Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Fans from the Erotica Readers & Writers Association

WE JUST WENT PAST THE
40,000 VISITOR MARK!

I'm glad to be a member of the Erotica Readers & Writers Association. It's a collective of writers and fans of erotica, which this novel has become by default. When I wrote it, I thought I was writing literary fiction with good sex scenes. The acceptance by the erotica community has been much more so than by the literary fiction community, whose members usually have their noses so high up, their heads bend around up their asses.


Several members of ERWA have become fans. One is TreSart, whose site combines lovely self-portraits and some smoking short erotica. The photos are sensuous and evocative (see above). The site loads slowly and occasionally hangs, but it's worth the wait.

Another ERWA fan goes by the name of Remittance Girl. A "remittance man" was the black sheep of the family in Victorian England who was sent off to the furthest reaches of the Empire and sent a "remittance," or allowance. It's certainly a distinctive name! She's a Canadian who has lived for the past few years in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Saigon for those of you from Cassie's era). She writes a powerful mix of styles and perspectives, all part of a robust collection posted on her site. I suggest you browse through them if you'd like a combination of good prose and arousing subject matter.

An ERWA writer I don't know well, but who has been tireless in promoting cooperation between its members in marketing one another's work has been E. L. Frederick. While Beyond You & Me did not make his list of "Authors of Particular Brilliance" (Remittance Girl did), I certainly appreciate being on his blogroll and promise not to pout.

Regina Stark uses her blog to post fragments and story ideas, so it's an excellent way to see "work-in-progress" and follow the developments of an erotica writer bringing her work to completion.

Jennifer Bianco's blog is more chatty and informational, while her erotica site Sensual Magick is a combination of erotica and witchcraft. Wicca is big these days, and Jennifer is riding a good wave.

Kathleen Bradean is also more informational, devoted to promoting work she enjoys and in general a pleasant read. She has been a good editor of short fiction I have been writing with another author. And her posting on the new astrology signs is, well, yummy.


And while not an ERWA member, Kinkabella's Erotic Fiction & Fantasies is some of the most searing sex writing I've come across (no pun intended, but what the hell?). Heavily into BDSM, the account of her enslavement by "Mike" and the submissive things he leads her into (in the library no less) with her male co-workers will simultaneously arouse and scare the living daylights out of you- not unlike a spine-tingling roller coaster ride!

UPDATE: At my suggestion Kinkabella (pen name for Ingrid Hawthorne) has joined ERWA. Her blog is growing nicely, and is interesting because of her personal revelations and openness. I feel like I have known her forever, and she's totally comfortable in revealing the most intimate details of her life as a "bottom."