Randy Reading #5: Carrie's Story

And we're back, after a rather crazy few weeks.  It has been a while since I wrote about an erotic book, and this is one I found really enjoyable.  From the intelligent-sexy people at Cleiss Press, Carrie's Story is a modern take on the classic Story of O written by Molly Weatherfield.  She writes herself about how she struggled to harmonise her love of the de Sade style pornography she'd enjoyed in her youth with the Sex Wars era feminism developing around her.  I've seen it a lot myself in people new to the fetish scene, women especially, feeling guilty for a presumed betrayal of their gender by letting a man control them, and while I find it quite easy to resolve such inner conflict thanks to way too much time spent reading philosophical texts dealing with the master and slave dynamic - in a non-sexual context, but it frequently applies - it's something that does rear its head often, and I'm glad to have been able to read something dealing with this in such a positive light, as well as providing a believable modern portrayal of the 25-7 lifestyle.

Randy Reading #2: Yes, Ma'am - Erotic Stories of Male Submission

Following on from my review of the newbie-friendly collection of short stories, Black Lace Quickies 6, I thought I'd explore a collection that I personally found more appealing: Yes, Ma'am - Erotic Tales of Male Submission.  I do enjoy short stories, not least because, once something whets my literary appetite, I find it impossible to do anything until I've devoured the book whole, and short stories allow me to live a normal life despite how good they are.  Why, just the other night I stayed up until 5am to finish a novel, when I then had to get up two hours later.  Not fun.  So, yes, short stories are a thumbs up as a format.  I do also like a bit of spice to my erotic fiction, preferably either a bit of kink or the supernatural (or both), depending on my mood.

But, not all short story collections have the same umph.  Yes, Ma'am is published by the impressively elegant Cleis Press, who, to me, stand out even just by their Twitter bio as a company who try to keep a bit of class in with the ass.

Cleis Press publishes provocative, 

intelligent books in the areas of sexuality, 

gay and lesbian studies, erotica, fiction, 

gender studies, and human rights.

Sounds exactly like the kind of attitude I can get behind!  Intelligent and sexy is pretty much the best combo I can think of.  Add that to how well-received the counterpart to this anthology - Yes, Sir - Erotic Tales of Female Submission - I had rather high expectations of Yes, Ma'am.

"No" is not an option...