Best Women's Erotica of the Year Book Tour

I have a story included in the newest book in the Best Women's Erotica (BWE) series. To promote the book, authors, the editor and erotica the book tour will make four stops in the coming weeks and I will be at 3 of those events!

At these events, I'll be reading from my erotic story, "Cigarro Tarde", which is included the Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2. This will be the first public reading of this story!


What happens when a 50-year old woman meets with a cigar shop owner to plan a friend's birthday party? 

Exhaust Pipes: A Mini Collection of Erotic Fiction

I wrote another book. Exhaust Pipes. The idea came to me late last month that a mini ebook released in time for Valentine's Day would be a great product for new and old readers of my erotic fiction. So with the support of my "market research division", I went to work.


Exhaust Pipes, is a mini collection that containing four erotic stories featuring car sex or anal sex. Originally it was going to be a mini ebook of only two stories but I decided to include two more that were "in the vault" and ready to shine. Exhaust Pipes is available on Kindle, Nook and Kobo. I'm excited to also be reaching new readers on Sony eReader and Apple iBooks with this release. You can buy the book formats for those readers on Smashwords. I'll have those direct links for you shortly.

50 Shades of Rope Burn

I watched the trailer for Fifty Shades of Chicken earlier this week. I enjoyed the narration. I enjoyed the eye candy. As a writer who tackles different genres and styles, I'm glad that there's a market for a cookbook for what I think is the most common of meats -- all sexed up.

You know my stance on food, enjoyment and sex, already. Plus, I love to laugh. I've delved into kink and BDSM only a handful of times; I've relinquished power for play and art.

A Random Moment with Davi Russo

 

Davi Russo, photographer and director

"I'm usually the one asking the questions," I said at some point during our conversation at the bar. After exchanging a comment about the song that was playing and commiserating over both being a dying breed—native New Yorkers—we drank and talked about art, photography, sex and beauty ideals. We saw each other again at his exhibit and book release, "Turns" at Munch Gallery. Returning to the restaurant where we first met, it was my turn to ask the questions.

~   ~   ~

I’m Davi Russo and I work as a photographer and director and I make pictures. I guess I like to think of myself as someone that is a maker of things.

How long have you been a photographer?

Well, my mother gave me photography but in like a natural way. When I was 7 years old, she gave me my first camera – she gave me actually 2 cameras – she gave me an old Kodak 110 camera, the film looks like a little telephone, and she gave me a Polaroid 600 series camera. My job was to kinda be the family photographer because my father was incarcerated around that time and so my mother realized that we’d be sending photographs to him through the mail. I think she was very smart about understanding that if she gave me this assigned role it was probably an ego boost for me as a young man, you know, and it gave me something good to do. I’m sure that my father adored having those pictures sent … so that’s how I was introduced to photography. It wasn’t like I studied it or something like that.

Rhythm And F'n Blues

While hanging with a friend a few nights ago, a song came on his shuffle that perked my ears right up. It was raw. At first I thought it was a spoof but he informed me that it was an actual recording by Lucille Bogan -- "Till The Cows Come Home". He gave me a brief history lesson on the life of Lucille Bogan (aka Bessie Jackson who was a known prostitute and would at times fuck men with strap-ons).

I know the blues are very sensual and sexual. I got a recent dose of blues' lyrics in Too Much Boogie by Cole Riley. But they were a bit "milder". I'm used to double entendres and euphemisms but Ms. Bogan plunged in head first (see what I did there?)!

Music, Inspiration And "Too Much Boogie"

I received goodies in the mail last week -- two erotic short story collections. I just finished reading one of them, Too Much Boogie: Erotic Remixes of the Dirty Blues by Cole Riley.

After looking over the "track list" on the back cover I immediately turned to "Effects of Moonshine" by Dorla Moorehouse. Due to recent happenings in my own life after drinking actual moonshine, I had to read this story. I wasn't disappointed. The heat, the dancing, the bodies...

Random Musings On Visiting Friends

Does the first thing you see in the morning set the tone for the entire day? That coffee table landscape (pictured above) was the first thing I saw when I woke up on a Monday morning a few weeks ago. I felt around for my phone and took that photo.


So glad my friend followed up with an email; I didn't receive his text message because my phone was disconnected. An invite to dinner at his place on Sunday evening. One of his friends I'd met last summer at the beach, a Cajun, was there with his wife. We drank wine, studied the fifth guest's Bio-jewelry, ribbed each other and played Uno. Then there were three.

The Darker Side of Lust In Paris

If you haven't heard it, it's news to you...

    

My art is holding a place for me in Paris.


Copies of my book, The Darker Side of Lust, are available at Shakespeare and Company in Paris, France! This was a moment of I wanted something, asked for it and received. I originally contacted the bookstore about hosting a book reading during my (then) planned trip to Paris last November. All their readings were full but they invited me to participate in the open mic they were starting at the time and told me I could drop off copies of my book for sale at their shop...

C-List Will Get You Every Time

image source

Should we feel sorry for Rep. Christopher Lee?

He trolled Craigslist. Answered an ad. Lied in his emails. Sent photos. I applaud him for not sending a dick pick first. I don't know about you, but I can't ID a man by his dick on the first date.

I've done the CL thing years ago with some very interesting results. Enough that two of the experiences are inspiration for stories in my book. I've never had any scary or dangerous situations thankfully, and got it out of my system before anything bad did happen.

Now there's buzz over the fact that the woman who revealed Lee's secret is Black.

Hottentot Makes Any Man's Eyes Pop

I found this magazine just sitting outside my apartment building last night. Just sitting there. I didn't dig in the garbage to find it. It was just there. Like a sign. Ass all over the place. I thought the timing was pretty uncanny considering I was just discussing on Twitter with @alvinthethird that I was pondering what my next erotic work of art would be because I received another request to make a sex tape and had just read some commentary on the Kim Kardashian spread in W magazine. No doubt, I want my project to be sensual as well as erotic and somewhat political -- make a statement.


I want to always be in control of my erotic art. And as an obvious extension of that, my body. If I want to pose nude, I will. If I want to sext with pics, I will. If I don't want to work with a particular photographer, I won't. It all boils down to my comfort, my mission and the joy of creating. 


Of course there were comparisons to J-Lo made with the whole Kardashian photo and whether or not a Black woman could get away with the same thing. Black women do it all the time. The question is the stigma attached to it. What made Kardashian any different? Her image is art because she didn't have a g-string disappearing between her cheeks for emphasis? We have butts. Some of us have big butts. Some of us have humongous butts. And thanks to magazines like the one pictured above, some Black women use those butts to earn a living and make a name for themselves. But what's in a name? What's behind (technically, in front of or on top of) the booty? When I was a personal trainer, I got most of my clients because of my butt. Many of them told me they wanted a butt like mine. I was never offended because they were never offensive. Sure, I had a shapely butt, but I also had the knowledge and experience to get them what they wanted or the sense to tell them it wasn't gonna happen no matter how many squats we did. 

I'm Giving It Up

We're facing the last few weeks of summer and quite possibly hot, torrid summer affairs. For my readers in the Southern Hemisphere, I'm sure you're enjoying the canoodling on cold winter nights...


Now believe it or not, I don't have any new stories to share about summer love, romance or lust. But I'd love to hear yours! Did you meet someone new? Spice up a long-term relationship? Platonic friendship evolve into something more? Have a cyber relationship? Experience a great one-night stand? Break any furniture?


Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of my book, The Darker Side of Lust and your choice of a 4x6 print from my Man. Toy. photo series.


Share as much or as little as you'd like but include the following fun details: city and state (US only), country, astrological sign (Western, Vedic or Chinese) of you and your partner(s).


If you're entering the giveaway and already have a copy -- tell us your favorite story from The Darker Side of Lust.

The winner will be chosen on September 6, 2010 (Labor/Labour Day in US & Canada).

    

Protected Sex

I live in America where there’s freedom of speech unless your words are considered "defamation", "fighting words" or "obscene". What do you consider obscene? I’m exposed to so much nowadays, I’ve become desensitized and the shock value of said obscene material has to be raised a few notches before I consider it obscene—in other words, “I know it when I see it.”

This coming from a woman who writes erotica; are you surprised?

My Big, Fat, Greek Dinner

Tavernas Kyclades is Native Creative Concierge™ approved.

I recently went back to Astoria for dinner before an erotic event. We all know the relationship between food and the sensual and my relationship to both. As usual, Ardian Skenderi, Owner and Chef of Taverna Kyclades, made the rounds throughout the dining room and I was able to receive his contact info so I could send him this review I wrote about previous trips I had made to Taverna Kyclades.

The following was written in 2008. It is also posted on my FoodBuzz profile page.

My Big, Fat, Greek Dinner

Astoria’s Greek population is the largest in New York City, so it should come as no surprise that Greek restaurants can be found quite readily in that neighborhood. However, there is one restaurant that stands out. Taverna Kyclades, located on Ditmars Blvd “is the best Greek restaurant in the city,” my Italian suitor at the time, told me. “Sure it is,” I thought. I figured he was just trying to impress me and he did.

Write Stuff

I haven't been writing much on this blog, but I have been writing. It's been a little slow on the freelance non-fiction front, but my erotic short story collection is moving right along. I'm at the point where I can decide which stories not to include. So that's a good thing. I've been asked a few times what's the theme of the collection. I made a list of the commonalities--food, music, minor Pop culture references, Black/African characters (at least 1 in each story) and of course, sex. I'd like to have a little more "love" in my stories, but I've realized that when someone else reads it, they pick up on the "love" or emotion, even if I don't think I included any. That's my energy coming through on the page. I'm an emotional person. I feel everything and I have the ability to feel what you feel and make you feel what I feel (I know that's empathy, but I felt like being long-winded).

In mid-July, I went to the Harlem Book Fair (HBF), primarily because there were certain talks and workshops I wanted to attend. It was my first time at the event and I did enjoy myself. But I was turned off by all the booths and the folks manning the booths shoving "Urban Fiction" at me. When I see people reading those books on the train, my initial thought is, "Oh, they reading one of those ghetto books." Then I quickly rationalize, "Well, at least they're reading." I can only recall TWO (book) booths that weren't selling that genre of fiction (There were tons of other vendors). Two? In the panel discussion on making a living off your art the topic came up and what it boiled down to is that's what sells. And at some point your art/show becomes a business. By no means were the attendees of the workshop encouraged to write Urban Fiction but it was just an example of the obvious--what sells is what makes money and there will always be someone who will relate to (and buy) your art, so continue to create what works for you (special thanks to Mo Beasley, Mahogany Browne, Brad "Blue" Bathgate and Ebony Washington).

Why Try Bi

My personal belief is homosexuality is not a choice. It's how you're born; you either are or you aren't. I love the differences in people and learning about them and what makes them tick, how they think. It's also accepted that women's sexuality is fluid. More women are prone to be bisexual (I'm referring to the sexual not the emotional in this piece) but it's not every woman. It's not me. My number is not 3 on the Kinsey scale. If one more man asks me to be with a woman for their enjoyment or is just amazed at the fact that I've never been with another woman, I will scream. I'm not hardwired that way. I don't have the desire to please a woman sexually. When I watch girl-on-girl porn (which I enjoy), I become aroused and then either want to masturbate or be with a man. Lesbians obviously sense this in me because they don't hit on me. I don't even think they notice me. And it makes sense, they want to be with a woman who likes women. I can look at another woman, be nude with her, find her sexy and attractive and beautiful yet the urge to kiss her and touch her just isn't there.

What annoys me even more is that it's expected of me, or women, in general. There are men who won't even let a woman near their assholes because they think "it's gay", but I'm supposed to lick another woman's pussy? If I kept asking you, "you never sucked your boy's dick?" or "you never let him jerk you off?" you'd be pissed off. If I tried to arrange something, invited you guys over, cooked some food and figured we could pop a bottle and I'd get to referee a swordfight, you'd want to punch me in my face. I'm not going to get drunk and make out with a girl. The guys who have pleaded for a threesome expect me and the other woman to be with each other (I won't get into the fact that not too many men can handle and actually satisfy two women). When I'm in a threesome with two men, I don't expect the guys to do anything with one another. So why is it expected of me? I'm a very sexual woman and I think men are drawn to that; they can smell it. My sexual openness, erotic creativity, experimental ways and past experiences would have one assume I've been with a woman, but if I've told you it's never happened and I have no desire to force the issue, stop asking. Common sense would tell you that I could easily have been with a woman if I was so inclined considering said previous experiences. So to all those fellas who still don't get it, go give one of your boys an open mouth kiss then come talk to me.

Naked

Skin is the largest organ in the body. I love to expose mine. I spend the majority of my time naked (if it’s cold, I wear socks). I’m comfortable nude, whether I’m by myself or with others. And for me being nude heightens everything. My skin is exposed; I’m subject to different touches, textures, temperatures. I like to see my body in motion. It’s a wonderful machine, I watch my muscles flex, my skin becoming wet from sweat and plumping up. Being naked is healthy. I know right away when something’s not right with my body. I’m in tune with her. I know what it looks like and I know when something changes.

It’s very unfortunate that some people, because they aren’t comfortable in their own skin, do not get completely nude during sex, or ever! As soon as they hop out the shower, they cover up, and remain that way. It is possible to be nude and non-sexual. However, humans are sexual and being nude can heighten sexuality. Sex is a lot more than exploring all my holes. There’s always a point, either before or after, when I’m with a lover where I’m just watching him. He’ll ask, “What you looking at?” I state the obvious, “You,” and continue my visual study. I’m either admiring him purely as a physical being or I’m watching what he’s thinking; I can almost see what’s going on in his head. Add the mental aspect of sex to the feel of skin-to-skin; allowing access to every inch of your body and there’s nothing better.

I got into nude modeling in 2006. A photographer was working on a project in which he wanted to showcase real women. We range in size & shape, have lopsided breasts, stretch marks, scars and hair in places we’d rather not. I also wanted to document who I was at that moment in time. I’ll have these photos to look back on 20, 30, 40 years from now. My changes and different stages of beauty are forever chronicled. Unless the nature of my photo shoot is sexual or erotic, your eyes are drawn to the human body art form. When a photo is blurred or a model is strategically draped, the viewer is left wondering what’s behind or under the veil. The more you hide something, the more taboo it becomes. My body is not taboo.