Baby Got Back: Anal Erotica is my 53rd anthology - sign up by Sunday to review it on Amazon

I was writing a description of the Erotica 101 class I'm planning to teach sometime in September (exact date TBD) at sex toy store The Tool Shed in Milwaukee and realized that perhaps "editor of over 40 anthologies" was outdated, so I counted, and as of now, for full-length print anthologies (not counting ebooks), I've edited 52 anthologies (my website needs major updating, but has most of them listed). Baby Got Back: Anal Erotica, out this summer, will be my 53rd. That's amazing to me, especially because as I'm cleaning out my apartment, I'm in awe that I've gotten anything done at all while living there. Right now, it's almost impossible to navigate; I trip over things, I am spending hours and hours just sorting through stuff. It makes it a challenge to think about fun things like writing erotica, not to mention has made me feel like I hate books, even though books are my favorite things in the world. Maybe it's just a matter of perspective; I never really thought about moving, probably never truly believed I'd find someone who wanted to live with me and vice versa, so I acted as if I'd be there forever. Thankfully that is not the case, because I want to be a better, more productive, healthier, happier person. I am not arguing that I haven't done a lot while I've lived there—I have—but I know that I've been hindered by hours spent looking for lost things, by the stress of not wanting to ever have anyone inside my homes lest they instantly decide they'd never want to talk to me again, that kind of things.

But even as I'm sorting through a decade's worth of magazines, promotional postcards, clothing and other stuff, I wanted to step back and remind myself that even within the confines of a hoarder's apartment, I've gone from bumbling law school dropout with gargantuan student loans, to a dream career I never would have conceptualized back in March 2000 when I moved in. I'm very honored, lucky, and want to continue working hard and making sure I give my books the best shot in the world of doing well, so I can keep on editing them. To that end, I want to thank all of you who've signed up to review Baby Got Back on Amazon. I've had 30 requests, and will take the rest that come in through this Sunday, May 19th, and you will get your hot off the press autographed copy in late July, or your Kindle edition on August 13th. Next month I'll be putting out another call for requests for reviewers, so stay tuned. Reposting the details below - and truly, thank you! I'm excited about this book, and all the ones after that (I've started reading for the erotic romance anthology whose deadline is June 1 and am happy to say it's going to be very hot).

To take part in this promotion, you must have an Amazon.com account you've made a purchase from in order to qualify, and by requesting the book, you are agreeing to post your review on Amazon.com within 6 weeks of receipt. To sign up, email me at analantho at gmail.com with "Amazon" in the subject line and your name and address in the body. The first 30 people to do so will get hot off the press autographed copies (before the book's in stores!). The official release date is August 13th, but I expect to be hitting the post office by the end of July with your copies. The days I receive my finished copies of my books are some of my favorite days, made all the better when I get to mail them off to you. If you're a Kindle user and would prefer to review the Kindle version, that will be available in August, but I will take your review request now. Email analantho at gmail.com with "Kindle review" in the subject line and the email address you use for Kindle (just cannot be an @kindle.com address). The book is available for pre-order now from Amazon and Bn.com.

If you want to show the book some early love, you can rate it on Goodreads and/or mark it as to read. THANK YOU for helping my books do well, which is what allows me to keep on editing them (my current anthology guidelines are here - deadlines are June 1 and July 1). I fully hope I have the honor of continuing to edit erotica far into the future, so I truly appreciate every bit of support from submitting stories to requesting books at libraries and bookstores to reviewing and recommending them. I've posted the table of contents and introdution below; one of the best parts of editing anthologies is publishing authors I've never worked with before, and I'm especially pleased to do so here, along with many whose work I'm already a fan of.



Introduction: Prepared for Pleasure

Brenda’s Booty Tenille Brown
Rectified Tiffany Reisz
Delivery Emerald
My Turn Anya Levin
A Winter’s Tail Veronica Wilde
No Rest for the Sick Medea Mor
Vin Rouge Pour Trois Erobintica
The Support Group Fiona Curtis
Lights Out Angela R. Sargenti
Bar None Mina Murray
Seat Belts Kate Dominic
Better Than a Massage Annabeth Leong
Body Heat Shoshanna Evers
What You Feel Like Talon Rihai and Salome Wilde
Her Kingdom for Her Ass Maggie Morton
A Taste of Jamaica D. Fostalove
Hard Astern Thomas S. Roche
In Training D. L. King
Everybody Knows Giselle Renarde
With Lucy in the Middle Kathleen Tudor
Keeping the British End Up M. Howard
Two-Timing Laura Antoniou
Plugged In Rachel Kramer Bussel

Introduction: Prepared for Pleasure

Anal sex is an activity that doesn’t “just happen.” There needs to be at least some planning involved by one of the parties, preferably both (or all), an acknowledgment that something special is about to occur. The stories collected here feature various types of anal play, but in every case, preparation is a key part, both mentally and physically. For many of the characters you’re about to encounter, the thrill of anticipation kick-starts their anal foreplay, sending them on a journey that often changes the course of their sex life.

Many of these twenty-three stories play with the taboo nature of anal sex, its forbidden quality that even its biggest fans still fixate on. We are often drawn to anal sex precisely because even now, in 2013, there’s still a hint of exoticness to it. In these tales, men and women open themselves up, literally, to their lovers, sometimes for the first time. All parties learn about the specific thrills that make playing with that area so pleasurable. Sometimes a character has had a previous negative experience with anal exploration, like Lela in “Rectified,” by Tiffany Reisz. When Brad tells her, “I know what I’m doing,” she’s not sure if she can trust him, but she takes a chance. You’ll have to read on to find out exactly how she’s rewarded for her risk-taking.

Whether using fingers, tongues, toys like butt plugs (vibrating and not), anal beads or anal dilators, these men and women appreciate the pleasures that can be found when they relax, let go and open themselves up. Furthermore, anal sex doesn’t have to be the only action going on; it can be combined with other kinds of touch. Here’s what happens to Vanessa in “A Winter’s Tail,” by Veronica Wilde: “She sighed with pleasure, then surprise, as the tip of the anal beads eased into her ass. Oh god, yes; he was double-penetrating her with two toys. This was what she lived for. He gently pushed the beads inside her tightness, making her squirm, then slowly withdrew them until she cried from sheer delight.” In “No Rest for the Sick” by Medea Mor, Becky experiences a kinky dual delight when Patrick delivers a firm, powerful spanking to her plugged bottom: “He followed quickly with two more hard slaps on her now-burning flesh. They reverberated through her body, hitting the plug in her ass before echoing off it again, making her squirm in his lap.”

I feel responsible for telling you that if you’re trying anal sex at home, lube is a must; these stories are here to entertain and arouse you, but if you’d like to learn more about how to approach real-life anal sex, read Tristan Taormino’s The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women, Bill Brent’s The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Men and Karlyn Lotney’s The Ultimate Guide to Strap-On Sex. Anal isn’t about going as fast as you can, but about slowing down, unwinding, indulging in the process as much as the outcome. These characters take their time so they can enjoy every part of the process, from the first meandering touches, exploring a lover’s “back door,” to the more intense acts. I hope you enjoy the journeys these characters take and find plenty in here to turn you on.

Rachel Kramer Bussel
New York City