or just the acceptance of being able to make a choice about who one loves or have sex with."

07 Sept -- Interview @ Wicked Redhead
08 Sept -- Discussion with Cynthia Vespia @ Authors by Authors
10 Sept -- Interview @ Interracial eBooks
10 Sept -- Q&A @ Declan Stanley's Blog
Oct 09 -- Interview @ Bare Back Magazine
Nov 09 -- Review @ Alternative-Read.com: "Erotica With A Message"
Nov 09 -- Interview @ Wicked Thorn and Roses
Dec 09 -- Interview @ Amanda Young's Blog [everything uncovered ;)]
Jan 10 -- Interview @ Sexy Women Read
Jan 23 -- Review + Interview @ The Cajun Book Lady
Feb 09 -- Review @ The Pen and Muse
Feb 10 -- GLBT author interview
Feb 10 -- Author Q&A on ~~Incest~~ Step Relations
May 10 -- Paranormal Romance Interview
Jun 10 -- Review @ Bitten by Books
Nov 06 -- Author Profile + Interview @ Erotica For All (UK)

Update (Sticky Post)

2015-08-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

[1 August 2011]

I'm open to featuring writers (any genre; published or not) on the art of erotic writing. I'll feature these Q&A's as and when under the Interviews | Guests section.

In the meantime, I'll be busy completing Primal Scream--and all the other projects I have besides that ;)

* * * DISCLAIMER * * *

Pardon the long-windedness, but this is Jess's disclaimer to avoid getting this blog flagged/deleted by Google/Blogger--and also to avoid getting her a** arrested on "obscenity charges."

» read the full text on Blog Disclaimer.

Author Interview, Vanessa Wu

2011-11-29T09:42:00.000-08:00

Author Interview #7, with sophisticated/cultured erotica writer Vanessa Wu!

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Jess: Have you written erotic-themed material? Why or why not?

Vanessa: Yes, all my writing has an erotic theme. Some of it is quite subtle and literary. Some of it is more raunchy, explicit and crude. That's because I have different moods and like to explore different situations. I dwell on erotic themes because it's my experience that sexual feelings have a profound effect upon character and I'm deeply interested in the tension between what we desire and what we do. Many of my stories contain the idea of liberation, as if from a spiritual cage. Desire is quite often caged in human society. I toy with the idea of freeing the caged animal, unleashing it and finding ways to live with it -- so the lion can lie down with the lamb, as William Blake put it.

Jess: I'm deeply interested in that tension too ;) How do you differentiate quality erotica (as an art form), from pornographic writing?

Vanessa: Pornographic writing serves only one purpose which is to help someone experience a sexual situation in lurid and graphic detail while he or she is masturbating, either alone or with another. Writing can often do this better than movies because it can suggest psychological twists that intensify the situation. The reader also brings his or her own imagination to it, enriching the experience with personal memories and desires.

Pornographic writing is often seen as bad but, in my view, there is simply pornography that works for me and pornography that doesn't. In addition, I prefer stories with a certain amount of depth. In order to engage my imagination, a story has to have an element of maturity and sophistication. I frequently read stories about sexual experiences because I am interested in the emotional side of sex. This is the key for me.

Quality erotica touches upon wider issues to do with sex and, in particular, incorporates an emotional truth. I like all stories to have a fundamental human reality and wisdom, the kind of wisdom you only find in the very best fiction.

Jess: Yes, I think the way the human condition is explored/presented will determine whether a piece of creative work is shallow or sophisticated. I shall now ask how you would respond to the following statement:

“I am very put off by the notion of 'literate smut', as if any porn is intellectual, that erotica needs to have a high and low art distinction. I think this is just a pretentious way for people to excuse their taste for pornography.”
-- originally posted on http://www.barbelith.com/topic/925

Vanessa: I don't excuse my taste for pornography. I like pornography unashamedly. It is a technical challenge to write something that can help someone achieve an orgasm. It's a skill I admire. Nevertheless, I do make distinctions between good and bad pornography. I skip and pass over a lot of pornography I encounter. Some of it disgusts me, sometimes because of its content and sometimes because of its style.

Jess: A purveyor of good taste :) What inspired you to write erotic stories/poems/etc.?

Vanessa: I have always written. I think the question is really, what inspired me to publish. I decided to do it because the opportunity arose. If we still had an old-fashioned publishing model in which we were required to submit work to aloof magazines and literary agents, I wouldn't do it. The epublishing revolution gave me the opportunity to write what I wanted without having to pass it through the medium of a literary editor who might not like it. I didn't want to have to justify, explain or defend it. I just wanted to do it.

Jess: *Thank goodness for the epublishing revolution...* Do you always follow the "safe, sane, consensual" credo?

Vanessa: No. Desire isn't sane. Why pretend it is? When you are in the throes of sexual passion you are temporarily insane. There are also people who want to be desired. If they insisted on safety they would wear a chastity belt and lock themselves in the house. I also think that society tries to lock down people's sexual feelings. Sometimes it takes force to free them. Some of my writing has an edge.

Jess: Most of the super-commercial/commoditized stuff lacks serious edge anyway. What do you think readers will find most notable about your book(s)?

Vanessa: It is very difficult to be objective about your own work. I often don't know why anyone would want to read what I've written. But readers tell me that once they have read something by me they want to read everything. I think it's partly because my writing has a cinematic quality and partly because it's elegant and tasteful; but probably the main reason is that it is very real, based very much on my personal experiences. I put a lot of myself into what I write and people respond to that.

Jess: And that's perhaps the best motivation to keep writing ;) In order to write on certain experiences, you would have to either research or live the life. Which describes you as the writer?

Vanessa: Well, I do both. As I said, a lot of what I write is based on my personal experiences. But, as a writer, your personal experience is not enough. You need to ask questions. You need to find out how other people feel. There are some experiences that you couldn't possibly invent because they are so unexpected and so far from your own personal points of reference. I have learned quite a lot since I've been publishing my work. People write to me and tell me things that are a revelation.

Jess: Do you think erotica caters to a male or female market (or does gender of the target audience not matter)?

Vanessa: There is a wide variety of erotica available, some of it tailored to specific tastes, but I find it very difficult to classify it in terms of gender. My experience is that both men and women read it. People of all ages. They take different things from it. People don't just read it for sexual gratification. They are curious. They want to learn, to broaden their experiences. People read erotica for the same reason they read literary fiction, to widen their experiences and deepen their understanding.

Jess: Are there any topics you will NOT tackle, with regards to sexual behaviors and attitudes?

Vanessa: Yes. For the moment anyway. As I writer my job is to understand others. To understand them and to recreate their experiences. If I think seriously about any taboo topic, I can get into the head of the protagonists. I could feasibly write an incest story or a story about a man who fornicates with a goat. I could even write it from the goat's point of view. But I don't want to. For me that would be getting into the realm of literary fiction. It's William Faulkner territory. I don't want to go there.

Jess: *Recalls reading "The Sound and the Fury"...* Please share with us a short excerpt and blurb of your work (10-100 words).

Vanessa:

Love Has No Limits is a short novel of 40,000 words about a young Chinese woman exploring her sexuality through encounters in Amsterdam and Berlin. She is willing to try new things with new people. She is adventurous and vulnerable. She wants to push against the limits of love, to find her boundaries. It is fast-paced but also quite thoughtful and gentle in places. I am very proud of it and I think it's a good introduction to my work and to me. It tells you a lot about who I am.

Jess: Sounds very beautiful and elegant/sophisticated (like a good gourmet chocolate). Share an excerpt of your favorite author’s work (10-100 words):

Vanessa:

This is from a story by Nikki Magennis called "The Sound of One Hand Clapping" in a collection called Hurts So Good edited by Alison Tyler.

"Now I see for sure where we are. Now with the pain and the bliss melding under my skin, everything becomes clear. I no longer need to ask any questions, because the answer is contained within the question. The seed of him is the arrow, the pulsing and aching of my cunt as it welcomes his cock is the arrow. We are pointing toward each other and beyond to nowhere. We are agreed at last to stay here, right where we are, fucking on the brink of beautiful."

Jess: Please let readers know where they can find out more about you/your work.

Vanessa:

BLOG
http://intensesensations.wordpress.com/

FACEBOOK
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002597547822

TWITTER
http://twitter.com/#!/van_wu

LOVE HAS NO LIMITS (UK)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Has-No-Limits-ebook/dp/B005IAK4BM

LOVE HAS NO LIMITS (US)
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Has-No-Limits-ebook/dp/B005IAK4BM

Thank you for having me, Jess. It has been a great pleasure for me to be here and share my thoughts about erotica with you. I admire your work and wish you well with your literary goals.

Jess: Thanks for your kind comments, Vanessa, and thanks so much for sharing your insightful perspectives on the art of erotic writing :) Best wishes with your personal + literary goals too!

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VANESSA WU:

I was born in Fuzhou, China and passed through many countries in Europe on my way to England. I now live and work in London. I have worked as a Chinese teacher both in China and in England. I studied English at Fudan University in Shanghai and always dreamed of coming to England as a child. I am so glad I fulfilled my dream and right now I couldn't be happier. I try to forget about the world's problems and just enjoy each day as it comes.

Vanessa Wu on WordPress | Facebook | Twitter

JESS C SCOTT:

Jess is the author/artist/non-conformist behind jessINK (her indie publishing division). One of her specializations is erotic literature.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and would like to share your views via a similar interview, just check out/fill out the form at Author Interviews. Jess will email you with the link once it is posted.

Jess is available for interviews too. Drop her a note at missfeyATgmailDOTcom :)

Primal Scream Anthology

2011-08-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

Just a short note that Primal Scream, my second erotic anthology, is (finally) completed!

1. Primal Scream @ jessINK
2. Primal Scream Official Blog (more info)
3. My own answers to the Q&A on "the art of erotic writing"

I'll continue posting author interviews on this blog, as and when they come in :)

Author Interview, Cara Mitchell

2011-08-10T12:50:00.000-07:00

Author Interview #6, with author Cara Mitchell!

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Jess: Have you written erotic-themed material? Why or why not?

Cara: Yes, I have. Originally it was done at the direction of a Dominant and then I discovered I enjoyed enticing him. Over the years, it has served to stimulate and entice as well as to explain the darker recesses of my mind.

Jess: How do you differentiate quality erotica (as an art form), from pornographic writing?

Cara: I believe that the mind is capable of supplying the most erotic images and providing graphic detail interferes with the process. Erotica allows one to fill in the details, provides a suggestion and stimulates the imagination to go where it will. Pornography supplies all of the answers and, in the process, provides a quicker and less involved form of stimulation.

Jess: Less involved and less evolved ;). I shall now ask how you would respond to the following statement:

“I am very put off by the notion of 'literate smut', as if any porn is intellectual, that erotica needs to have a high and low art distinction. I think this is just a pretentious way for people to excuse their taste for pornography.”
-- originally posted on http://www.barbelith.com/topic/925

Cara: I haven't a clue what that question means so cannot possibly answer it.

Jess: I'd play around with the person's mind with regards to "tastes" in erotic-themed material, but that's just me ;) What inspired you to write erotic stories/poems/etc.?

Cara: As previously explained, a Dominant did oh-so-many years ago. Eventually, it was pointed out to me that I had a passion for writing and I realized that this was true.

Jess: Do you always follow the "safe, sane, consensual" credo?

Cara: Nope. Consensual, yes but "safe and sane" are relative terms and I like a bit of edge play.

Jess: *Nods* Agree with 'relative'. What do you think readers will find most notable about your book(s)?

Cara: The Symphony of C series is an in-depth exploration of the inner workings of a submissive's mind as well as a glimpse of the elegance which can be part of the world of Dominance and submission.

Symphony of Discovery is a quirky exploration of the romance, sensuality and eroticism of a devotion to science--so it becomes its own new genre (how does geekrotica sound?).

And for all of my books--I write intelligently for intelligent people.

Jess: As Oscar Wilde said, "There is no sin except stupidity." :) In order to write on certain experiences, you would have to either research or live the life. Which describes you as the writer?

Cara: I begin with living the life and then devote a tremendous amount of time into researching it.

Jess: Do you think erotica caters to a male or female market (or does gender of the target audience not matter)?

Cara: It depends upon the reader although I believe that it skews a bit more towards the majority of female readers and the more intelligent males.

Jess: Are there any topics you will NOT tackle, with regards to sexual behaviors and attitudes?

Cara: I have no ability to realistically describe same sex relationships or female Domination and so will not insult my readers with an attempt.

Jess: Please share with us a short excerpt and blurb of your work (10-100 words).

Cara:

"His eyes bored into me as he bent once more and lifted the other leg. Frantic now, my hands had a death grip upon the overhead chain. He nestled my calves against his waist, his hands strong as he held me in place. His eyes were intense, demanding.

“Do you trust me?”

I nodded slowly. “Yes.”

“Let go of the chain.”

Wordlessly, without pause or thought, my eyes locked upon him. Then I released the supporting chain. In slow motion I felt my body falling. The chains tightened about me; I knew I was going to be severely damaged."

Jess: Share an excerpt of your favorite author’s work (10-100 words):

Cara:

"Would she ever dare to tell him that no pleasure, no joy, no figment of her imagination could ever compete with the happiness she felt at the way he used her with such utter freedom, at the notion that he could do anything with her, that there was no limit, no restriction in the manner with which, on her body, he might search for pleasure."
-- Pauline Réage, The Story of O

Jess: Please let readers know where they can find out more about you/your work.

Cara:

I can be found on Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter.

Jess: Thanks for stopping by to chat, Cara, and thanks so much for sharing your views on the art of erotic writing :)!

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CARA MITCHELL:

Originally trained as an archaeologist and concert pianist, Cara discovered her fascination with artifacts was eclipsed by a love of cultures and the impossibility of making a career playing Beethoven exclusively. She has worked as a scuba instructor, horse packer, researcher, diplomat, cultural practitioner, scientist and wine importer. She can be found on Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter.

JESS C SCOTT:

Jess is the author/artist/non-conformist behind jessINK (her indie publishing division). One of her specializations is erotic literature.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and would like to share your views via a similar interview, just check out/fill out the form at Author Interviews. Jess will email you with the link once it is posted.

Jess is available for interviews too. Drop her a note at missfeyATgmailDOTcom :)

Author Interview, Bunni Darling

2011-08-06T14:30:00.001-07:00

Author Interview #5, with the other half of Lion and Mermaid Publications, Bunni Darling!

P.S. The other half = Vaughn Shepherd, whose Q&A can be found here.

* * * * *

Jess: Why do you write erotic-themed material?

Bunni: I, myself, am a very sensual person, and feel eroticism is one of the best ways to express myself. I love creating interesting characters and seeing what kind of trouble they can get into.

Jess: How do you differentiate quality erotica (as an art form), from pornographic writing?

Bunni: I think pornographic writing is written to serve a singular purpose (getting off), where as quality erotica is more sensual than sexual. True, there may be graphic sex, but it isn't all about that--or the end result. It's about the journey.

Jess: I totally agree ;). I shall now ask how you would respond to the following statement:

“I am very put off by the notion of 'literate smut', as if any porn is intellectual, that erotica needs to have a high and low art distinction. I think this is just a pretentious way for people to excuse their taste for pornography.”
-- originally posted on http://www.barbelith.com/topic/925

Bunni: Probably with a sigh and roll of my eyes. I don't judge anyone for their tastes. If you don't like erotica or pornography, don't read it. I don't care if someone thinks it is worthy or not. I write erotica because I enjoy it, and I share it because I hope others do too.

Jess: Well, as the saying goes: "Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference." What inspired you to write erotic stories/poems/etc.?

Bunni: Most art that comes out of me is erotic in some form or fashion--be it sexy pin-ups or engaging smut. I was raised in a very sex-positive household and was never shamed for expressing myself--even if that expression was on the naughty side.

Jess: Do you always follow the "safe, sane, consensual" credo?

Bunni: *Laughing* Not exactly, no. Part of erotica is getting to enjoy something wild and dangerous, something that you may have dreamed of but would never try on your own.

Jess: *Nods* What do you think readers will find most notable about your book(s)?

Bunni: I think our readers will really enjoy our characters. Vaughn and I put a lot of love and time into them, and it's so fun to watch them grown and mature. I hope they enjoy the lush, sensual world we created for them as well. Reading erotica should be a pleasant escape, and that is what we try to offer.

Jess: Quality takes time and patience :) In order to write on certain experiences, you would have to either research or live the life. Which describes you as the writer?

Bunni: I like to do a little of each, personally. I've lived a pretty interesting live and had my share of lovers, and of course these experiences play into my writing.

Jess: Do you think erotica caters to a male or female market (or does gender of the target audience not matter)?

Bunni: Statistically, erotica caters to a wider female market. Again, it's a sensual journey rather than the raw need for completion. I imagine most males in the digital age just go straight for the visual eye candy.

Jess: Are there any topics you will NOT tackle, with regards to sexual behaviors and attitudes?

Bunni: Not really, no.

Jess: Please share with us a short excerpt and blurb of your work (10-100 words).

Bunni:

"Starr released a low and animal noise as he bit her harder, almost like a small creature that had gotten caught in a painful trap, but liked it. She wanted to call out for him to test her further, ravish her and leave her with nothing but aches and bruises. She wanted to put his strong hands around her throat and leave everything up to trust, but she didn’t dare."

Jess: Share an excerpt of your favorite author’s work (10-100 words):

Bunni:

"She placed a hundred burning kisses on his face and chest, and then she was above him, straddling him, gasping and laughing, sweating and slippery as a minnow, and he was arching and pushing and exulting, his head full of her and only her, and had he known her name he would have called it out aloud."
-- Neil Gaiman, Stardust

Jess: Please let readers know where they can find out more about you/your work.

Bunni:

Website: http://www.lionandmermaid.net

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/bunnidarling

And I can also be found on Facebook.

Jess: Thanks for stopping by to chat, Bunni, and thanks so much for sharing your views on the art of erotic writing :)!

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BUNNI DARLING:

Lion and Mermaid Publications consists of two authors, Bunny Darling and Vaughn Shepherd. They collaboratively author stories of a romantic and erotic nature. They have recently begun publishing these works, featuring several series, featuring wildly differing couples (or triples...).

JESS C SCOTT:

Jess is the author/artist/non-conformist behind jessINK (her indie publishing division). One of her specializations is erotic literature.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and would like to share your views via a similar interview, just check out/fill out the form at Author Interviews. Jess will email you with the link once it is posted.

Jess is available for interviews too. Drop her a note at missfeyATgmailDOTcom :)

Author Interview, Elizabeth Spire

2011-08-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

Author Interview #4, with U.K. author, Elizabeth Spire!

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Jess: Why do you write erotic-themed material?

Elizabeth: It's always good to write about something you're passionate about, well for me good there's nothing more passionate than good sex. Therefore erotica is a total joy to write, it lets me express a side of myself not everyone sees.

Jess: How do you differentiate quality erotica (as an art form), from pornographic writing?

Elizabeth: Erotica has passion in it, if anything for me the desire is far more key than the actual sex. When I read other authors' erotica, that's what I look for too. The need, the passion, the uncontrollable lust, working you up until finally you get any actual sex. So the characters have to be ones you can like or relate to, understand and feel for.

Erotica written like that is totally enthralling, where as porn to me is just X people in Y position, then Z etc. Very mechanical, staged and artificial...

Jess: I can totally relate ;) I shall now ask how you would respond to the following statement:

“I am very put off by the notion of 'literate smut', as if any porn is intellectual, that erotica needs to have a high and low art distinction. I think this is just a pretentious way for people to excuse their taste for pornography.”
-- originally posted on http://www.barbelith.com/topic/925

Elizabeth: I think there are a broad spectrum of tastes in all things, as there are in actual sexual orientation. I therefore try and act and write in an inclusive way, but never part A goes into slot B, repeat until something explodes! ;)

Even darker aspects of BDSM can be written in a very erotic and appealing way if you take the time to let the reader see inside their head or their heart, so understanding why they are turned on by something a little different from average. To me porn is a very graphic thing, be it visual or written as real hard core smut. The same thing written with attention to the people involved, not just the act is far more erotic to me and therefore far more of a turn-on...

Jess: The mental/emotional play is where it's at (for me). What inspired you to write erotic stories/poems/etc.?

Elizabeth: I just write what I'm passionate about, so it's not always erotic, though much of the time it is... I'm passionate about people's rights to a good and fulfilling sex life, regardless of preferences, gender, or even disabilities... Does a person lose their sex drive, just because they have an accident and lose their sight? We are all people and sex makes most of us feel good, why be shy about that or restrict it only to those who are physically attractive and fully able?

Jess: Equality for all, I like that ;) Do you always follow the "safe, sane, consensual" credo?

Elizabeth: Totally, utterly 100% of the time! Anything less to be is not sex, but degradation and violence, abusive and wrong. In fact we do our level best to also mention the use of condoms, especially where the encounter is not a part of a long term relationship.

Jess: What do you think readers will find most notable about your book(s)?

Elizabeth: The acceptance of all and the level of passion in everything I write, from the soft, romantic, vanilla to the kinky, exploring BDSM. We all care about feeling wanted and loved, so I try and reflect that in all my writing and poetry. Oh and I do tend to write powerful females roles, who enjoy sex be they Domme/sub or just vanilla. Also my characters think about their actions quite a lot.

Jess: Yes, the mind is an important thing! In order to write on certain experiences, you would have to either research or live the life. Which describes you as the writer?

Elizabeth: Oh I've had plenty of experiences to draw on in my writing, and continue to add more when they present themselves... I therefore know what's in the mind of my characters, having seen them or been them at different times!

Jess: Do you think erotica caters to a male or female market (or does gender of the target audience not matter)?

Elizabeth: I tend to think erotica is more of a female market, it stimulates the mind more than the graphic nature of porn does (at least for me).

Jess: Are there any topics you will NOT tackle, with regards to sexual behaviors and attitudes?

Elizabeth: I won't touch anything that is dangerous or permanently harming in anyway, shape or form. So body mods are out, though more mainstream piercing and tattoos are ok as long as it's very clear that they are wanted by the person having them.

Jess: Please share with us a short excerpt and blurb of your work (10-100 words).

Elizabeth:

An excerpt from my poem 'Submission':

A whip is a utensil, a dildo just a tool,
It is what lurks between your ears, that makes you, sub or Dom/me or fool!
So tell me my dear play thing, what goes on in your head,
What fires your blood and helps you live your fantasies in bed?
My money's on that grey stuff that's found between your ears,
That's the key to throbbing cock, pained whimpers or to tears.
Now pet I'm going to tell you, what lays in store tonight,
In exquisite detail for your delectation, and delight.
Caressing your libido with just my velvet tongue,
To prove cerebral stimulation's not wasted on the young.
I'll string together phrases, with the finest of detail,
Believe me when I say you'll beg before you reach the Holy Grail.

From poetry to prose I like to make people think and feel more passionately...

Jess: Share an excerpt of your favorite author’s work (10-100 words):

Elizabeth: Well mostly I don't read erotica, so my favourite author is actually Terry Pratchett -- a genuinely lovely man with a real talent for making me laugh!

'Bestiality Carter was in fact very kind to animals.' -- Lords and Ladies, by Terry Pratchett

Jess: Please let readers know where they can find out more about you/your work.

Elizabeth:

http://www.unseenwords.com
http://blog.unseenwords.com
http://liz.blogs.unseenwords.com
@UnseenWords - Twitter
Elizabeth Spire on FB

Jess: Thanks so much for sharing your views on the art of erotic writing :)!

* * * * *

ELIZABETH SPIRE:

Privately educated and apparently brought up to be a nice young lady, Elizabeth found she just never fit the stereotype, however thanks to a chance encounter at a reasonably young age with just the right sort of young man, she found out that she was not alone in feeling this way. In fact she soon found out that she was exactly the stuff of dreams, yep, you know the type!

Elizabeth's most interesting and educational of beginnings has over the years blossomed and broadened, as has her understanding of life and sexuality in general.

Still shorter than average, curvaceous and fun loving, Elizabeth, enjoys life to the full with such a wicked imagination there's never a dull moment!

Her motto and the credo by which she has lived her life is: 'be unique and true to yourself'. She works and writes at Unseen Words Publishing.

JESS C SCOTT:

Jess is the author/artist/non-conformist behind jessINK (her indie publishing division). One of her specializations is erotic literature.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and would like to share your views via a similar interview, just check out/fill out the form at Author Interviews. Jess will email you with the link once it is posted.

Jess is available for interviews too. Drop her a note at missfeyATgmailDOTcom :)

Author Interview, Vaughn Shepherd

2011-08-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

Author Interview #3, with one half of Lion and Mermaid Publications, Vaughn Shepherd!

* * * * *

Jess: Why do you write erotic-themed material?

Vaughn: I think it's as simple as: It's what I enjoy! I love creating characters and exploring relationships and interactions in the vein of romance and sex.

Jess: How do you differentiate quality erotica (as an art form), from pornographic writing?

Vaughn: I've been generally disappointed with most erotica I've picked up in book stores, and I tend to be just as picky with visual porn as well, because of my opinions on this subject.

Erotica is developed, and internal, and involved in situation and scenario. It's the intent and atmosphere that is arousing, not the mechanic.

Pornographic writing is based on mechanic. Tab A goes into Slot B, so to speak.

Jess: Great definitions ;). I shall now ask how you would respond to the following statement:

“I am very put off by the notion of 'literate smut', as if any porn is intellectual, that erotica needs to have a high and low art distinction. I think this is just a pretentious way for people to excuse their taste for pornography.”
-- originally posted on http://www.barbelith.com/topic/925

Vaughn: I think that's a rather ignorant statement. For some people, (I would like to say most people) sex is entirely about the mind. Psychological aspects can, and in my experience, will, be more arousing than a simple description of the mechanics of sex.

Jess: I get the scent of ignorance too. What inspired you to write erotic stories/poems/etc.?

Vaughn: I just kind of fell into it. People tend to write what interests them, and romance and sex definitely interest me. When I found a co-author who generally lives inside my head, and I in hers, it just multiplied and took off into something wonderful.

Jess: Do you always follow the "safe, sane, consensual" credo?

Vaughn: I flirt around the edge of it. Fantasy is a far bigger playing field than reality, and there's places to go inside your head that can be fun to explore, even if it has nothing to do with how you'd act in reality.

Jess: Indeed. What do you think readers will find most notable about your book(s)?

Vaughn: Well, our current, tongue-in-cheek motto is that our writing is "too romantic for erotica, and too erotic for romance."

Jess: Cool slogan! In order to write on certain experiences, you would have to either research or live the life. Which describes you as the writer?

Vaughn: I'm certainly a researcher in most cases. My sex life is far more vanilla than my writing.

Jess: Do you think erotica caters to a male or female market (or does gender of the target audience not matter)?

Vaughn: I think erotica caters to pieces of all markets, regardless of gender.

Jess: Are there any topics you will NOT tackle, with regards to sexual behaviors and attitudes?

Vaughn: I used to think there was, but being led by my characters, my preconceptions been pried far more open that I previously thought. As I said before, fantasy is a far more broad playing field than reality. In some case, fantasy, and by extension, writing and reading, is the healthiest way to explore certain situations.

Jess: Please share with us a short excerpt and blurb of your work (10-100 words).

Vaughn:

One of my favorite quotes: "Her cry as he entered her was not of pain, but exaltation."

-- from The Aetherwood Chronicles, a lush, intriguing world filled with sensuality and the supernatural.

Jess: Share an excerpt of your favorite author’s work (10-100 words):

Vaughn: "When I want you to beg, I'll tell you." — J.R. Ward

Jess: Please let readers know where they can find out more about you/your work.

Vaughn:

Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/lionandmermaid

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0054R8PZG

Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/groups/85527/about

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/aetherwood-chronicles

FetLife: http://fetlife.com/users/935910

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/lmwitchesbrew

Jess: Thanks so much for sharing your views on the art of erotic writing :)!

* * * * *

VAUGHN SHEPHERD:

Lion and Mermaid Publications consists of two authors, Bunny Darling and Vaughn Shepherd. They collaboratively author stories of a romantic and erotic nature. They have recently begun publishing these works, featuring several series, featuring wildly differing couples (or triples...).

JESS C SCOTT:

Jess is the author/artist/non-conformist behind jessINK (her indie publishing division). One of her specializations is erotic literature.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and would like to share your views via a similar interview, just check out/fill out the form at Author Interviews. Jess will email you with the link once it is posted.

Jess is available for interviews too. Drop her a note at missfeyATgmailDOTcom :)

Author Interview, Malcolm J. Brenner

2011-08-02T19:28:00.000-07:00

Author Interview #2, with Malcolm J. Brenner!

NOTE: Malcolm's novel is of a controversial theme. Please read THE DISCLAIMER, which is in accordance with Google/Blogger's content policies. It's only realistic/honest to present a realistic/honest account. This has been the case with Mr. Brenner and I hope you will find this interview interesting.

* * * * *

Jess: Why do you write erotic-themed material?

Malcolm: Because it's what happened to me and changed my consciousness, i.e. the way I look at the world.

Jess: How do you differentiate quality erotica (as an art form), from pornographic writing?

Malcolm: As some feminist once said, "Pornography is the literature of dominance." Porn exploits sex for commercial purposes, whereas erotica celebrates the pleasure and joy of consensual sex.

Jess: Totally agree with that definition of 'porn'. ;) I shall now ask how you would respond to the following statement:

“I am very put off by the notion of 'literate smut', as if any porn is intellectual, that erotica needs to have a high and low art distinction. I think this is just a pretentious way for people to excuse their taste for pornography.”
-- originally posted on http://www.barbelith.com/topic/925

Malcolm: I would say the person who made that statement is a prude who feels threatened by his or her own sexuality, but I might be misreading the statement, taken as it is out of context.

Jess: Your diplomacy at giving said person the benefit of the doubt is admirable. What inspired you to write erotic stories/poems/etc.?

Malcolm: I fell in love with a dolphin and ended up making love with her at her insistence.

Jess: Do you always follow the "safe, sane, consensual" credo?

Malcolm: Very little about my life has been safe or sane, but if it's not consensual it's rape.

Jess: Indeed (I always like it when a person is clear-minded about consent). What do you think readers will find most notable about your book(s)?

Malcolm: The fact that it is well-written and appears to have a rather widespread appeal outside the zoophile community (such as it is). I tried to write the story in such a way so that even readers who are not attracted to dolphins or other species would be able to relate to, and empathize with, the plight of the protagonist. Judging from the feedback I get, I succeeded.

Jess: In order to write on certain experiences, you would have to either research or live the life. Which describes you as the writer?

Malcolm: I have no talent for fiction or plot so I have to write about what happens to me.

Jess: Do you think erotica caters to a male or female market (or does gender of the target audience not matter)?

Malcolm: I think men are more stimulated by visual depictions whereas women seem to prefer sensual descriptions. I am surprised that my novel of human-dolphin love, Wet Goddess, seems to sell equally well to women and men. I thought it would be mostly men who were interested in it.

Jess: Are there any topics you will NOT tackle, with regards to sexual behaviors and attitudes?

Malcolm: Since I am writing now about my own molestation as a child and getting pissed on by a dolphin, I guess the answer is "no," but come to think of it I wouldn't write Lolita, either. Then again I'm not Vladimir Nabokov.

Jess: (YEAH, Nabokov--the stylistic storyteller!). Please share with us a short excerpt and blurb of your work (10-100 words).

Malcolm:

“Elaine…” I whispered, “Elaine…”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to… make love?”

The question hung on the wind for what seemed like an hour.

“Yes… no… Oh God, Zack, I don’t know,” she said, and grabbed me, toppling us to the sand.

-- from Wet Goddess, of a remarkable female dolphin who convinced the narrator that dolphins have every bit as much, if not more, awareness and intelligence as human beings.

Jess: Share an excerpt of your favorite author’s work (10-100 words):

Malcolm:

"I was determined to have done with conjecture and discover the truth, even if, as I believed it would, the truth proved incomprehensible."

-- Stanislaw Lem, from Solaris (1961). It is the only book I have ever read that kept me up all night reading, because it relates so strongly to my own experience of another, non-human intelligence.

Jess: Please let readers know where they can find out more about you/your work.

Malcolm:

Website: http://wetgoddess.net/
Blog: http://blog.wetgoddess.net/

Jess: Thanks so much for sharing your views on the art of erotic writing :)!

* * * * *

MALCOLM J. BRENNER:

When Malcolm J. Brenner graduated from Riverview High School (of which he has no fond memories) in 1969, he attended New College of Florida, where the events on which WET GODDESS is based took place.

At an early age, Brenner was sexually molested by an "orgonomist" (orgone energy doctor) trained and certified by Wilhelm Reich--the notorious post-Freudian psychiatrist--to work with children. Brenner plans to document the terrifying child abuse he experienced in a forthcoming autobiography, Growing Up In The Orgone Box.

Of his work, Malcolm J. Brenner says, "I'd rather write fiction, but I have absolutely no facility for plot. Nothing I can imagine is as weird or as unlikely as the things that have actually happened to me. So I just write honestly about my life, which simply reads like fiction." His website is http://wetgoddess.net/

JESS C SCOTT:

Jess is the author/artist/non-conformist behind jessINK (her indie publishing division). One of her specializations is erotic literature.

If you are reading this and you write, in whatever genre, and would like to share your views via a similar Q&A, just check out/fill out the form at Author Interviews. Jess will email you with the link once it is posted.

Jess is available for Q&A's too. Drop her a note at missfeyATgmailDOTcom :)

(Quality) Erotica Author Interviews

2011-07-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

I've been wondering whether to open a new blog for my upcoming (FINALLY COMPLETED--about 10% left) second erotic anthology, Primal Scream.

If I do, it's likely to be a VERY compact, minimalistic blog (I'll have a few Q&A's and some posts on the artwork and inspiration behind certain stories, maybe). I was considering posting on this blog (re: Primal Scream-related material), but I won't if it'll make things cluttered.

I guess the Amazon censorship episode that occurred in Dec 2010 turned out to be okay, because it was from that point that I made it very clear that my (erotic-themed) work "is not porn."

The disclaimer I came up with (on the "erotica versus pornography" debate) is a popular page on jessINK (http://www.jessink.com/porn_vs_erotica.htm).

I've met several other authors who also maintain this perspective with their erotic works. The whole purpose of the labels of "erotica" and "pornography" is to differentiate the two from each other (the former is an art form; the latter's objective is to stimulate arousal from the graphic depictions of sexually explicit scenes, and make money from this), and I personally would like to see more exposure for contemporary, quality, intelligent erotica (or "contemporary fiction with erotic elements," which is what I'm working towards :P).

I'm currently setting up an author Q&A template via Google documents. I'll answer the Q&A too, though it won't be my first interview that's related to Primal Scream. I'll decide later whether I'm going to post Primal Scream stuff here or on another blog.

I'll get back to Switch by the end of the day (last story for Primal Scream!).

LATEST NEWS!

2010-12-18T05:16:00.000-08:00

18 Dec 2010: You can get 4:Play (full anthology, 10 stories) for $4.99 @ Smashwords. All my books will be available for direct purchase/download via my website/jessINK, in 2011.

Two of my books, Wicked Lovely and 4:Play, are banned on Amazon, as reported by The Register UK. While 4:Play (which includes the s.story, Wicked Lovely) is still online on Amazon (at the time of this posting), I received an email from Amazon DTP that 4:Play has been "blocked" -- meaning I cannot edit/access my own product in my own account. Wicked Lovely was removed from Amazon's catalog in early December.

15 Mar 2011: I've written some articles on jessINK, with regards to erotic fiction & censorship. I've also updated my works and writings so that the special editions are about "step siblings," not "siblings."

Interview @ Interracial eBooks

2010-05-02T14:14:00.001-07:00

This Q&A was originally posted on Interracial eBooks (they have taken down their blog, and are focusing on their estore at the moment).

1) When you first started writing, was it your intent to write interracial romance?

Jess: When I first started writing professionally, yes. Maybe it's because I'm of mixed heritage -- I've always liked diversity, which includes anything that's "multicultural". I also felt (still feel) that the concept of interracial romance would be good on a social level (a person is a person, regardless of race/religion/sexual orientation).

2) What do you think of the growing popularity of interracial romance? What is the appeal?

Jess: It's great! I think the Internet has opened up the world on a truly massive, global scale. When it comes to mass media, I think people of different cultures/races appreciate seeing their respective ethnic group being represented. Some readers may also enjoy discovering "something new", which one is likely to, when it comes to interracial romance. Perhaps the appeal lies in the underlying message that love is not determined by skin color; it's something that happens from within.

3) Tell us about your first exposure to interracial romance? Was it a book or movie? What was your initial reaction?

Jess: My first exposure to interracial romance was definitely in real life -- my mother is Eurasian, and my father is Singaporean Chinese. I noticed the various cultural differences from a very young age. I guess this helped me foster an awareness and keen interest in culture + social anthropology as well (though I didn't know those exact words, or what they meant, at the time).

4) Do you feel there is a specific sub-genre best suited to interracial romance (contemporary, paranormal, etc.)? Why?

Jess: I don't think so, actually. I think a good writer would be able to fit the right elements into a story -- the interracial aspect could work equally well in any/all genres, depending on the author's intention(s) with the writing project. This is giving me a bunch of ideas right now, to be honest...

Depeche Mode, see point #9 below ;)
Photo from George Velez

5) Will interracial romance become more or less mainstream in the future?

Jess: More -- too much of the same thing gets boring after a while. There has to be more choices on the shelf. It'll also be a reflection of cross-cultural relationships becoming more of a mainstream thing, in society.

6) Do you have any plans for book signings or conference appearances?

Jess: Once I am very famous/notorious, yes. I'm currently focused on getting my name/work out there. I don't know about conference appearances though. I could just record whatever I wanted to say, and upload it onto YouTube. It'd be more convenient and economical for everyone.

7) What are you working on now?

Jess: I am working on a young adult series. There are characters of different races in the book(s), because I'm tired of seeing the same old stereotypical names, looks, and characters, in YA fiction. Young people deserve more challenging, stimulating works to peruse. I got a bit sidetracked with my sophomore novel, 4:Play. It was supposed to be finished "before I turned 25" -- I ended up finishing it at 22.5 years old...

8) Do you have any particular rituals when writing (a special place or time, specific music you listen to, etc.)?

Jess: I have to stretch! -- I don't like for the body to start cramping or stiffening up, due to long hours at the computer. I usually listen to energizing music. Head-banging rock and/or electronica/dance tracks are favorites. I like to do initial draft planning (and as much of the actual writing) by hand too -- it's just more...intimate.

9) Who inspires you?

Jess: Everybody from classic authors (Poe, Oscar Wilde, Anais Nin, D. H Lawrence, etc!), to musicians (Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, K-pop artistes, Chopin, Bach, Vivaldi), and people like you and me.

Paranormal Romance Interview

2010-05-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

An “all things paranormal” interview with Jess C Scott, writer of edgy/contemporary fiction.

"Incubus" painting, by Sarah R. Braun.
Check out the draconic wings ;)

1) When did you start writing romance? Which author inspired you to start writing paranormal romance?

Jess: The funny thing is that I never really set out to write romance stories (it kind of just happened along the way). With regards to the inspiration with writing paranormal romance—I really enjoyed several sections of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Hot damn!

2) What is it about the paranormal romance genre that captures your imagination?

Jess: I love the world of paranormal, as the paranormal dimension allows for one to delve into another realm altogether. One has whole new worlds, concepts, values, and perspectives to explore. I like to challenge myself to come up with something new/fresh/original too, even amidst the current commerciality of the paranormal romance genre.

3) How would you describe the sensuality level of your books; do you find it challenging to write the hot love/sex scenes that readers demand?

Jess: It ranges from sensuous to explicit. I will never write a love/sex scene where it’s “just about the sex (the physical act)”. I like including psychological and emotional elements in my work (and looking at ALL the details, when the writing is more alternative/non-mainstream/experimental). I feel it lends a certain amount of depth and authenticity to both the storyline + the characters.

4) What do you feel are the essential elements of a great story?

Jess: Great characters and a great storyline. That’s pretty much all there is to it.

5) What inspired you to write The Devilin Fey?

Jess: I’d been wanting to write a story with an incubus for quite some time (since 2006 / The Devilin Fey was written about two years later). Dreams are another realm which is a whole new world to meander about in. I thought it’d be cool to combine that, with the sensual/erotic elements associated with a creature like an incubus/succubus.

6) What real life love lessons are there to be learned from paranormal romances?

Jess: To be true/honest with oneself (before one can be that way, with others). To explore/accept/delve into the “darker aspects” of one’s self/psyche. To attain some form of transformation/transcendence via love/sex (where it’s one combined element, not two separate entities).

Excuse the amount of /slashes/ — I use those a lot when I think fast, and/or process complex thoughts.

7) Any new projects on the horizon? What would you like to try next?

Jess: I am working on 2-3 series (a “seven deadly sins” series, an urban fantasy series, and a paranormal romance/dark urban fantasy series). I want the latter to be something unique, yet relatable. I’d like the characters/story to show a reader things they might already know (in a general sense)—just in a different/deeper perspective, that rings true. I like seeking out truth and purity (for the astrologically-inclined, I’m a Virgo Sun/Pisces Moon/Venus Scorpio), and I aim to share what I find/discover with the world.

I’d like to try many new things (in multiple departments)—I won’t say what, until I’ve something to show/tell ;)

GLBT author interview

2010-02-12T07:48:00.000-08:00

A short chat on the topic of GLBT with Jess C Scott, who writes contemporary fiction + poetry.

Sketch by Jess C Scott.

1) How straight are you?

Jess: 65%, 65% of the time.

2) A usually straight writer, writing gay fiction...

Jess: I'll try to keep a long story short. I was aiming to finish my first erotic short story collection by the time I was 25 (I finished it before I turned 23; I'll be 24 soon). I've always found genre fiction in erotica to be quite peculiar (gay fiction targeted just towards gay people, etc). I understand that publishing is a business, but society is never going to progress if stereotypes continue to be perpetuated. With 4:Play, I aimed to "challenge the reader to see sex, and love through a perspective that is more accepting of others' differences whether it's sexual orientation, or just the acceptance of being able to make a choice about who one loves or have sex with" (http://www.examiner.com/x-19118-Charlotte-Erotica-Examiner~y2009m12d6-Erotic-book-review-4-Play). Since no publisher/agent wanted to help me with 4:Play, I decided to help myself and published it in both print and electronic formats last year.

P.S. I think the best thing that ever happened to me was *not* going "the traditional agent->editor->12-18 months" for anything to happen route with publishing. I've a popular post on my main website on Indie versus Traditional Publishing, heh!

3) What has reader response been like?

Jess: I primarily just write things coz I have to get "things" out of my system. So it's nice when a reader appreciates something in the writing/story. And if they don't get it, that's okay.

I deliberately included the bisexual succubus story with The Devilin Fey, the first $0.99 (paranormal romance) novella I plucked out from 4:Play (it covers several genres). I believe people of all sexual orientations (and races, etc) should be equally represented in the mass media. I intend to feature a gay/bisexual character in one of my mainstream series (the best friend of the lead character -- I'll probably feature a lead bisexual character sometime...).

4) What inspired New Order?

Jess: I think somebody made a comment about gays/lesbians...unfortunately, I sometimes don't gather my thoughts quickly enough in real life to shoot a comment, when I should. I wrote some GLBT-themed poems (they're available in the chapter titled Appetizers, in 4:Play), where the focus was on a real type of love/sex/romance (to me, at least). My erotic fiction is never meant to just work up a reader -- I'll always try to add something else in. Mindless physical action isn't erotic, to me.

5) Have you had a direct gay experience?

Jess: My first kiss was with a girl. It was more playful than sexual...

If I were a guy, I definitely wouldn't be 100%-straight (perhaps the same -- 65% straight, 65% of the time?). I'm with Adriana from Tongue-Tied when she says "if you like a person, you like the person, not their genitals."

6) Any final words?

Jess: One of my writing goals is to feature a lead GLBT character, in a mainstream kind of way / in a mainstream novel, sometime in future. In a world where 99% of people were gay, the 1% of straight people would be "non-mainstream" and "alternative" (I believe Yin said something like that in the last story, 4:Play). Stay tuned (give me a few months -- I have LOADS of current projects going on)!

Incest Interview

2009-11-09T06:23:00.000-08:00

A short chat on the topic of ~~incest~~ step relations with Jess C Scott, who writes contemporary fiction + poetry.

UPDATED!: As of 2011, Jess writes about step relations, not incest [since it's against Amazon, PayPal, Google and Blogger's TOS to "write about bestiality and incest" (no word about necrophilia)]. Jess has updated her short stories on sale at Amazon too (so it's about step relations, not incest).

Photo by margolove.

1) Do *you* have a brother?

Jess: No, I do not. I've wondered from time to time what it might've been like, though (if I did have one).

2) Where did the idea for the story come from?

Jess: I submitted the story for a "taboo subjects" writing anthology (I think it was one of the lines from Harlequin). A few months later, the editor replied saying that the writing needed some "cleaning up." By that time, I'd already published 4:Play (my multiple genre-crossing erotic short story collection). Ed's voice is deliberately rough and unpolished -- and I kept it that way (allows his true thoughts/etc to show through).

3) What has reader response been like?

Jess: I got slammed by an editor of a literary journal, with regards to Ed in Wicked Lovely (an excerpt of the email discussion is available in my writing portfolio, Porcelain). Apart from that, I'm quite surprised at some of the responses to my work -- I primarily just write things coz I have to get "things" out of my system, lol. So it's nice when a reader appreciates something in the writing/story. And if they don't get it, that's okay.

4) Did you do any research for Wicked Lovely?

Jess: I was surfing around websites, reading on real-life accounts of brother-sister intimacy. I frequently read many accounts which were very honest and open (anonymous, or no)...what I saw in the accounts was a pure and clean type of love which you don't see often (in a society/culture that commoditizes sex and romance). I sought to capture this in a story on the topic. My erotic fiction is never meant to just work up a reader -- I'll always try to add something else in.

5) ~~Is incest~~ Are family relationships "right" to you, then?

Jess: Procreation concerns aside, I tend to look at the quality of the relationship itself (over the actual relations / blood ties of the people involved). A really solid relationship based on all the good things like real trust, etc, is really special, and I guess I share the views of Ed's friend, Rafiz, in Wicked Lovely. P.S. France lifted the incest ban as early as 300 years go, during the reign of Napolean (I think). For the purpose of this Q&A (with regards to Google's/Blogger's TOS), I am neither discouraging nor encouraging incest, just stating the matter as it is.

6) Is any subject too taboo for you?

Jess: Mentally and conversationally, not really. I'm always open to learning something new...

Wicked Redhead Interview, Christine Kirchoff

2009-09-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Redhead Picture by Ramona

Here's something a little different for this blog -- I had my first Q&A with a fellow author (I haven't done the asking before).

Let's give a warm welcome today to Wicked Redhead/Christine Kirchoff, author of Science Fiction and Erotica! Her website is http://christinekirchoff.wordpress.com/.

-----------

Q&A with Wicked Redhead

Jess: What do you like (and/or dislike) about writing erotica/erotic fiction?

Wicked Redhead: I enjoy everything about erotica, the sensual atmosphere, the creation unfolding on screen, and the ability to excite readers. Dislike is a little harder to pinpoint, headaches from hours of staring at the lit screen and some crude comments are becoming familiar territory.

2) It'd be interesting, to see what great masterpieces certain crude commenters have come up with. What is the most important aspect of erotic writing, to you?

The story, it’s always the story revealed. The sex has to be good, yes, and the details well written but the characters have to be whole. They have to pull at your heartstrings when they’re sad or wet your desire when they cum. I love how a happy or tragic ending can stay in your mind for days.

3) Who are some of your favorite authors?
I try to pick up a new author a few times a year, there are so many that I can’t keep up. As for my favorites, the books I buy without even reading the jacket because I know they’ll be fantastic are…Laurell K. Hamiton, Shayla Black, Lori Foster, Lora Leigh, Christine Warren, Christina Dodd, Gena Showalter, …that’s just to name some of the top individuals.

4) How long have you been writing flash fiction and what are your thoughts about being successful in the form?
I’ve only been writing it for about a year professionally. I dabbled in flash for a while but never seriously contemplating their success. I wrote my first real erotica at the end of last year (2008). I showed it to a few people and apparently, it was a hit. I never realized how off kilter my mind works from others or that I’d be able to transfer my imagination onto the computer screen. Sex in a Bubble, which will be published in November, is the first one I wanted to perfect and submit. Writing to me is exhilarating. Editing, however, is becoming the bane of my existence. Thankfully, I have a very good friend who doesn’t mind sharing his thoughts and editing skills.

5) What attracts you to Science Fiction and Erotica vs. other genres?
I honestly don’t know the answer to that one. I find I read, write, watch TV, movies with science fiction or erotic subjects. That’s just what my mind gravitates towards.

6) Ah, it's always nice to follow one's natural instincts ;). Speaking about instincts/naturality -- do you need to be in a specific place or atmosphere before the words flow?
Alone and quiet works best. My house is always busy with something so I tend to write at night when the world descends to sleep. I do like some music on, depending on which scene I’m working, but that’s about it.

7) Do elaborate on being a "wicked redhead".

Besides having red hair I have the personality to match. I can be feisty, wild, or just plain wicked. I started that name on my blog, just something that would truly describe me and it stuck.

8) What is the #1 tip you would give to anyone who likes to write?
Trust in yourself and try your hardest to work your way through the BS that’s in life.

9) I read on your blog that you are currently working on a novel. Please tell us more about it!

Once Upon a Mate is progressing, the rough draft almost complete! Lake George, New York with all its beauty holds a secret, seven of them actually. Seven half-human experiments have escaped the laboratories to find and rescue their mates from their enemies. Avery is the oldest, part wolf and is desperate to find his mate Violet. They soon meet in a collision of gunfire and irresistible lust. They have to work through their insecurities and outlast their hunters. Orgasms roar, betrayals scorch and their love forces the world into a new era of survival.

-----------

Thank you so much to Wicked Redhead for the lovely interview! Be sure to check out some of her published work @ http://christinekirchoff.wordpress.com/.

Interview + Review

2009-08-16T19:51:00.001-07:00

I've got my first interview (regarding some of the material in 4:Play) scheduled, and a review also -- now to send out a few more emails/stuff, to get the word out about 4:Play, heh.

P.S. Had an interesting note from a reader -- #8 under "Yay's" on the Feedback page.

A Word About Ed Drake

2009-08-08T06:15:00.000-07:00

Photo by Joseph Brauer

Ed Drake is one of the lead characters (the "step brother") in Wicked Lovely (the second story in 4:Play). The title was "Ed & Julie" initially -- kind of was following a "Romeo & Juliet" type of vibe, but I decided to change it later.

Ed's voice might seem unedited and illiterate. I was inspired by the stream-of-consciousness narrative mode of The Rules of Attraction, by Bret Easton Ellis. I liked the unforced nature of the writing style.

Ed might sound like a whiny brat, and speak like a child (input I have received so far), but I think he manages to get his point(s) across.

* * * * *

Excerpt of Wicked Lovely (Scene 1, Ed Drake) / 4:Play

Peel myself off the sofa. Ed, you sicko.

I wanna tell the voice in my head and the whole world to shut up. They can talk and talk but they’ve not been in the same situation, they don’t even know what they’re missing out on.

That. That’s the exact thing that fuels their disgust and anger. It’s a displaced frustration, that they can never have access to this deranged special kind of arrangement. Go, Ed!

Drag myself up the stairs in a weird mix of dread guilt apprehension and uncontrollable wild anticipation and excitement.

Find myself in front of Goddess Julie’s room. The door is closed but you can’t lock it from the outside. Glare at the morons on the poster. Some lame brothers emo-looking band with way too much eyeliner and black hair dye that really sucks BIG TIME, nothing but pop "rock" crap for 12 year old girls to listen to (Julie isn't 12 -- figure of speech). Their lyrics are about their love life and if those lyrics are indeed true, damn their love life blows. They don’t have one insanely hard and talented guitar solo, no drummer, no bass player, and no talent. They are just another manufactured product and who knows what their appeal is. Where’s a new Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Nirvana, or Guns n’ Roses? Good music is dead. So once again, I don’t think they suck, I KNOW they suck.

Then the paranoia and urgency strikes. Hurry up! Someone might be home any minute!

* * * * *

A contemporary cocktail of erotic short stories...

2009-08-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

I've ordered the proof copy for 4:Play. This is the CS page for 4:Play.

I'll be fiddling around with the sidebar here, making sure everything is "not too much of a mess"...I've one more trailer to go. I'm tired (work-tired, not the sick-of-it type of "tired")...so I hope I can still put something together for one trailer that covers 4:Play, as a whole collection.

Personally, I prefer launching a book, and then getting (unsolicited -- it's more genuine) reviews for it. Maybe it's just me, but the concept of ARCs (and much of the traditional publishing model) seems pretty archaic to me.

Update 04/August/09 -- Sat down last night and completed the trailer at 11pm, bwahaha.

I wanted an electronica beat/music style for this one. There was another reggae fusion music track I was considering, but it was a little bit "relaxing" and laidback for what I had in mind.

Kindle & eBook editions should be available soon. With EyeLeash, I got the print copies set up first, before the digital formats. I'm doing it the other way around this time, which I think works better.

Rockstar Fantasy

2009-07-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

Book Trailer #2 is done (I took about 7-8 hours, LOL):

The Only One

2009-07-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

Sneak peek at one of the images I might be using, in the next trailer:

* Hopefully, I'll be able to finish the trailer in 5-7 hours (minimum). I'd ideally like a "rock" sound/feel to this trailer. I've a few selections, but I haven't settled on A Final One just yet, heh.

Literary Snobs

2009-07-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

They said that of themselves (rather, the editor of a literary sex magazine I was in contact with). I'd sent in a couple of excerpts from Ed & Julie (I've since changed the title to Wicked Lovely -- it's the second story in 4:Play), in early 2009.

I'm not posting this to "vent" any frustration -- I just enjoy whacking high-and-mighty sorts.

Here's the correspondence, for your amusement + entertainment:

* Note: Text highlighted in this color provide the gist ;)

Alright. I don't think you quite understood my criticisms. We do not like the voice of Ed Drake. This next chapter is just the same. He speaks like a child -- and there are parts that are just nonsensical like: "...I’d pay the bozos inside if I had cash to spare so that I could loan the restroom for a half hour or so." Honestly, I've got to ask: have you ever edited this thing? If we didn't like chapter one, which at least introduces the characters and the plot, why on Earth would we want to publish chapter two, which only makes sense because I've read chapter one. Well, y'know what: we are literary snobs. XXXXXX is a literary, sex & arts magazine. It isn't a print version of literotica. It isn't a print version of literotica. I don't think one of us has read Twilight and I don't think any of us every will, but like Date Movie and Epic Movie and Superhero Movie, we can usually smell crap from across the room. Rule of thumb for something like Twilight; if it's a book that has it's biggest audience among people who never read anything, it's not good, it's grade nine book report pulp.

I wrote that the first bit of Drake you sent us didn't pick up steam and that it was repetative. Rather than take the time to consider these comments, you just sent the next chunk of your story, as much as you could wedge within our word-count guidelines, as soon as possible. And I said we didn't consider your haiku as the sort of haiku we'd publish, and then you just sent us another ten of the same thing. I've got to ask: have you actually read an issue of our magazine? You say you're trying to get as many excerpts published as possible before looking for an agent. To me, that means your just dumping old pieces which have never been edited on as many laps as possible.

I didn't want to be mean, but when you replied almost instantaneously to my letter of last night (note: I wasn't aware at all -- truly) it struck me that you aren't taking us seriously, not our publication or our time. Please do not submit again.

Sincerely,

Mr. "I-am-a-Literary-Snob"

Here's my reply -- wasn't expecting to get a reply (my instincts were right):

Dear (Mr. X),

Most of the time, I know what I'd like a character to sound like, and I have my reasons for it. Not everyone will see eye-to-eye with me on it, and that's no biggie.

Regarding one of my poems, perhaps I should have omitted the word 'haiku' from the title itself, and reverted the title back to its original version (which, with the omission of the word 'haiku', would read "txt-msgs [from one guy 2 another]), so that a certain level of objectivity could be better maintained while reviewing the piece. In your previous mail, you said that I sent "another ten of the same thing". That might be true, but technically, that isn't necessarily true either, because that poem brings together 14 stanzas to form one stand-alone piece. Now whether each individual 5-7-5-syllabled stanza IS a haiku, or not, needn't be an issue, when the poem is taken in its entirety.

As to whether I edited Ed Drake, indeed, I did! As carefully and meticulously as I do with all my other material. A horny teenager isn't going to sound like Shakespeare, and if that's going to ruffle up a few feathers here and there, I am fine with that.

PS: I'm sure William Faulkner edited The Sound and the Fury. As did Bret Easton Ellis, James Joyce, E. E. Cummings, and Emily Dickinson et al., with their respective works.

Jess.

P.S. Got an email from the magazine in June 2009, calling for new submissions.

P.P.S. More feedback on 4:Play on this post.

Inspiration for Playing the Flute

2009-07-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

I'd like to write a future blog post on "Book Trailer Tips" -- there are some things I've learned along the way, which might be useful to others who're thinking of/doing the same thing ^^.

Anyway, I just wanted to share/ramble a little, on the inspiration behind Playing the Flute (poem + trailer).

I happened to buy this book when I was 18 years old -- it's one of my most treasured books (along with my collection of Anaïs Nin, D. H. Lawrence, and a couple of erotic art publications -- I've been wanting to add to that collection in the longest time, man):

Love Poems from the Japanese, The Shambhala Library

It's a beautiful, exquisite, gem -- of remarkable quality, and succinctness. The divine simplicity of the short pieces of poetry (no inflated word count to justify the sticker price here) is authentic, uplifting, and speaks directly to the soul.

So...yeah. I wrote Playing the Flute, and a range of freeform haiku (entitled 30 + 2 Haiku, in 4:Play).

I don't know if my chapter of poems was a turn-off to industry professionals, as I've seen variations of the following line on more than a couple of lit agent pages:

"No poetry, please. Poetry doesn't sell."

Okay. So I'm one of those "delusional optimists" that chooses to do whatever they set out to do anyway, regardless of who has to say what, and the pitfalls/obstacles pointed out, and blebbity blebbity bleh.

There are many reasons why I value poetry. Vladimir Nabokov has this to say:

"A writer should have the precision of a poet and the imagination of a scientist."

Which is something I agree with. That's regarding the writerly aspect of myself :)

I've never written a poem in order to sound "smart". I usually like to focus on the content/message, rather than the techniques applied [and that got me into serious hot soup with a self-proclaimed "literary snob" of an editor (names withheld, of course...)].

I think it's the quality of a piece of work that determines if people will like it/be inspired by it/be influenced/etc. Even (or especially, to some) if it comes in the form of a poem.

P.S. A friend asked whether I wrote Playing the Flute. I said yes. And she said, "Oh! It was subtle and different from (the writing style in) your first book!"

I can't and won't disagree with that. Jade Ashton simply has to sound the way that she does in EyeLeash.

Erotic Poem, Book Trailer

2009-07-18T04:54:00.001-07:00

Features the poem, Playing the Flute, from 4:Play, and music by the uber talented Kevin MacLeod.

I've 2 or 3 more trailers in mind for this book. This one took a total of about 7 - 8 hours (inclusive of searching for pix, and drafting up the initial concept)...half the time it took for my first trailer ever done for my other book, heh.

I was going for something old world + slightly contemporary, at the same time.

EXCERPTS

2009-07-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

+ Here's the first story, Black Velvet.

+ An excerpt of Wicked Lovely.

+ A preview of random pages via Google Books and/or Book Buzzr.

+ Excerpts of 4:Play have appeared in the following publications: Bare Back Magazine, Blink Fiction, Clean Sheets, UnMasked Online, Yellow Mama, The Battered Suitcase/Vagabondage Press, Side of Grits/Rural Messengers Press, Oysters & Chocolate, and Nefarious Ballerina. You may hunt for them on the writing page @ my main website ;)

+ Freebies are below.

* * * * *

'New Order' -- 27 downloads on first day, wow!:

New Order, ebook format on Smashwords.

* * * * *

Appetizers is a sample of erotic/sensuous poetry excerpts. Poetry's good for the soul.

* * * * *

FEEDBACK

2009-07-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some comments I'm gathering, regarding the material in 4:Play.

I'm gonna follow the Nays and Yays sequence, as with the feedback page on my other book, EyeLeash.

* * *

NAY'S

1) "Thanks so much for submitting to us. We have not yet published any single author's collection of short stories. While what your are writing sounds very fun indeed, we must decline as it falls outside of what we publish. I wish you all the best!"
~ Publisher of books in the areas of sexuality & erotica

2) "I’m going to pass on this one. While I can appreciate the structural risks taken, I was looking for a bit more focus in the narrative; also, I thought the tone was a little too casual / conversational at points."
~ Editor

3) "Thank you for submitting your query to xxxxxxxx. I'm not sure yours is quite right for us, however, and I suggest you try to place it with a GLBT publisher."
~ Publisher that seeks "ultra-manly herpes (good grief, I mean 'heroes' -- but I'll leave the typo error as is!)" for their romance lines

4) "Was there an underage (under 18 years old) sexual relationship in the story? Please feel free to re-submit after you've made revisions."
~ Editorial panel feedback

5) "We do not like the voice of Ed Drake. This next chapter is just the same. He speaks like a child...and there are parts that are just nonsensical like: '...I’d pay the bozos inside if I had cash to spare so that I could loan the restroom for a half hour or so.' Honestly, I've got to ask: have you ever edited this thing?"
~ read the full rant from the editor (and my reply) here!

* * *

YAY'S

1) "Congratulations! We would love to publish 'New Order' on Oysters & Chocolate! Wonderful story...(2 weeks later)...What intriguing, beautiful work you do! We would love to publish 'The Only One' on O&C."
~ Samantha & Jordan, Oysters and Chocolate

2) "Hi Jess: Attached please find an acceptance letter for your submission, 'Playing the Flute.' I really enjoyed the sensuality of this short, prose like story."
~ Editor of Unmasked Online

3) "Ms. Scott, thank you for sending your poetry in for consideration. Our editors have looked it over and really enjoyed it. We'd be delighted if we could include 'Wired' in our September issue."
~ Vagabondage Press/The Battered Suitcase

4) "After careful consideration, we are going to pass on 4-Play. As a writer, you will certainly go places. As an agency, we are not quite the right match to represent you, as much as I enjoyed your work. Your scope and style are fresh and interesting. Keep writing. You are sure to find the right niche with the right editor."
~ Literary agency

5) "I am sure I will enjoy your stories if they include yaoi features."
~ DB, blogger/anime-addict

6) "That's the most exciting book ever!"
~ Kevin MacLeod (his music is featured on Playing the Flute)

7) "Progressive (short stories) sounds right to me."
~ York UK, Alumnus

8) Short e-mail correspondence with a reader:

reader:

i liked your poem in bareback (status: married). i find your theory of erotic evolution amusing. what is its provenance?

jess:

thanks! that's actually a "poeticized" version of a short story. i wrote the poem first, then lengthened it later.

i think the theory came about from my own meanderings in the areas of gender/sexuality (the "inspiration" for my just-launched erotic short story collection, 4:Play, i guess). i wanted to sum up my thoughts in an eloquent way :P

reader:

Cool. Thank you.

Gender is a construct. That makes sense.

9) "...These stories are too complex to be called erotic, too creative to be classifiable, too genre-bending to be conventionally published and far too hot for me to handle."
~ Joseph Grinton, April 2010

10) "...I like the reality of [4:Play], and feel it must ring true with audiences, say, under 40. I'm 64 and it rings true with me. America is totally twisted on the subject of sexuality, and I hope the next generations will handle that better than their predecessors. My gen. treats sex as appropriate only for:

1) courtship (but abstain!),
2) the first year or so of marriage (no longer!) and...most important,
3) A marketing and sales device."

~ email from a reader, May 2010

ABOUT

2009-07-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

Available in print and digital formats.

=====

Summary of 4:Play: A contemporary cocktail of erotic short stories

4:Play captures the deliciousness of sexual fulfillment, the adventure of conquest, and the mystery of unexplored territory.

Among these progressive stories, a step brother and sister try to make sense of the sexual love they share; a demure young woman encounters an incubus; and two friends strike up a stimulating discussion that acts as the perfect aphrodisiac.

With a scope and style that is fresh and compelling, 4:Play dives into the depths of navigating gender, sexuality, and the lines of desire.

ISBN: 978-1-4486-4766-8

Why 4:Play is Written This Way

I deliberately wanted to cross multiple genres. I don't believe that a book should be *only* about gay fiction, or *only* about urban fantasy, etc. I'm all for diversity and open-mindedness (however one wishes to define that!).

I elaborate more on the first blog post.

Excerpt(s) of 4:Play:

Note: Excerpts of 4:Play have appeared in the following publications: Bare Back Magazine, Blink Fiction, Clean Sheets, UnMasked Online, Yellow Mama, The Battered Suitcase/Vagabondage Press, Side of Grits/Rural Messengers Press, Oysters & Chocolate, and Nefarious Ballerina.

A preview is available via Google Books.

Excerpt #1

Oh my God.

I drop my program, and I quickly bend over to pick it up.

I want to sneak out with him to the parking lot, under the moonlight, rip his boxers off, have them between my teeth.

He is immaculate, dressed in a white suit, holy-white, of all colors. The lights on stage throw a halo around his chestnut-brown hair, random, sexilicious strands resting upon his eyebrows.

He’s standing directly beneath the center spotlight, like he is the star of the show—he knows he is. He knows, and I know.

But he knows not that I know.

Lean meat and a polished body, bones hardly showing, hardly a drop of fat on him. Cheekbones and a jaw line like they’d been chiseled by a master artisan’s hands. He moves so lightly across the stage, and I think of the Greek messenger god, Hermes, with the swift wings on his heels.

~ from New Order; originally published by Oysters & Chocolate

* * * * *

Excerpt #2

It’s one of those nights. Closed the curtains and locked my room door from the start. Now I’m bringing the lights down a little lower.

This is how I like it.

I look at myself in the mirror. I love having a big mirror. I like the undivided attention.

The gear, the get-up? Nothing too fancy – no leather, feather boas, spikes or handcuffs for me. I saw a couple chained to each other by the wrist with a set of cuffs once. They were making out on the street at night.

I’m standing in a simple white camisole. The only other item I have on is a ruffled leopard thong.

I start thinking of what it’d be like, if there was a boy here.

"Hello, foxy," he’d greet me in a low, smooth voice.

He’d be standing behind, holding my hand, the other circled around my waist.

He would lean in to nudge the loose strands of hair off the back of my neck so he could place the side of his face on the exposed area of skin there. Start kissing, exploring round the neck, gradually going up to the ears. His hands over my milky-white breasts, the tips of his fingers instead of mine, working the nipples, now becoming erect. I see them, hard and prominent against the thin silken fabric.

The first wave hits me, quick as a lightning bolt.

Things...start to spin, a little. What if this wasn’t actually my room? Where would I be? Who would I be?

~ from Black Velvet; originally published as 'Smooth', by Bare Back Magazine

* * * * *

Excerpt #3

rave

acid & candy
are bland & contrived after
the smooth rush of You.

Lock & Key

Hold me down; your eyes
Do it better than cuffing
My wrists to bedposts.

Label-free

Why does it matter
Whether I like boys or girls,
Over genitals?

~ from Appetizers; originally published as 'Haiku', by Clean Sheets

Erotic Short Stories

2009-07-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

I'm currently getting started on one trailer, for 4:Play -- A contemporary cocktail of erotic short stories. The title's pretty long, but that's what it's all about.

I learned more quickly with this book (than with my first book), that the mainstream fiction genres are highly "commercially categorized". 4:Play is GLBT/trans*/alternative-friendly (which means it's "Queer Fiction") -- there's sex/ual encounters between straight people (which means it's "General Erotica") -- I take some "structural risks" as put by one editor (which means it's not Mainstreamy enough) -- there's an incubus and succubus (which means there are Urban Fantasy elements) and basically, this erotic collection doesn't fit neatly into any category (as with my debut blog novel, lol).

I deliberately wanted to cross multiple genres. I don't believe that a book should be *only* about gay fiction, or *only* about urban fantasy, etc. I'm all for diversity and open-mindedness (however one wishes to define that!).

I queried about 30-35 literary agents at the time I sent this out (April/May 2009).

Here's one reply I received from a publisher of erotic fiction (Cleis Press):

Hello,

Thanks so much for submitting to us. We have not yet published any single author's collection of short stories. While what your are writing sounds very fun indeed, we must decline as it falls outside of what we publish. I wish you all the best!

Here's one reply I received from an agency (International Transactions). They were very nice:

After careful consideration, we are going to pass on 4-Play. As a writer, you will certainly go places. As an agency, we are not quite the right match to represent you, as much as I enjoyed your work. Your scope and style are fresh and interesting. Keep writing. You are sure to find the right niche with the right editor.

Here's one reply I got about Tongue-Tied, which involves a lesbian succubus. I'd sent in a condensed version of it for inclusion in an anthology:

...Here's something you might try. End the story after about page 9 (the first encounter, when the succubus goes away and thinks about it) and send it out. Rework the ending to be more mysterious. For one thing, it's a bit long as is, and I think it is a complete story in the first 9 pages.

The section after page 9, I thought, was what made the story different. There was that soul-searching element -- I'll let readers decide whether or not that part should have been removed ^^.

An indie author is what I am for the moment, I guess :P

I don't bother with the "stigma" of self-publishing, which still exists among the literary community to some degree (though it's changing). I'd rather focus on writing something good and getting it out on the market. That's all.