Naughty Bits: The Ladies of Rogue Burlesque Strip Off in Style

Rogue Burlesque

Angela and I went to see Rogue Burlesque on Friday — specifically their new show “Naughty Bits.”  The show was MC’d by Brit, Liz Fang, who verbally abused the audience in delightful ways, whilst bringing to mind a Medieval brothel keeper — the kind who offers you foamy beer while her wenches cavort around persuading you to spend.  The acts themselves ranged from stripping at the police station to a sexy unicorn plucking her furry horn.  A delight from start to finish.  Highly recommended!

I first met the ladies of Rogue — well, two of them, to be precise — at their burlesque class “Sassy, Classy and Brassy” at Boston Center for Adult Ed.  Miss Sassypants and Polly Surely were fantastic teachers, and unlike other burlesque troupes that I could mention, they insisted that the best route to “sexy” is in feeling sexy within yourself, rather than worrying about convention.  Amen, sisters.   That said, they also taught us some classic moves that we could perform or send up — or indeed, fuck up, if we chose.  We loosened silk gloves finger by finger, using our teeth, and learned to twirl boas and tassels.  A fantastic day.

“Burlesque” literally translates as “parody” or “making fun of,” and Rogue royally sent up many a convention in “Naughty Bits.”  From parodying butch male buddies who think they are God’s gift, to giving a 1950’s style cookery scene a cannibalistic edge, fun really was made, and how.

And you know what?  I have been to burlesque performances where the auditorium was awash with men, but at Rogue, women were also strongly present.  In fact, in front of us, when a gutsy lady rose and screamed lovingly at Femme Brûlée, she received a glare from a gent who was sitting in front of her.  Did she care?  No way, baby.

And why should she?  This is burlesque.

The Art of Nicholas Noisenest

Art by Nicholas Noisenest from noisenest.tumblr.com

Lana’s post on the importance of kissing in erotica and porn–and her mention of Zöe More’s soon-to-come short story “Possession,” especially–got me thinking. There was an artist I had come across not too long ago, and I don’t remember how or when. What I do remember is, for the first time in, I think, ever, I found myself scrolling down through a tumblr blog at such an amazingly slow pace just so that I didn’t miss one moment of Nicholas Noisenest’s amazing work. Like Zöe’s short, his art is dark, edgy, and challenging. It’s also sexy beyond compare.

I like art of all types that makes me just a little uncomfortable (that said, I also like art that makes me a whole lot uncomfortable). Whether it’s in the tone or composition, the subject matter, the captured motion or the implication, I like my brain set on high alert. I like an element of danger, a rough seduction. For me, Noisenest’s art captures all of this. For you, More’s short story will likely do the same.

Check out Noisenest’s tumblr blog, We Eat Our Young. You can also check out his Etsy store to bring some of his beauty and darkness right into your living room.

Sex That Loves the Mouth

I love kissing in erotica and porn, though it has to be said, it can be hard to find, especially in the porn world.  Why, though? Isn’t kissing a great way to turn on a reader or viewer?  Well, at Go Deeper, we’re all about the superhot smooch.  When our characters kiss in an open-mouthed way, they sink together, and the wetness they share is a measure of their desire, not to mention a promise of the sex to come.

In fact, if you want to see a hot, hot kiss, take a look at this famous scene from Cruel Intentions, below.  That single thread of saliva says it all:

Now, erotic author Zoe More, whose hot-as-heck story, Possession, will be published this December by Go Deeper, really appreciates the erotic kiss.  In More’s piece, Sully, the main character is fixated on mouths, and longs to make out with the guy she loves—but in this paranormal story, it’s dangerous for Sully to kiss anyone.  So what do we get?  Beautiful thirst, high stakes, and passion aplenty.  Here is a moment from the beginning of their first kiss—a kiss that will soon bring sex to die for:

It felt strange, this devouring, this need, from the woman who had been careful not to touch him for most of their acquaintance, and now, after a few amazing but befuddling blow jobs on the couch, was kissing him, claiming him, in a way he’d never been claimed before.

That’s our Zoe.  She communicates desire so poetically, through sentencing, cadence and feeling.  What a rush!  You’re going to love this story, folks.

Now, does anyone have Sarah Michelle Gellar’s phone number, please?

Calamus Brings History of LGBTQ Literature to Its Shelves

photo courtesy of calamusbooks.com

In the early nineties, when this editor was a mere college freshman, there was a bookshop on Boylston Street in Boston called Glad Day. It was, as far as I knew then, the only queer bookstore close to me and my dorm. I can still remember, 20 years ago now, the heat I’d feel from the anxiety and excitement, starting in my chest and rising to my head in successive flashes, as I made my way up the staircase, around the banister, and through the beads hanging in the doorframe. I thought of it as a great and somewhat terrifying reveal: identifying myself as a queer kid to everyone who saw me walk in and out of that door, and to every patron and employee inside. This was striking to me only because I had just come out as gay, but had been keeping it secret for…oh…years and years.

I don’t know exactly when Glad Day moved from Boylston, but I do know that it still survives in some form. Ex-Glad Day manager John Mitzel owns Calamus Bookstore, which is located between the business district and Chinatown on South Street. A co-worker tipped me off to its location, although I had seen the rainbow flag rippling in the wind from my office window for years, but never thought to walk its way.

With the official launch of Go Deeper Press coming soon, I wanted to visit Calamus to see what was stocking the shelves. I made plans to meet Lana there after work to check it out, view the selection, and spend some money in a good place. (In case you’re wondering, upon arrival to Calamus: no anxious heat, unless you count the feeling you get when putting your lips on a loved one for maybe a second too long in a public space, but that’s a very different kind from the type I experienced years ago.) Here’s what I found: The store is not only beautiful and staffed by kind folks, but it is a literal archive of queer literature, featuring books that were required reading in a gay and lesbian issues class I took at Emerson College in 1993. I held books I never thought I would again. I was mind-blown. Right here, in downtown Boston, there is a shop that mindfully and purposefully stocks a veritable history of queer writing in the name of providing a resource to the LGBTQ community. It’s a place to go to browse and breath amongst a history of our printed words, as well as a hearty selection of books from new authors making their marks today, even in this day and age of Amazon and e-readers.

And that’s not a knock on Amazon or e-books. Go Deeper Press, after all, will offer hot erotica for all in a digital format, to start. There’s something to be said for the privacy and security of purchasing books online. Really, considering how much of an introvert I am, and a shy kid back then to boot (confession: still shy kid), I would likely have bought all my queer history, queer lit, and hot Patrick Califia novels from the safety of my computer, too. There’s no shame in taking the steam out of learning more about yourself, your desires, or your identity by staying home and clicking “buy now.” I’d imagine that, for folks young and old that can’t yet muster up the strength it takes to walk into a queer anything when you’re just not ready to do so, for whatever reason, it’s a lifesaver.

Go Deeper Press will soon offer short stories and novels that will contribute to the LGBTQ community’s growing and thriving written history. In fact, we’ll contribute sexy, transformational writing that will serve a number of communities. That’s our mission. But for those who still enjoy the weight of a trade paperback or hardcover in your hands, and to support a Boston-based business that has its heart in all the right places, make your way to 92B South Street and tell them Go Deeper sent you.

Sex: A Spiritual Affair

Gabby’s “Spirit Junkie” is now out in paperback!

This post has been borrowed from my spirituality blog Follow the Signs Like Alice, which also went up at HerFuture.com today. 

Recently, I started a publicity course with the wonderful Gabrielle Bernstein.  Entitled God is my Publicist, this powerful set of three podcasts is for those who want to get their spiritual message out into the world.

And what is my own spiritual mission?  Sex, sex, sex.

For those who are new to my work, I am a sex writer and activist who is passionate about spiritual sexuality.  Now this doesn’t mean that I only believe in romantic, vanilla sex — I believe that sex in which everyone is joyfully consenting — be it with roses, whips, French maid’s costumes or a room full of Chippendales — is spiritual sex.  Why?  Because when we are sexually happy and abundant, in our own unique ways, I know that we are more capable of love in this world.  In fact, my ardent belief that we would achieve world peace far more easily if we were each sexually joyful and unashamed, is what brought both myself and my partner Angela to start our sex-positive erotic business, Go Deeper Press.  (In fact, if you are a sex-positive writer, why not submit your work to us?  We’d love to read your writing, even if you are new to the genre).

Well, during our first session of God is my Publicist, Gabby led us through a free-flow writing exercise in which we discovered our desire statement. As spiritual people, our desire statement is spiritually aware/driven, and here is what I came up with when writing about Go Deeper Press:

Sexuality is the place where so many of us believe we first sinned, when truly, our sexual core helps us to connect with the world, while shame – the opposite of our sexual core – pushes us to disconnect.  Once we learn to understand and accept our sexuality — including our sexual fantasies, our sexual identities, and our sexual abundance — then we can finally work out how to be at peace with one another and love without fear.

I used to think my spiritual side and my sex activism were simply influenced by one another, but then I wrote a book proposal for the Pearl Diver’s Guide (which is currently being circulated by my new agent, Katharine Sands) and I realized that sexuality was a huge part of my spirituality…and vice versa too. In fact, understanding the spiritual importance of joyful sex and sexuality is my mission in this world.  This mission makes sense of the abuse I suffered as a child, and the shame I was taught to bear.  It makes sense of the sexual problems I learned to heal with the help of loving partners and my found family, especially my partner Angela.  And most of all, sexuality is the area in which I have felt most burdened and, therefore, most liberated.

I am a queer, British woman living in Boston who was sexually abused as a child and is now sexually and spiritually powerful.  But I know that my sex-positive mission has little to do with me.  This mission isn’t mine. It comes from the Divine Light, the universe.

So thank you, dear readers, for helping us to further it.

The Femme Show’s Honesty and Fierceness, and What a Shame If You Missed It

GeeGee Louise photo courtesy of Allie T.

Last Saturday night started off with a bang, and how could it not, with me getting ready to enjoy my first Femme Show with, yes, the sexiest femme ever. (I can’t stress this enough, really.) In her thigh-highs and my poorly knotted black tie, off we went to one of the hottest queer events Boston has to offer, where each and every one of the performers were truly stunning in their bravery, their cleverness and their honest-to-goodness ferocity.

The show kicked off with The Bitches of Destiny doing their best “Mein Herr” from Cabaret. All three performers worked their respective black chairs with amazing precision when compared to the original (you can check the clip, if you’re curious), and so that’s what the performance was: a tantalizing, sexy tease done by the troupe, lounging and stretching, with some gentle thrusting done with a sly smile, courtesy of front person Dean James, and just overall fucking sexiness in stockings and tight everything to her right and left. Could it get any better?

Oh, it did—and times a million. Burlesque played a big role at this year’s Femme Show, and so I got to drool and squirm over the amazing performances of GeeGee Louise, the “burlesque impersonator,” who can move his hips and shake his ass in ungodly ways, it’s so beautiful. (Visit GeeGee at his site, and allow yourself to be drawn in by the urge to get his 2013 calendar.) Bikini Thrill, however, did the most evil of teases, dancing, as you may have guessed, to a Bikini Kill track, and the best one at that (“Suck My Left One”). I didn’t know you could do burlesque to good ol’ fashioned riot grrrl punk, but, yes—yes, you can, and so, so well. Bikini Thrill’s number ended with her pulling severed rubber arms and legs out from her overnight bag, and using her stiletto to bring a little more pain to the situation, hacking away at the sad limbs, and then—why not—using the detached hands to fondle her breasts. It was an electric moment, watching this woman disrobe to the voice of Kathleen Hanna, with the same energy and same fuck-you spirit. (You can keep up with all of Bikini Thrill’s wheeling and dealings via Facebook.)

Bikini Thrill photo courtesy of Allie T.

But don’t think for a second that the spoken word performances were not equally as captivating. On that stage, there were some bold, honest, and heartfelt words on the strength and power in identifying as femme, and there’s nothing more powerful or brave, I’d say, than bearing your soul and speaking your truth on who and what you are. Gigi Frost, in the truly sexy “More than Yes,” stood in a strap-on and mini skirt, discussing the power and femininity she felt in fucking her ex, who identified as butch, with her cock. Amy Raina, in “Letter to a Life Is Good Lesbian,” was equally sexy with her smile and humor. If you get the chance to see her perform this piece, do—because you will laugh and laugh hard (and, if you’re like me, you will also do your best to not cry at the end, in your shirt and tie, sitting next to the sexiest femme ever).

And still, this morning, I’m wondering why Idalia is not famous. Is her name not familiar to you? Yes, this is a shame. The self-proclaimed “fierce, Femme, Puerto-minican poet” is a show-stopper, with words and rhymes so fluid, striking and beautiful, and her delivery just as entrancing. She brought a slightly different perspective on femme, mixing in her heritage and experiences as a Latina. Her delivery and her presence—dropping white pages of rhymes to the floor in her long skirt and bare feet—is something I’ll never forget. (Catch Idalia at www.facebook.com/iamidalia.)

It’s Hot, It’s Sexy, But Is It Erotica?

Sarah Waters is one of my favorite sex writers.  She’s drippingly hot when she writes erotic scenes.  Take a look at this passage from Tipping the Velvet in which Nan, a Victorian music hall actress, finally kisses the beautiful Kitty, round the back of the theater.  As they lie down, Nan’s fingers find their way beneath Kitty’s clothes, and into her drawers (that’s Victorian for panties, folks):

Here she was wet, and smooth as velvet.  I had never, of course, touched anyone like this before – except, sometimes, myself; but it was as if I touched myself now, for the slippery hand which stroked her seemed to stroke me: I felt my drawers grow damp and warm, my own hips jerk as hers did.  Soon I ceased my gentle strikings and began to rub her, rather hard.  ‘Oh!’ she said very softly; then, as I rubbed faster, she said ‘Oh!’ again.  Then, ‘Oh, oh, oh!’: a volley of ‘Oh!’s, low and fast and breathy.  She bucked, and the bed gave an answering creak: her own hands began to chafe distractedly at the flesh of my shoulders.  There seemed to be no motion, no rhythm, in all the world, but that which I had set up, between her legs, with one wet fingers.

Hot, right?  Hot.  And even hotter when you know the characters.  But would you find this in the “Erotica” section at Barnes & Noble? Or in any other book store?  Rarely.

Well, over breakfast, Angela and I were talking about what erotica is.  Is “erotica” defined by the creator or the consumer?  If reading D. H. Lawrence turns me on, does that make it erotica for me?  Or is it D. H. Lawrence who gets to choose?  Of course, “erotica” is a social construct — it isn’t a natural entity, like a shell or plant, but something we made up…like sexual shame, stilettos, flavored vodka, and those strange little coats people put on their dogs.  The term helps us to know what we’ll find in the pages of a book; it helps us to understand that a story is intended to turn us on.

Sadly, however, our society is often sex-negative, and the term “erotica” can be used as a method of social control.  E.g. “Your work isn’t erotica because it doesn’t contain hot enough sex,” or “Your work is erotica — not fantasy or crime fiction — because it contains hot sex.”  But at Go Deeper, we believe that readers should be able to choose sex-positive books that aren’t all about sex, but will definitely turn you on…and often.  In fact, given the connection you’ll build with the characters in our stories, we think they will arouse you far more.  And we know that many readers want to find such smart, sexy, page-turners.  But would you find Anais Nin’s diaries or Heather Lewis’s Notice when browsing the Erotica section at Barnes & Noble?  Frankly, we doubt it.  That said, dear reader, fear not.  GDP is providing you with a whole store that contains intelligent, page-turning, well-written erotica — writing with bold sexual politics that gives rise to exciting dreams.

Why I’m All About Sex With Glass

Shoes from HotStripperShoes.com

As I was shopping for sex toys at AdamEve.com I found myself wondering why glass is so sexy.  Is it because it’s transparent?  I mean, you can see what’s behind it, but you can’t touch, which makes for the ultimate tease.  Or maybe glass draws us because of its associations with ice, which melts when warmed, creating a wet, thirst-quenching coolness.  (If you’ve ever played with ice in the bedroom, you’ll know this all too well).  And imagine if a stripper’s clear heels melted when placed in the hand or on the skin.  Surely that would give any dom a massive surge of power!  But until this dom is touching one of those icy stilettos, they must just salivate and watch… 

Of course, ice is really water that’s begging to melt, and “melt” is so often used to denote sexual pleasure that it has become cliché: “I melt when she’s near…”  But even without the associations of ice, glass can be heavy, and heavy can be hot. Those who have experienced a luxurious glass dildo will know what I mean.  When this glass cock sinks into you or your lover, the weight brings a whole new pleasure – the glass is cool but hard, and impossible to permeate – no stretching or curving.  Just pure, hard pleasure.

Mmmm…

Anyhoo, for examples of all sorts of glass toys, including stunning dildos and balls, take a look at AdamEve.com for yourself.

Oh, and by the way, putting your glass dildo in the fridge beforehand can make partnered or solo sex twice as exciting.  (Check it’s the right temperature for you/your lover beforehand though!  No, really. 😉

We lovingly invite femme fatale submissions in which the femme fatale is an ice-queen.  Why not?  This post was lovingly borrowed from Lana’s blog “What the Fox?” at lanafox.com

As the Bishop Said to the Actress: Erotic Contests

Bishop Brennan from the legendary “Father Ted”

Have you ever heard of the British phrase, “as the bishop said to the actress”?  If not, here’s the lowdown.  If someone says, without intending a sex pun, “I’ll give you it as soon as I can…” or “It’s getting harder and harder…” or “Put this in there, would you…” it is customary in circles of pun-obsessed souls to tack on the phrase, “…as the bishop said to the actress.”  Voila!  The reverse phrase is used as well:  “As the actress said to the bishop….”  And there are other alternatives — take a look here to read more.  You can also follow or use the Twitter hashtag we’ve created, #AsTheBishopSaidToTheActress, for more bishop-themed punning, with zero guarantee of taste.  Snort.

So what does this have to do with Go Deeper Press?  Well, we are offering twenty bucks to the best #AsTheBishopSaidToTheActress tweet.  The winning tweet will be published on our blog.  By the way, folks, the hash tag must be used for tweet to qualify.  Deadline: October 20th.  If you prefer to enter by commenting on this blog (rather than on Twitter) that’s great too, but remember that your “tweet” (or rather tweet-like comment) needs to be 140 characters or less, including the hash tag.

Our other contest offers publication of the best erotic stories that contain a bishop and an actress…and, of course, a sex pun.  Warning:  These still have to be hot, intriguing, character-driven stories that are well-written.  These stories can be comical, but we’re after a range of moods.  You can enter stories of between 400 and 1,500 words (See our submission guidelines below).  And because it is quite a feat to create an enticing erotic tale within these limits, we’re offering 100 dollars to the best one.  All stories will be considered for publication by Go Deeper Press.  The deadline for this contest is November 15th.

Hard, but worth it.

Pun intended.

Submission guidelines for story contest:  Please send your stories as a double-spaced, 12 point font, Word attachment.  Email to: submissions [at] godeeperpress.com with “Bishop to the Actress” in the subject line.  If you do this, you will make our editors’ lives so smooth and shiny that we will send positive reiki right towards your manuscript.  (No, really!).  Deadline: November 15th at midnight (US time, EST).

Focus on the Face

From Secretary, the movie

I am often put off when porn films don’t show us faces.  (I’m talking facial expressions rather than cumshots here).  And really, what is sexier, during sex, than the facial proof that a partner is in ecstasy?  Sure, we can measure arousal from bodily fluids or stiffness or wetness, but these are easier to fake than the genuine enjoyment reflected in a face.

In film, I actually recommend the directors who give  their actors time to bond and/or choose their partners, because this tends to inspire genuine pleasure.  These directors are more likely to give us shots of the face as well as the body because there is a higher chance that the facial expressions will be hot.  (Take Jennifer Lyon Bell, for instance, who gets all her staff, performers included, to share pre-production saunas in order to encourage bonding.  Or Tristan Taormino who is all about creating genuine heat and connection — see her approach in the Chemistry movies, for instance).

At Go Deeper, we’re looking for stories that focus on full-body pleasure and I admit to being a fan of writers who focus, even just a little, on facial expression.  I enjoy the human connection that this gives the reader, the sense of intimacy.  That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy gesture, rhythm, hardness, wetness and softness.  It’s just that feeling and sensation can be so expertly communicated via the face, especially when a writer is talented and their characters feel real.

Frankly, even just a hint of a face can convey pleasure or eroticism.  Take a look at the beginning of Jeremy Edwards‘ piece “Light Show” published at Featherlit:

“He has never before noticed how the reflected light from the overhead fixture dances in her glasses when she masturbates.

In the past, his eyes have been on her fingers, her mouth, her fingers, her drifting knees. Now the twin reflections claim and keep his gaze…”

Beautiful.

And as you can see from the pic above, just one look at Maggie Gyllenhaal in Secretary (my favorite erotic film) shows just how hot a focus on the face can be.

-Lana