Erotic Anthologies

Collections of Sexy Short Stories

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Steamlust: Steampunk Erotic Romance by Kristina Wright (Editor)
Cleis Press, October 2011; ISBN-10: 1573447218

Steamlust is romantic erotica that reflects the excitement, fantasy, and rebellion of steampunk. Not sure what steampunk is? Think Victorian elegance and aesthetics meets futuristic invention and exploration. The genre of steampunk has transcended the Victorian (or Edwardian) eras — in Kristina Wright's inventive anthology, it can be any time period, real or imagined, that blends elements of science, history, fantasy, and technology.

Steampunk erotic romance is shiny brass and crushed velvet, mechanical inventions and romantic conventions, sexual fantasy and kinky fetish. It's steam powered sexy romance! Editrix extraordinaire Kristina Wright creates a lush and fantastical world of women-centered stories and romantic scenarios, a first for steampunk fiction. Fetishizing the wardrobe, language, fantasy and rituals of steampunk, Steamlust includes alternate histories, second worlds, time travel, and contemporary settings.
Available at:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Erotofluidic Age by Vinnie Tesla
Circlet Press, April 2011

Reviewed by Lisabet Sarai:  Vinnie Tesla's at it again. When I reviewed the Circlet Press gender-bending collection Up for Grabs, I commented that Mr. Tesla's pseudo-Victorian erotic extravaganza "The Ontological Engine" was "worth the price of the book all by itself". Now Circlet has published nearly two hundred pages of outrageous excess set in the same world, where scientist Daedalus Tesla, his trusted assistant Mr. Victor Dalrymple, Victor's irrepressibly lascivious wife Eleanor, and a cast of equally engaging characters pursue their dubious and dangerous research into Ontological Engineering - attempting to reshape reality through the power of erotic energy.

The Erotofluidic Age comprises three novellas - "The Ontological Engine", "Miss Pierce's Position" and "The Terminando" - each one more inventive and more pornographic than its predecessor. In the first, Daedalus Tesla encounters a woman of truly astounding sexual capacity, and harnesses her erotofluidic energy to unintentionally create a trio of lovable but sexually insatiable monsters. "Miss Pierce's Position" introduces the lady engineer Minerva Pierce, who despite Daedalus' scorn at the notion of a female scientist turns out to be very much the man the team needs in order to solve a thorny ontological problem. Victor Dalrymple narrates "The Terminando", in which he and one of Tesla's creations travel to and then become stranded in an alternative England where ontological engineering is well-established  and the power of sexual arousal is the prime motive force.

Tesla's prose brilliantly captures the convolutions and indirections of Victorian language, but his erotic vision has more in common with Robert Crumb than the anonymous authors of The Pearl. With influences that range from Mary Shelley to Gilbert and Sullivan, Tesla out-punks most steam punk by a generous margin. The Erotofluidic Age is sly, clever, hilarious and unrelentingly smutty. Don't miss it!
Available at:  Amazon (Kindle Edition)

Take Me There: Trans and Genderqueer Erotica by Tristan Taormino (Editor)
Cleis Press, October 2011; ISBN-10: 157344720X

Review by Jean Roberta:  Tristan Taormino, former editor of the annual Best Lesbian Erotica series, has always preferred the kind of erotica that features unconventional gender roles, toys and BDSM to “sweet romance.” There have been a few anthologies of transgender erotica before now, but they are still very rare compared to the steady deluge of erotica for gay men, lesbians and bisexuals. Through her experience as a sex educator, an editor and the partner of a transman, Tristan Taormino has access to a large “genderqueer” community, including erotic writers. She has collected stories that are sexy, poignant, suspenseful and witty, but never disrespectful to those who identify as something other than the gender on their birth certificates. There are transgender performers and educators in this mix, including Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman, who co-edited a non-fiction anthology, Gender Outlaws.

What does “genderqueer” sex look like? In these stories, it takes any form that qualifies as “safe, sane, consensual.” As the gay-male narrator of Patrick Califia’s Christmas story, “Big Gifts in Small Boxes,” says to the female-to-male trick who has nervously invited him home:  “I think you’re handsome as all perdition, and I like you besides, so I figure that ought to be enough for us to figure out something we can do that’s more fun than not.” The sex in these stories is usually the result of personal negotiation, and it seems especially intimate for that reason; nothing can be taken for granted.

A surprising number of these stories are set in the past, when the terms “transgender” and “genderqueer” would not have been widely understood. “Sea of Cortez” by Sandra McDonald is a stunningly evocative study of men on a ship during the Second World War, and “Dixie Belle” by Kate Bornstein places Mark Twain’s character Huckleberry Finn in a New Orleans whorehouse during the American Civil War.  War creates social upheaval, and in these stories, those who have never fit comfortably into a rigid gender role can find space to breathe amidst the turmoil.

This collection of stories really deserves an award for the courage and imagination that went into it.  This reviewer looks forward to more from this largely-hidden continent of experience.
Available at:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

This Is The Way The World Ends by Catherine Leary (Editor)
Freaky Fountain Press, March 2011

Review by Kitty Stryker:  Freaky Fountain Press has a talent for finding edgy stories that really grab you, and their apocalyptic anthology "This is the Way the World Ends" is no exception. Each of the ten stories are raw and gritty, and many have a science-fiction bent. These are dystopian tales of survival and defiance, and the sex ranges from desperate or angry to hot and loving. I particularly enjoyed that the steamy scenes feel incidental while adding to the story, making them both intellectually and erotically stimulating.

This is not your mother's erotica collection by any means—they have a trigger warning list at the end of their PDF so you can avoid stories that might distress you, an ingenious and considerate solution I appreciated. It's an intense read. But if you have a taste for rough, smutty, apocalyptic scifi that will leave you feeling breathless, you should discover This is the Way the World Ends. I found it awesome.
Available at:  Amazon (Kindle Edition) | Barnes & Noble (Nook Book)

Nice Girls, Naughty Sex by Jordan LaRousse & Samantha Sade (Editors)
Seal Press, February 2011; ISBN-10: 1580053432

Review by Ashley Lister:  Anyone who has ever visited oystersandchocolate.com will know what to expect from this title. oystersandchocolate.com is a sensational website that contains erotic fiction from some of today’s best erotic writers. Nice Girls, Naughty Sex follows the website’s tradition of providing readers with plenty of pages of high quality, highly exciting, erotic fiction.

One of the (many) things I enjoyed with this anthology was the way LaRousse and Sade have gone to the trouble of categorising the content. Dividing stories into Vanilla, Dirty Martini, Licorice Whips and Oysters, with explanatory notes in the introduction, means readers can approach a story with some idea of the erotic content.

I’m aware that some people think this spoils the surprise, and I can agree with that perspective to some extent. But I can also see this offers the advantage one would associate with a menu of oysters and chocolate – you’d like to know which you were getting so you could prepare your palate accordingly.

This is a fantastic anthology, with contributions from some of the most deservedly lauded names in contemporary erotica. Sommer Marsden, Rachel Kramer-Bussel, Heidi Champ, Jeremy Edwards, Donna George Storey, Janine Ashbless, and I could go on. Regular readers of my reviews will probably know that I admire all of the authors I’ve just mentioned. LaRousse and Sade have also included contributions from writers I hadn’t previously encountered but who are now names I shall be watching.
Nice Girls, Naughty Sex – buy the book.
Available at:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Obsessed: Erotic Romance for Women by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Editor)
Cleis Press, August 2011; ISBN-10: 1573447188

Obsessed is not about obsession for a new purse or a new car. Instead, these stories sizzle with the kind of obsession that is fueled by our deepest desires, the ones that hold couples together, the ones that haunt us and don’t let go. Whether just-blooming passions, rekindled sparks, or reinvented relationships, these lovers put the object of their obsession first.

From the almost-divorced couple in “Aftershocks,” by Bella Andre, who finally confess their deepest desires during an earthquake, to a woman who confesses to her boyfriend just how much she lusts after another man in Emerald's "Then," these lovers push the boundaries of their relationship and the boundaries of their trust in each other. Obsessed lovers don’t always do what is rational; sometimes they chase their dreams, such as in Kayla Perrin’s “One Night in Paris,” across the world and across the landscape of their lovers’ bodies.
Available at:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Sweet Confessions: Erotic Fantasies for Couples by Violet Blue (Editor)
Cleis Press, July 2011; ISBN-10: 1573446653

Violet Blue is simply the best in the business when it comes to erotica for couples. She edits with both a sharp eye and a knack for what lovers are looking for - sweet and surprising scenarios. In Sweet Confessions, the lust-inciting fantasies include spanking, exhibitionism, role-playing, three-ways, and sexy adventures that will inspire real couples to reach new heights of passion.

In Violet Blue's own words, "The stories I've chosen are explicit, well thought-out, cleverly crafted, and arousing as hell. Trust me. I tried it at home."
Available at:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Editor)
Cleis Press, March 2011; ISBN-10: 1573446475

Review by Jean Roberta:  These diverse stories, each under 1,200 words, get right to the point. Each includes one sex scene and a surprising amount of background and characterization. Although many are about first-time encounters, quite a few focus on still-hot sex in long-term relationships.  In "Time" by Cecilia Tan, a woman on the eve of her twentieth wedding anniversary asks how to measure time when "you don't feel it passing" except in "the ticktock of heartbeats, and "the pendulum swing of thrusts." There are stories here from a dazzling lineup of other famous and lesser-known erotic writers, including members of ERWA.

Most sexual orientations are represented in these stories, and there is a range of intensity from sweet romance to BDSM. Most of the scenarios are realistic, but there are some notable exceptions: a fanciful relationship between a female first-person narrator and King Kong, a female librarian who dishes out spankings in a private room for too many late returns. This book would be ideal to slip into a carry-on bag for episodic reading in airports, bus stations and en route except for the cover image. A playful photo shows the bare legs and feet (still in shoes) of a man and a woman, apparently in the act, while a cat nonchalantly ignores the humans in heat. It would be hard to mistake the meaning of this picture, so if you read this book in front of strangers, you might want to cover it up. It’s worth the inconvenience, since this is a book you will want to keep.
Available at:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Dream Lover: Paranormal Tales of Erotic Romance by Kristina Wright (Editor)
Cleis Press, May 2011; ISBN-10: 1573446556

Review by Victoria Blisse:  I love anthologies because you get a pick and mix of stories and Dream Lover certainly offers a great deal of variety. It is filled with paranormal creatures, those you only dream of and believe you me when you read this collection of sexy stories  pulled together by Kristina Wright you’ll find some of the characters invading your dreams.

I was instantly impressed with the very first story by Justine Elyot. "Love Resurrection" set the tone for the rest of the book and showed me the kind of excellent writing I could expect. I was pulled in by the clever plot, the endearing characters and the steamy action it contained.  I was not let down by the stories that followed either. I loved how many different imagined beings were included in the pages, some I would never have thought of, especially not in an erotic way.

I have to say I enjoyed all sixteen stories and that is rare, usually I find a few stories in an anthology to be not to my tastes, but all these are winners.  I especially loved the raw sexuality of Saskia Walker’s "Where the Heart Is."  It is a tale of hot, animal lust out of the wild, windy moors that has you breathless with excitement from the first line.  I really enjoyed the quirky humour and hot sex in "Succubus Comes Home" by Lucy Felthouse. She seems to specialise in writing rough and wild men you just want to dig your teeth into and Antony is by no means a disappointment!

You get a bit of everything here, which can be a plus and a minus. If you like one particular kind of paranormal creature or type of story you might find this collection to be too broad for your liking but if you’re open to all kinds of dark, erotic, fantastical beings then you will be spoilt with the wonderful range of expertly written erotic tales in this collection.
Available at:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Carnal Machines: Steampunk Erotica by D.L. King (Editor)
Cleis Press, May 2011; ISBN-10: 1573446548

Review by Ashley Listers:  Steampunk is that delightful blend of contemporary science-fiction with the discipline of Victorian values.  As a genre it lends itself to being erotic. The heroines are corseted and delightfully proper (or delightfully improper). The heroes are overtly formal and the technology is pure imagination.

Which is why I would say Carnal Machines: Steampunk Erotica, is a title that should have any sane reader champing at the bit in eager anticipation of good, saucy erotic fun. And, when you consider the glamorous cover, possibly one of the most striking to come from Cleis (and Cleis have produced some remarkable covers) that’s another good reason to consider making this purchase.

However, if you’re only interested in the quality of the writing, you still won’t be disappointed. D L King has selected some of the finest erotic fiction authors on the current market to produce steampunk that is worthy of this collection. The quality of the writing is superb. This is from the anthologist’s own contribution to this collection: ‘The Treatment.’

They turned toward her to look as she ran her hands down the sides of her breasts, over her waist and ended in a resting position, index fingers and thumbs touching, framing the area where her mound of Venus lay beneath the layers of silk. Harold giggled uncontrollably, but Rufus just stared at her hands.

Seriously, if you enjoy the imagination of steampunk this title will not disappoint.
Available at:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Body Electric by Lisabet Sarai
BWLPP, February 2011

A vampire ménage. A Victorian scandal. Crossdressing, spanking and electric play. Body Electric presents eight supremely erotic short stories that explore the many facets of desire from a wide range of orientations. The book includes acclaimed favorites as well as several previously unpublished tales.

Reviewed by Kathleen Braden:  Body Electric showcases Lisbet Sarai's short stories from a vampire tale set in Thailand to a time-hopping tale set in the theater. She conjures exotic worlds of lush sensuality that have earned her an enviable reputation both literary erotica and erotica romance. Body Electric is a great way to sample her work if you're not familiar with it. If you are a fan already, this is a convenient way to revisit some of your favorites.
Available at:  Amazon (Kindle edition) | Smashwords

Coming Together Presents: Robert Buckley, Edited by Lisabet Sarai
Coming Together, March 2011

Review by Ashley Lister: Wait for a moment whilst I climb to the top of the building.  Remain silent, please, whilst I clear my throat.  Be patient whilst I produce the sheet music and draw breath for the first note.  I am now ready to sing the praises of Robert (Bob) Buckley from the highest rooftops.  Feel free to join in with the chorus. 

Buckley, as you may or may not know, has been a familiar presence at ERWA since the days before the internet was available on computer.  His standing as a celebrated author, editor and general literary jack-of-all-trades has never been in doubt.  However, for those who may have wondered about his abilities, proof of his genius is now available in the anthology: Coming Together Presents Robert Buckley.  This is Bob’s second title of collected erotica. 

Those of you familiar with the Coming Together titles will be aware that, as well as showcasing the work of talented erotica authors, the series also support charitable endeavours.  Proceeds from Buckley’s title go to benefit Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (msassociation.org). 

But, as always, it’s the content of the book that is of most importance to anyone considering making a purchase, regardless of the worthiness of the recipient.  And I think it’s fair to say that the quality of the content in this title is superlative.  Buckley admits that the content is darker than his previous work – moving from erotic romance to an edgier style of erotic noir.  Nevertheless, the writing remains in the same high calibre fashion and the focus is always on well-written narratives, combined with strong characters and incredible prose. 

If you’re only going to buy one anthology this year: make sure it’s Coming Together Presents Robert Buckley.
Available at: Coming Together Presents

Passion: Erotic Romance for Women by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Editor)
Cleis Press, November 2010; ISBN-10: 1573444154

Review by Kristina Wright:  Prolific editor Rachel Kramer Bussel explores the romantic side of erotica in her collection Passion: Erotic Romance for Women.  The anthology includes stories from some of erotic romance’s most popular authors, including Portia Da Costa, Delilah Devlin, Teresa Noelle Roberts and Saskia Walker, as well as some familiar names in erotic fiction and a couple of newcomers.  It is an exciting collection of stories that combine love and sex in the most enticing ways, with several notable mentions among a collection of gems.

The cover of Passion provides a delicious illustration to go along with Donna George Storey’s “Big-Bed Sex,” which opens the collection.  An enormous bed in a luxurious hotel inspires a writer and her husband to enjoy the most decadent of sexual role-playing.  It’s a story that is as sweet as it is sexy for the interplay between the characters.

The connections between characters, whether long-married or newly made, are what make the stories in this collection so intriguing.  In “The Silver Belt” by Lana Fox, a fashion accessory binds as well as releases a woman’s pent-up sexual desire.  An encounter with a stranger who knows her better than she knows herself leads Maya down the path of marital infidelity, but into the arms of the sensual release she craves.

Charlene Teglia’s reunion story “Third Time’s the Charm” puts a different twist on the sex in an elevator fantasy.  When a couple in the midst of a breakup accidentally get trapped in an elevator, it doesn’t take long for their issues to bubble to the surface. What could have been a trite cliché is a charming story of second (or third) chances between a man and woman who are meant to be together.

One of the most complex stories in the collection is Emerald’s story, “If.”  Like many of the women in Passion, Emerald’s protagonist Valerie is caught at a crossroads in her romantic relationship. Choosing hot sex with a stranger over committed intimacy with her long-term boyfriend seems the easiest way out, but finding a way to combine the two might just be worth fighting for.

All of the stories in the collection are enjoyable reads, deftly balancing the erotic and romantic elements successfully.  Rachel Kramer Bussel has done a beautiful job of compiling an anthology that appeals to both the emotions and the libido.  Passion proves to be a terrific addition to the erotic romance genre.
Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Coming Together Presents: C. Sanchez-Garcia
Coming Together, September, 2010; ISBN-10: 1450511910

Since that first experience, I've had the privilege of reading many of Garce's tales. His work continues to defy categorization. I don't know anyone else who could write an erotic story about a suicide bomber ("How Paradise Comes to the Blind," in Coming Together: Into the Light) that could still arouse—but Garce managed. He can be hilariously funny, shockingly brutal, achingly tender—but he is always original. The stories in this volume are no exception. You will be laughing so hard your stomach hurts one moment, gasping in terror the next. As you plunge into this volume, expect the unexpected.

Garce writes from his heart and his soul. His stories are often difficult. They challenge both intellectually and emotionally. I don't want to scare readers away, but I also must warn you. You will not read this book and remain unchanged.

The proceeds from Coming Together Presents C. Garcia-Sanchez will benefit the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. RAINN is the nation's largest anti-sexual assault organization. —Lisabet Sarai, editor
Available at:  Amazon | All Romance Ebooks

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