I believe that one of the turning points in my life was when I realized I was checking out ladies in suits instead of girls with shaved heads on bikes. This was probably around the time that I decided I should go to grad school instead of living in a hippie commune with my awesome, but dirty, friends. It was this life altering realization that allowed me to enjoy Alison Tyler’s Open For Business – Tales of Office Sex so damn much! Twenty-two sexy stories of women with corner offices and expensive suits that demand as much of a lover as they do from those they supervise. Ok, not every tale stars the type of power woman I worship, but most of my favorites do!
One thing that I love about this collection is that so many of the relationships revolve around power or secrecy. I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight Donna George Storey’s Sex, Lies, and Library Books. As someone who’s spent their fair share of time working in a university library, I was transported back to slow summer days pouring over the stacks. I could almost smell the books as Melanie and Liam get it on in a lost corner of the library. Storey does a great job of taking a common fantasy and spicing it up by sharing Melanie’s secret desires as Liam obliviously serves her.
My only complaint is that I’d read a handful of these stories before, including Lisette Ashton’s That Monday Morning Feeling. I raved about this story of an indecent morning commute in my review for I is for Indecent, and found it just as titillating the second time around. The good news is that most people don’t read as much erotica as I do, so you most likely won’t run into the same problem. However, having read a few of the stories before does in no way take away from the success of the book as a whole. Tyler has done a great job of assembling a variety of hot stories that will make your 6am alarm seem a little less harsh.
If you’ve ever thought of the possibilities of asking a co-worker to pull your office door shut behind them, you’ll love this collection. Some of the best writers in the business offer you endless reasons to get up and go into the office.
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Before all of the controversy surrounding Zane’s first lesbian collection, Purple Panties, I never had a chance to read her work. I’m sure most of you have heard of Zane - her books are New York Times bestsellers and her fans are known for their cult-like devotion. Because of this, her titles get a lot of promotion whenever they are released but things were different for Purple Panties. Zane was not happy about it because the only difference she could see was that this book focused on lesbian sexuality - so she called everyone out on their bullshit. When I saw that, I decided this was a woman worth supporting!
Now on to the good stuff! Purple Panties, regardless of the controversy, is just good, sexy erotica. I was thrilled to read some great stories from authors that were new to me, like Anna Black’s Bread and Roses. This sexy story about a union organizer who seduces a hotel worker’s daughter stands out because it was more than just a sexy story.
I also enjoyed Joy Bringas’ contribution, Miss Julidene’s Sexy Items. There’s no heavy plot, just a hot, fun story of one woman’s marketing strategy in her sex toy store. Let me tell you, product placement is key in moving merchandise!
Besides being introduced to several author’s I hadn’t read before, I was also thrilled to see pieces by Rachel Kramer Bussel, Alison Tyler, and, of course, Zane herself! As always, I wasn’t disappointed.
To be honest, I didn’t really expect this anthology to offer any great insight into the lesbian experience – but it did. I can begin to understand the difference between the black and white lesbian experience from conversations with friends, but some of the pieces made me think about the different challenges women of color may face. Of course, the stories in this collection move beyond race for the most part and are just plain hot – but it did make me realize that this is the only erotica book I own that doesn’t have white people on the cover.
This is a good, diverse collection that makes me look forward to the second volume that’s due out later this year!
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I is for Indecent, another small compilation from Alison Tyler’s Erotic Alphabet collection, tackles themes that are a little more risqué than the rest of the series. The question of what is indecent is a tricky one. My mom freaks out whenever two people hold hands on television – how dare they? I, on the other hand, have a pretty high tolerance and figure consenting adults can do what they damn well please. Tyler has carefully put together fifteen stories that will expand your horizons, while toeing the line of what some consider obscene. The result is a collection that will open your eyes, test your boundaries, and keep you reading!
Exhibitionism is rampant throughout, but the stories approach it from a completely different angle. I loved Lisette Ashton’s That Monday Morning Feeling – it almost made me long for Philly’s dirty public transportation. The narrator takes us through her morning commute sans underpants. The thought of pressing up against a fellow commuter just long enough to turn them on before taking off at the next stop is incredibly enticing!
Michael Hemmingson tells the tale of a poor graduate student who, in an attempt to pay her rent, ends up as part of a live sex show at an art gallery in The Installation. Her journey is truly engaging as she opens up to the experience. This is a story I don’t foresee myself living out, especially since my days of being a poor grad student are past, but I am definitely intrigued by.
With tales of public urination, an affair with a priest, an encounter with a hustler the narrator knew as a boy, and playing dead; you’re likely to find stories that excite and offend you. Not every story did it for me, but the back of the book states that this one is “guaranteed to offend and titillate,” and it lived up to that promise.
-The Porn Librarian
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Over the course of this past weekend, I read the latest book in Alison Tyler’s erotic alphabet series, L is for Leather and was introduced to a whole new world! I’m not a leather girl, but maybe I should be.
This small book features an eclectic collection of stories that are sure to send you running for the neglected leather gloves in the back of your closet. What really impressed me was the variety of stories Tyler compiled in exploring this fetish.
I was drawn in by Radclyffe’s “Skin-Flick Sex” which tells the tale of a delivery girl who is caught sneaking a peek at a gay porn shoot by a production assistant. I’ve never been to a porn shoot, and always assumed one would be about as sexy as my Great Aunt’s underpants, but when you add the danger of getting caught watching and an aggressive butch to the mix, I’m sold! I’ve enjoyed other piece’s by Radclyffe who definitely has a way with words - “She was hard, would always be hard, would give it to me hard, as deep and as long as I needed it.” - need I say any more?
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Sometimes there’s nothing hotter than a quickie. There’s just something about those frantic few minutes of indiscretion that leave you wet and wondering why your pants are around you ankles in a stairwell. In Got A Minute?, well known author of erotica Alison Tyler has compiled 60 short pieces that will fill your head with all sorts of dirty ideas and leave you plenty of time to follow through on them.
You’ll find a myriad of fantasies played out for you in this anthology. Two women welcome a man into their bedroom in Hired Hunk, but he’s only allowed to pleasure himself as they go at it. Rachel Kramer Bussel captures the emotion of this moment brilliantly. The confidence and trust these women have in each other is just as hot as the sex.
As expected with any compilation, not every story did it for me, but I can’t really complain about a three page story wasting my time. You’re sure to find plenty of gems in this compilation of very short stories from Cleis Press. You’ll find yourself reading your favorites again, and hopefully aloud, as you cuddle up against the cold this winter.
-The Porn Librarian
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Tyler, A (ed.). (2007). Got A Minute? Sixty-Second Erotica. San Francisco, CA: Cleis Press, Inc.
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