Erotica Electronica: Vanessa Vaughn's blog for writers and readers of erotic fiction

FREE erotic stories from Circlet Press

Vanessa Vaughn — 2009-12-09T19:26:00Z

Every day from now until December 25^th, Circlet Press will post a new FREE erotic story!

Though they are appearing in December, these stories are not holiday themed. (And thank God, because personally I find it extremely odd that so many publishers are producing Christmas-themed erotica anthologies. Seriously, now. Santa? Santa?! Not sexy.)

These stories are also not just throw-away samples that didn't "make the cut". Many of these tales are from top erotica writers and excerpted from popular Circlet Press anthologies. This free Circlet collection will be very diverse, offering a little something for everyone-- including gay, lesbian, hetero, threesomes, genderqueer tales, and more. A new story will appear every morning at 1am, replacing the one from the previous day.

If you are not already familiar with Circlet Press, these freebies will be a great introduction. Circlet has produced some of the best scifi/fantasy erotica books available anywhere, and is run by Cecilia Tan, editor of one of my favorite vampire anthologies Women Of The Bite and author of the excellent erotic novel Mind Games. (My short story “In The Flask” was also published by Circlet Press in last year’s steampunk anthology Like A Wisp Of Steam.)

So, visit Circlet today. Whether you enjoy their free stories or purchase one of their many available ebooks, happy reading! After all, I think perusing some kinky erotica is the perfect relief from all that saccharine-sweet holiday cheer. Don't you?

Hungry For Your Love anthology a reviewer top pick

Vanessa Vaughn — 2009-11-13T16:36:00Z

HUNGRY FOR YOUR LOVE is getting great reviews so far. It received 4.5 out of 5 stars, and was chosen as a Night Owl Romance Top Pick! Take a look at the excellent write-up here.

This is a brand new anthology about zombie romance which includes my short story "Some New Blood". Read an exerpt any time at RavenousRomance.com.

National Novel Writing Month begins tomorrow!

Vanessa Vaughn — 2009-10-31T17:50:00Z

National Writing Month begins tomorrow, and this year I have decided to participate!

If you are wondering what the heck National Novel Writing Month is, you can find out by visiting the website. In short, this is a personal challenge of writing 50,000 words in one month. The theory is that without a deadline looming, it is difficult--if not almost impossible--to get that novel you have always wanted to write down on paper. Committing to this will give you a clear goal and a clear deadline, and hopefully the extra push you need to start your first novel instead of forever putting it off until later.

Getting 50,000 words written in a simgle month is a crazy breakneck writing speed, but the hope is that the frenzied pace will allow creativity and spontanaity to come out that otherwise would have been suffocated with overplanning and procrastination. For me, at least, I can find it much too easy to outline again and again, forever putting off the day of actually putting fingers to keyboard and hammering out those first few chapters.

I have a very basic outline prepared for how my story will unfold, and pages of randomly jotted details and notations about different characters, but have not done any solid work on it yet. I have been thinking about starting this book for months, so by this point I can picture a lot of it clearly in my head already, but always the day of actually starting on it in earnest has been delayed and delayed. Basically, I keep getting distracted by short stories. Every time I think I am ready to buckle down and finally start a full length work, I seem to see several more anthologies I can't resist submitting to. Lately, I have also been considering editing an anthology of my own (which I admit would be very exciting). But from November 1st-30th this year, I am making a solemn vow to swear off the short story distractions and focus on a single project--my first novel.

I'm so excited about this new venture! A book of my own seems fun, but also daunting and intense. So wish me luck! I will try to keep you posted on my progress as the month goes along. I won't be blogging about the plot much 'till I'm finished. (But I'm sure to drop a lot of hints.) ; )

Sign up and join me! Accept the challenge and start your novel tomorrow, November 1st!

Zombie Romance Anthology releases today!

Vanessa Vaughn — 2009-10-29T15:51:00Z

HUNGRY FOR YOUR LOVE, the world's first zombie romance anthology, has been released! The ebook is only $4.99 at RavenousRomance.com. Check it out today!

I am so excited about this collection! The anthology includes a lot of creative stories from very well-known writers, including New York Times bestselling authors John Skipp (writing as Gina McQueen) and Brian Keene, both of whom have won Bram Stoker Awards in the past for their zombie fiction. You can click here to read a complete list of authors and a tasty sample story.

The great thing about this collection is that it keeps you guessing from beginning to end. The zombie romance genre truly is entirely new, so from one page to the next one doesn't know quite what to expect. Some of the stories inside are funny, some action packed, some romantic, some downright sexy, but all are very very different which is refreshing to see.

My contribution to this collection is a tongue-in-cheek tale about Dan and Lucy, a zombie couple in the suburbs whose sex life is in a rut. They are making love like automatons, too exhausted from work and tiring commutes to do much more than paw at one another's lifeless flesh, until the day they decide to use their neighbors' bodies--and brains--to breathe a little life back into their marriage.

I hope that you enjoy reading this collection as much as we enjoyed putting it together. This was an exciting labor of love from the beginning. I hope that you find it entertaining in every way: funny, scary, sweet, sexy, and above all FUN! Download your copy today!

2 Interesting Calls for Submissions For Female Writers

Vanessa Vaughn — 2009-10-27T19:06:00Z

Sometimes in the world of erotica and sex anthologies, it seems as if everything that can be done has been done. Writers come across the same calls for submissions often. Topics like lesbian first time stories, themes of bondage and submission, vampire tales, and many others pop up time and time again. Don’t get me wrong. Many of these tried and true topics lead to excellent collections. Yet it is always refreshing to spot an anthology that is approaching things from an exciting new angle.

Two calls for submissions that recently caught my eye are Rachel Kramer Bussel’s Orgasmic anthology about the female orgasm (Cleis Press) and Candace Walsh and Laura Andre’s And Then It Shifted, an anthology of true essays about women leaving men for women (Seal Press).

The deadline for Orgasmic is coming up very very soon (November 1st), so you’d better get started today if you are interested. Better yet, this might be a great use for an erotic story that you have already written that was a little edgy and different. Because the theme is so wide open, this collection is sure to include an incredible range of juicy tales. She is looking for erotic stories between 1,500 and 5,000 words that involve a female orgasm in some way. Take a look at the editor’s detailed call for submissions here and be sure to follow all of her instructions. Also, sorry guys, but she is looking for stories from women only.

The other anthology And Then It Shifted is not an erotica collection but an anthology of essays by women talking frankly about their shifting sexuality. Submissions should be 2,000-4,000 words, and the deadline is December 1st. You can see their detailed call for submissions here at the book’s new website.

Both of these titles are being put together by excellent editors, and I can’t wait to read the finished products. Best of luck to all of you who plan to submit!

My short story "Some New Blood" in upcoming Zombie Romance anthology

Vanessa Vaughn — 2009-10-19T20:00:00Z

Great news! Lori Perkins just informed me that one of my stories has been selected for her Zombie Romance anthology! The anthology is called HUNGRY FOR YOUR LOVE, and will release on OCTOBER 29TH from publisher Ravenous Romance.

I am incredibly psyched about this collection! It is so great to see an anthology topic that is so refreshingly different. This topic is so different, in fact, that it leaves some onlookers a little shocked and confused when they first hear about it. Like a lot of people, your initial reaction may be something along the lines of "Zombie sex? Zombie sex? WTF?!!" But do not despair. I am here to assure you that this anthology is funny at times, seriously sexy at others, but always fun and surprisingly fresh!

The great thing about zombies is their endless variety. Like any other monster, zombies can be used as frightening antagonists, creating a reason for a sexy human hero and heroine to come together. (And trust me, there are plenty of incredible stories in this collection about humans fighting tirelessly to resist the zombie apocalypse) However, zombies can also be used as great metaphors for all of society's ills--everything from bad relationships to bad sex to consumerism, and more. (Just take a look at a few excellent zombie films like Night of The Living Dead, Dawn of The Dead, or Shaun of the Dead, to remind yourself just how complex and layered good zombie tales can be.)

My short story for this collection is titled "Some New Blood", and centers around the characters Dan and Lucy, your average zombie couple in the suburbs. As the story opens, their sex life is as dead as they are. They are making love like automatons, too exhausted from long days at work and tiring commutes to even think straight. Overall, things in their neighborhood seem a little dead. But Lucy has noticed that the new neighbors are different. The man next door is so gorgeous, she wants to eat him up. She can see what a great body he has--and judging by how much money he pulls in, she imagines he has a mind to match. She falls asleep at night thinking about that body . . . and those brains. In the end, a night with their neighbors and a taste of fresh flesh is just the thing to reanimate them and put a little life back into their marriage.

In addition to "Some New Blood", there are many excellent stories in this collection from top writers. So be sure to visit the Ravenous Romance website on OCTOBER 29TH to order your copy! Enjoy!

In the Flesh erotic reading series expanding to Dallas in Spring 2010

Vanessa Vaughn — 2009-09-30T00:27:00Z

After searching in vain for a sex-themed reading series in Dallas, I have finally decided to host my own. I am committed to doing whatever it takes to develop a vibrant community for erotica writers here. Cities like New York and LA offer many wonderful opportunities for authors to showcase their work--but so far Texas is falling sadly behind.

I decided to contact Rachel Kramer Bussel (the founder of the original In The Flesh, New York) for advice, and she graciously invited me to open a new branch of her famed reading series here! At this moment, I am still in the process of searching for a perfect venue and locating authors who are interested in reading. I am focusing on Dallas first, but have big plans for the future, and would love to organize readings in Austin at some point, as well.

I will post updates here and at my new blog InTheFleshTexas.blogspot.com as I nail down more of the specifics. My goal is to kick off the Dallas In the Flesh in Spring of 2010. Right now, I am trying to locate authors. If you might be interested in reading at In the Flesh in Dallas, please let me know by sending an email to InTheFleshTexas@yahoo.com. Be sure to visit the websites for In the Flesh New York and In the Flesh LA for more information about upcoming performances and reading opportunities in those cities. Thank you so much for your interest and support! I will keep you posted!

My story "Pinup" chosen for Best Lesbian Erotica 2010

Vanessa Vaughn — 2009-09-27T15:00:00Z

Great news! It's official! My short story "Pinup" will be part of Best Lesbian Erotica 2010, to be released in December 2009 from Cleis Press. You can preorder your copy today at Amazon.com.There are so many amazing writers appearing in this anthology (including one of my all-time favorites D.L. King!). Here is the final lineup:

Girona, 1960 --- Stella Sandberg
In the Sauna --- Stella Watts Kelley
Jubilee --- Betty Blue
Sweet Tooth --- Sophia Valenti
Blood Ties --- Alex Tucci
He-She on the Train --- Maggie Veness
Lives of the Saints --- Holly Farris
Sexting: One Side of a Two-Way --- Kelsey Chauvin
The Rendezvous Series --- Colleen C. Dunphy
Amy's First Lesson --- Dani M.
Shameless --- Kymberlyn Reed and Anais Morten
Flick Chicks --- Allison Wonderland
The Purple Gloves --- Gala Fur
The Kitchen Light --- Nicole Wolfe
Uppercasing --- Charlie Anders
Pinup --- Vanessa Vaughn (That's me!)
Self-Reflection --- Tobi Hill-Meyer
Brush Strokes --- Elizabeth Cage
From the Halls of Montezuma --- R. G. Emanuelle
Tasting Chantal --- D. L. King
Ridden --- Natt Nightly
Thanksgiving --- Molly Bloom

Also, the intro to this year's collection was written by the band BETTY, best known for their appearances on The L Word. How cool is that?! (For any of you not familiar with their rockin' music, you can find a link to their website here.)

I have always been a rabid fan of this anthology series. Best Lesbian Erotica--whether compiled by Tristan Taormino or this year's fantastic editor Kathleen Warnock--has never been afraid to get down and dirty, always embracing lesbian sex in all its literary, creative, and explicit splendor.

To this day, I can still clearly remember the first time I picked up one of these books. It was the end of winter break. I was rummaging through paperbacks in an airport bookstore, trying to find something to read on the plane ride back to college, and this series caught my eye. As you can imagine, the stories inside captured my imagination as I flew back that day. In fact, though I had known for years I was attracted to women as well as men, Best Lesbian Erotica whet my appetite for scenarios I'd never even considered before . . . and I've been addicted to erotica ever since.

So, enjoy! I've made it my own tradition to snuggle up with the new Best Lesbian Erotica every Christmas holiday. I can't wait 'till it's time to cozy under the covers and crack open this year's collection!

Pride Parade last Sunday

Vanessa Vaughn — 2009-09-27T02:52:00Z

Last Sunday, I showed up with several car loads of friends and my best feather boa for the Dallas Pride Parade at Turtle Creek, and had a wonderful time.

There were some fantastic entries in the parade this year, including the Turtle Creek Chorale and the fabulous costumes on the Club Rush float. But I have to hand it to the army of perfectly choreographed two-stepping cowboys. Guys, great job! You really did steal the show! I have to say, if you have a thing for cowboys (or girls!) Dallas has any pride parade in the country beat. There were lots of sexy gals in tight chaps wrangling their horses, and plenty of cowboys in ten-gallon hats dancing their asses off.

Anyone who has not been to the annual Dallas Pride Parade, be sure to mark your calendars for next year. It is a great way to support the Dallas GLBT community (even if you're straight). After all, who could resist being outside on a sunny day with your dog at your feet, one hand wrapped around a cold beer, one arm wrapped around your honey, surrounded by happy people, listening to great local bands, and having loads of free stuff thrown your way?

Sounds like heaven to me!

Three of my stories selected for upcoming Cleis Press anthologies

Vanessa Vaughn — 2009-09-15T15:30:00Z

Three of my stories have been chosen for upcoming Cleis Press anthologies!

The anthology editors have selected my writing. However, I am still waiting on final approval from the publisher. Though it is unlikely, stories can always be cut at the last minute due to length, so I can't give the names of the anthologies until I get the final OK; but I am thrilled to be a part of these collections! I can't wait to read the finished products!

My first story is about a a married couple enacting a kinky and very taboo roleplay scenario. The second centers around an encounter between a hot butch and a sultry librarian who resembles Bettie Page. My third story involves a woman who has been rejected by her crush, and turns to a wicked call girl to get some satisfaction.

I have always loved Cleis Press because they are not afraid of pushing the envelope. In fact, they seem to revel in it. Cleis always turns out juicy books that are willing to explore a little deeeper, to encourage encounters that are a little darker, a little more outside of the norm, and a little more literary than your average erotica collection.

I can't wait to tell you more about the three anthologies that will feature my stories, but that will have to wait. Until then, if you want a taste of Cleis Press' fantastic offerings, I suggest sampling the oral sex collections Tasting Her and Tasting Him, as well as the latest from their legendary Best Women's Erotica and Best Lesbian Erotica series.

Enjoy! I'll keep you posted about my stories as soon as I can.