Wednesday, December 30, 2015

My Introduction to The Naughty Victorians #2 MegaBundle - 6 Classics of Victorian Erotica

Here's something fun!  Here's my intro I wrote for the megabundle that I put together for the fabulous Renaissance E Books/Sizzler Editions: The Naughty Victorians #2 MegaBundle - 6 Classics of Victorian Erotica!




“I shall be very glad, my dear guardian, to do anything to contribute to your comfort or to show my gratitude for the kindness you have done me; but I do, I certainly do think that this thing, this part of your person, (I hardly know what to call it) is far too large to go into the slit between my thighs — which just now you called my cunt.  Of course, you have a right to do as you please with me, and are perfectly welcome; but I fear you will hurt me dreadfully, even if you do not actually split my belly open, or extend my little orifice as far back as my bottom hole.”
  Rosa Fielding

It is a far too common misconception that our ancestors were sexually ... well, dull.
We can use computers, smartphones, smartwatches, or smartwhateverisnext to consult Wikipedia, or — even better — San Francisco Sex Information (www.sfsi.org) and immediately know everything there is to know about sex.  Or, if we'd prefer to be entertained rather than informed, there are innumerable sites on practically an infinite number of kinks, fetishes, practices, styles, inclinations, and interests to explore.
And what did they have, the top-hat wearing, bustle-sporting people back in the Victorian (1837 to 1901, to be exact ... and thank you Wikipedia) age?
In bad imitations of true Victorian erotica, no matter their gender a Victorian had nothing between their legs but a poorly defined "sex," and in even worse examples they just thought of England.
Sure, the Victorian's didn't have access to the web, or silicone, or latex, or batteries, or state-of-the-art birth control but they did have one thing we still have — or try to have — passion!
Humans are humans, no matter the age — and we do so very much to dab it up (to use a touch of Victorian slang).
It's another sad myth that the Victorians were prudish when it came to matters slippery and intimate.  Sure, just as it is true that human's love to dab it up there will always be the prudes who think that we all should just think of England, but that doesn't mean that everyone kept only their lips stiff and upper.
The Victorians, after all, were all about image: by day many of them were prim and proper and starched and stiff ... but once the sun had set, or the door was closed then the layers were discarded and the fun was had.
As perfect proof of this "keep it under covers" but "love it with a passion" attitude of the Victorians, you just have to look at how well they documented their own supposedly shameful erotic novels and magazines.  For a time it was like there were more books being written about erotica as there were erotic books being published.
Henry Spencer Ashbee (b. 1834 — d. 1900), for example, created an immense three volume tome on "Curious and Uncommon Books," from 1877 to 1885 under the name Pisanus Fraxi. 
With such stimulating titles as Index Librorum Prohibitorum: Being Notes Bio-Biblio-Icono-graphical and Critical, on Curious and Uncommon Books (a mischievous play on the Catholic Church's own naughty book list, the Index Librorum Prohibitorum) Ashbee sought to document many of the erotic books being published at the time.  There are even pretty substantial rumors that Ashbee is the actual author of My Secret Life, a sprawling 11 volume erotic epic that began in 1888.  
The first book in this special celebration of classic erotica is Rosa Fielding or, to give the book it's full and very Victorian title: The Victim of Lust, or Scenes in the Life of Rosa Fielding.  Originally published by William Dugdale in 1867. 
Like Ashbee, Dugdale was a true celebrator of sensual fiction.  Born in 1800, he was hired by yet another notorious erotic publisher, William Benbow, when Dugdale was a wee lad of 18. 
Before going onto Dugdale we have to talk a small amount about his mentor: William Benbow (b. 1787 — d. 1864) was a "nonconformist preacher, pamphleteer, pornographer and publisher, and a prominent figure of the Reform Movement in Manchester and London" (thank you Wikipedia).  Now there was a man to give Victorian society the vapors!  
Under Benbow, Dugdale took to the job with true passion ... to be obvious: by 1822 he was publishing books himself and soon, according to Ashbee, was "one of the most prolific publishers of filthy books.
Even though characters like Benbow and Dugdale were printing the books, and Ashbee was writing about them (as well as writing them), the Victorian's still had to put on a very proper face when "love it with a passion" peeked out from "under the covers." Dugdale was arrested at least five times and served terms ranging as long as two years — and it is understood that even the 1857 Obscene Publications Act was created just to go after him and his business. 
Tragically, Dugdale paid the ultimate price for giving the Victorians what they wanted — even if they wouldn't come out and say so.  He died in 1868 after another jail term. Dugdale also didn't keep the business to himself: his brothers, Thomas and John Lambert also were involved and served their own terms as well.
Another memorable addition to this collection is Randiana, or Excitable Tales.  Originally published by William Lazenby in 1884, it’s often seen as a prime example of Victorian pornography.  
If you need any kind of proof of Randiana's power after so many years to excite, just savor this random sampling:  
To say that I was in the seventh heaven of delight, as my warm fingers found a firm plump cunt with a rosebud hymen as yet unbroken, is but faintly to picture my ecstasy.
To pull her a little way further down on the couch so that her rounded arse would rise in the middle and make the business a more convenient one, was the work of a second; the next I had withdrawn my prick from her grasp and placed it against the lips of her quim, at the same time easing them back with a quick movement of my thumb and forefinger.  I gave one desperate lunge, which made Lucy cry out 'Oh God,' and the joyful deed was consummated.
As I have hinted before, my prick was no joke in the matter of size, and upon this occasion, so intense was the excitement that had led up to the fray, it was rather bigger than usual; but thanks to the heat the sweet virgin was in, the sperm particles of her vagina were already resolved into grease, which, mixing with the few drops of blood caused by the violent separation of the hymeneal cord, resulted in making the friction natural and painless.  Not only that, once inside I found Lucy's fanny was internally framed on a very free-and-easy scale—and here permit me to digress and point out the ways of nature.
While Randiana's publisherWilliam Lazenby, is not as famous — or infamous — as Dugdale or Ashbe, he is still recognized as an important figure in publishing erotic books.  He is particularly celebrated for being the publisher of the pornographic magazine, The Pearl, as well as The Oyster.  He also put out books like The Birchen BouquetThe Pleasures of Cruelty, and many others.  Like his peers, Lazenby was no stranger to the dock as he was arrested in 1871 and 1881.  In 1884 he moved to Paris with several other publishers when the British government began to seriously crack down on saucy books.
A lot has changed since the Victorian age of erotica: technologically, sure, but that's obvious.  Socially, as well, is self-evident, but despite all these changes one thing becomes clear reading these clandestine but appreciated (and popular) works: the Victorians may have been laced a bit too tight — both in dress and attitude — but once those laces became undone they definitely knew how to have a good time!
Luckily, since we do live in these technologically magical times you have the opportunity to read these wonderful treasures of Victorian erotica ... and after you do, ask yourself if we can truly look back on those years with arrogant distain in matters sexual.  
Here are some wonderful examples of Victorian erotic writing: Rosa Fielding, Randiana, The Erotic Adventures Of A Bachelor, The Amorous Adventures Of Angelica, The Love Tutor, and Pleasure Bound.  Each and every one not just an excellent introduction to the genre and the time when they were penned but ever-lasting works of sensuality and outrageous sexuality, with a tremendous power to excite even today.
The Victorians may not have been able to read books on their computers, watches, phones, or technologically whateverisnext but the authors of these arousing tomes knew very well about pure, wild, and marvelously unhinged passion ... something we may actually rediscover once we put our tech down for the night.

— M.Christian

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Very Cool: The Cover Of The New Edition Of Finger's Breadth!

(from M.Christian's Queer Imaginings)

How very, very, very cool is this?  Check out the cover for the new edition of my queer erotic/SF/thriller/horror novel Finger's Breadth - coming in a brand new edition very soon from the always-fantastic Renaissance E Books/Sizzler Editions.


Sunday, December 27, 2015

This Monday: Polyamory Discussion/Support Group at SF Citadel!

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)

Just a reminder that the fun Polyamory Discussion/Support Group I help facilitate is coming up this Monday, December 28, at the SF Citadel:


Polyamory Discussion/Support Group

SF Citadel
181 Eddy Street,
San Francisco, CA

Polyamory is – not to state the obvious – complex. But what is even more challenging is that it is still not wildly accepted, with those in non-monogamous relationships often finding it difficult to find understanding and support. In this discussion/support group, polyamorous individuals and couples will have a nonjudgmental and supportive environment to share their concerns and experiences.

All Discussion/Support Groups are from 7:30PM to 9:30PM and cost $10

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M.Christian has been an active participant in the San Francisco BDSM scene since 1988, and has been a featured presenter at the Northwest Leather Celebration, smOdyssey, the Center For Sex and Culture, The National Sexuality Symposium, San Francisco Sex Information, The Citadel, The Looking Glass, The Society of Janus, The Floating World, Winter Solstice, and lots of other venues. He has taught classes on everything from impact play, tit torture, bondage, how to write and sell erotica, polyamory, cupping, caning, and basic SM safety.

M.Christian is also a recognized master of BDSM erotica with more than 400 stories in such anthologies as Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Bisexual Erotica, Best Fetish Erotica, and many other anthologies, magazines, and other sites; editor of 2t anthologies such as the Best S/M Erotica series, Pirate Booty, My Love For All That Is Bizarre: Sherlock Holmes Erotica, and more; the collections Dirty Words, The Bachelor Machine, Love Without Gun Control, Rude Mechanicals, and more; and the novels Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Me2, Finger's Breadth, Brushes, and Painted Doll. His site is www.mchristian.com

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

New At FutureOfSex: The Adult Entertainment Technology We Lust After: Part 1 – Hardware

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

Check it out, another very, very fun piece I wrote for the great FutureOfSex folks just went live: The Adult Entertainment Technology We Lust After: Part 1 – Hardware!


There’s no denying that the last few years have seen flat out amazing developments in all sorts of technology, especially those of a (ahem) sexual nature.

Virtual reality alone has gone from a clumsy, bulky near-joke to a rapidly rising star moving toward common acceptance. You know things are really happening when one year it’s the medium-sized-but-eager Oculus Rift and the next it’s the giant Sony with their own PlayStation VR.

Sex tech, though, has really been rocking on the hardware, where the mechanical meets the meat, so to speak. Teledildonics, like VR, used to be a pipedream—to use a silly sexual allusion. But coming very soon, the cyberpunk wet dreams of the 90s will no doubt be standard pieces of equipment for digital erotic explorers.
The state of the art… today

Just look at a few of these Future of Sex articles, which show how physical sexual technology has moved from blue-sky dreaming to some actual, functional prototypes:

Ben Barnes reported on The Teslasuit: a full-body “smart textile” garment that uses electromagnetic impulses to simulate all kinds of sensations such as “warm breeze, water submersion” and, best of all, human touch.



Jenna Owsianik added an extra dimension to haptic possibilities, one that eradicates the need for cumbersome equipment like full-body suits. She introduced us to HaptoClone, which uses airborne ultrasound tactile display to give the illusion of physical contact with holograms

Jenna also wrote about how Lovense, a sex tech manufacturer, is working with VirtualRealPorn [NSFW] , an adult entertainment website, to integrate videos and their haptic sex toys to allow users to “feel the performers’ movements from a first-person perspective.”

– I even contributed a bit to this, writing on B.Sensory’s merging of erotic literature with sex tech, adding an extra physical thrill to sexy stories.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Publisher's Weekly Reviews SKIN EFFECT!

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

All I can say is ... wow!  

Check out this very nice review of my erotic science fiction collection, Skin Effect: More Science Fiction And Fantasy Eroticaby the one-and-only Publisher's Weekly!


Future technology’s ability to alter the very nature of our humanity—and the ways those changes interact with sex—shapes this solid collection of futuristic stories from erotica author Christian (Eros ex Machina). Each story has a strong speculative element—such as the voluntary removal of painful memories (“[Title Forgotten]”), or magical masturbation while recovering from a cyberattack (“Double Toil and Trouble”)—that’s blended with a frank expression of sexuality. Equal time is spent on describing how a semi-sentient fabric works and narrating the ways that one character teases another into arousal. One-partner encounters dominate, but “The Bell House Invitation,” featuring a linked-experience orgy in which each person is individually aroused but shares the pleasure collectively, stands out as the best entry. Christian sometimes stumbles when he tries to be inclusive: there’s a clumsy reference to a character’s race, and a trans woman’s first sex with a man is depicted entirely from the man’s point of view. Despite these rough edges, there’s plenty for sex-positive futurists to enjoy here. (Mar.)

New Article At FutureOfSex: Future Fetishes - Five Possible Sexual Kinks for the Next Century

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

I really, really, really like writing for the great folks at FutureOfSex - and they just posted a brand new piece on their fun site: my take on kinks of the future!  

Here's a tease - for the rest just click here.

Human beings, especially when it comes to sex, are pretty odd creatures. Unlike a lot of other species, we are often drawn to both the common and the rare.

It’s like a certain percentage of humanity says, on an unconscious level, I’ve never seen that before… and it really turns me on!

As homo sapiens continue our evolution into homo technologicus, we might one day see the eroticization of what we now consider commonplace. But for citizens of the next century, what we currently regard as banal will be unique and exotic.

So here is a playful look at what our descendants might become—and what they may find daringly, erotically outré.
It makes you look distinguished

As the possessor of (sigh) quite a few… shall we say “facial folds,” as well as having the lack of what used to be a long mane of dark hair, it’s alluring to think that as we learn more and more about the physical aging process, that sometime in the, hopefully, near future we’ll see wrinkles and gray hair as being fascinatingly unique.

While there may not be any huge breakthroughs yet, all it takes is a glance at history to see that, as a species, our lifespans are increasing at an incredible rate. Mostly due to better care, diet, education, and exercise, we have gone from a life expectancy of mid 60s (for men) and early 70s (for women) only 50 years ago, to where we are looking at breaking the 100 year mark in only the next generation.

As we push back the human biological clock farther and farther, it’s no great stretch of imagination to envision people being drawn to the rarity of physical old age.

Those with natural signs of it could be the adult entertainment stars of this niche genre—though others may very well cosmetically adopt wrinkles, gray hair, and all the rest the same way people today get breast implants, artificial tans, colored contact lenses, and the like.

And who knows, if a certain erotic writer can hang on long enough, he may very well become an adult entertainment celebrity. A man can dream…
[MORE]

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Confessions Of A Literary Streetwalker: LOVE

A very fun - if I say so myself - piece of mine just went like at the great Erotica Readers and Writers site.  Here's a tease - for the rest just click here.


LOVE

"You could have stayed with me," he'd said the first time I went to Seattle to see him, but stayed in a motel. I hadn't even thought of it, and so the disappointment in his eyes.

I never went back. After he got promoted there wasn't any point.

You could have stayed with me evolves into a fantasy in which those four days play out differently: an invitation made earlier, my discomfort of staying in someone else's house miraculously absent. Fresh off the plane, strap digging into my shoulder (I always over-pack), out of the cab and up a quick twist of marble steps to his front door. A knock, or a buzz, and it opens.

A quick dance of mutual embarrassment as I maneuver in with my luggage, both of us saying the stupid things we all say when we arrive somewhere we've never been before. Him: "How was your flight?" Me: "What a great place."

Son of a decorator, I always furnish and accessorize my fantasies: I imagine his to be a simple one-bedroom. Messy, but a good mess. A mind's room, full of toppling books, squares of bright white paper. Over the fireplace (cold, never lit) a print, something classical like a Greek torso, the fine line topography of Michelangelo's David. A few pieces of plaster, three-dimensional anatomical bric-a-brac on the mantel. A cheap wooden table in the window, bistro candle, and Don't Fuck With The Queen in ornate script on a chipped coffee cup.

Dinner? No, my flight arrived late. Coffee? More comfortable and gets to the point quicker. We chat. I ask him about his life: is everything okay? He replies that he's busy, but otherwise fine. We chat some more. I say that it's a pleasure to work with him. He replies with the same.

[MORE]

Thursday, December 10, 2015

My Intro To TERRORS: REEL MONSTERS!

(from M.Christian's Meine Kleine Fabrik)

Here's a fun little treat: the introduction to my book Terrors: Reel Monsters - The Original Short Stories That Became 8 Classic Horror Films.  Enjoy!


I like monster movies. ...No, wait, that's not completely true. I love monster movies.

Aside from sweet memories of laying on the carpeted floor, a sanctuary of Creature Features and Saturday Afternoon Marathons from the dreaded hours of elementary school, these films have always spoken to me: the carefully constructed stories dovetailing with direction, nuances of acting, the beauty of a perfect screenplay...or even the ones with cruddy plots, sloppy cinematography, laughable performances, or horrible dialogue... there's always something, somewhere in both the best and the worst, that I've enjoyed.

Suffice it to say, I'm not a snob. Sure, I admire directors like Wim Wenders, Cronenberg, Kurosawa, Mamuro Oshii, and Frankenheimer, but I have a particular fondness for movies made in a hurry with a zero-dollar budget—yet still managing to create something truly memorable.

This book is a kind of celebration of those bootstrap classics of horror and science fiction: Stuart Gordon's playful gorefest, Re-Animator; Browning's shuddering nightmare, Freaks; Robert Florey's atmospheric The Beast with Five Fingers; even the playfully ridiculous Invasion of the Saucer Men; Robert Wise's steadily creepy The Body Snatcher; The Twilight Zone's “It's A Good Life,” and so many others. Take it from a true fan: get some popcorn, a soda, and settle in for a fantastic afternoon of amazingly creepy cinema—or at least the stories that inspired some of its biggest classics.

And if there's one thing I actually like more than the movies, it’s the stories behind the movies.

It's a sad fact that while a lot of people—who aren't cinema junkies—don’t know that the movies they know and love had their origins in some equally (if not more) incredible works of fiction. They don't realize that behind so many of their favorite—or just guilty—pleasures on film or TV, there isn't just a director and producer, actors and the crew, but an author whose novel or story was the true creative force behind it all.

Re-Animator? It came from the one and only H.P. Lovecraft's story of the same name. “One of us...one of us,” (of course I'm talking about Freaks) was taken from “Spurs” by Tod Robbins. The Beast with Five Fingers came from the same-titled story by W. F. Harvey. Invasion of the Saucer Men started as “The Cosmic Frame” by Paul Fairman. “Wish him into the cornfield,” (from, naturally, “It's a Good Life“) was originally from the famous Jerome Bixby story of the same name. Black Sabbath was from “The Curse of the Vourdalak” by Alexis Tolstoy; The Monkey's Paw came from a story by W. W. Jacobs, and The Body Snatcher came from Robert Louis Stevenson.

There are, of course, other authors whose work has been adapted into horror movies—but the stories in this anthology were picked because the ideas and stories behind these playful cinematic treats have nearly disappeared into obscurity. Lots of people, for instance, know the origins of Soylent Green (Make Room, Make Room by Harry Harrison or 2001: A Space Odyssey (The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clarke); Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick), but very few know the origins of the films listed on our Table of Contents...even if their authors are extremely well known. Aleksey Tolstoy, Robert Louis Stevenson, Lovecraft anyone?

Fame aside, these writers deserve some recognition not just for the works that have been turned into silver screen horror classics, but for all the other great novels and short stories they created. Consider this, then, not just a celebration of the stories herein, but a gateway to the wider world of these authors’ literary creations.

Take Jerome Bixby (1923–1998) to start. It's truly tragic that far too few people know of Bixby's work and wide-ranging contributions to science fiction. Putting aside some of his more famous short stories—like “It's a Wonderful Life,” featured here—he also wrote the story that became the 1970's SF classic Fantastic Voyage as well as the screenplays for some of the most well-received, and fan-favorite, Star Trek episodes: “By Any Other Name,” “Day of the Dove,” “Requiem for Methuselah” and “Mirror, Mirror.” By the way, Digital Parchment Services recently released the definitive Jerome Bixby collection, Mirror Mirror: Classic SF by the Famed Star Trek and Fantastic Voyage Writer.

Paul W. Fairman (1916–1977) is similarly a tremendously respected author and editor of 14 novels and some dozens of short stories. Fairman wrote under quite a few pseudonyms, establishing himself as a well-respected author of both science fiction and detective tales. Like Bixby, he also saw his work being adapted many times for both the big and the small screens: “People are Alike All Over” (Twilight Zone) came from his story “Brothers Beyond the Void” and—of course—his tale “The Cosmic Frame” became Invasion of the Saucer Men (and later, painfully, remade as The Eye Creatures).

Tod Robbins (1888–1949) is the author of seven novels, including The Unholy Three, The Master of Murders, Close Their Eyes Tenderly and the sadly unreleased To Hell and Home Again. Robbins is viewed by many as a master of the truly strange tale. After remaining in France during the Second World War he served time in a concentration camp—passing away a few years after the war had ended.

William Fryer Harvey (W.F. Harvey, 1885–1937) was another brilliant short story author, penning The Beast with Five Fingers as well as 15 separate volumes' worth of other work. In the First World War, Harvey was awarded the Albert Medal for Lifesaving, though the injuries he sustained during the rescue affected him for the rest of his life.

William Wymark Jacobs (W. W. Jacobs, 1863–1943) is one of those authors whose work has become a true landmark. “The Monkey's Paw” (which has been adapted numerous times) first appeared in his collection, The Lady of the Barge (1902). Jacobs was also the author of many other very well received short stories, though most of them were much less...terrifying, and in a much lighter and more humorous tone.

Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy (1817–1875), aside from being Leo Tolstoy's second cousin, is a literary genius in his own right, having written the classics The Death of Ivan the Terrible, Don Juan, Tsar Boris, and—of course—“The Curse of the Vourdalak” (which first appeared in 1839).

As for H.P. Lovecraft and Robert Louis Stevenson ... come on, who doesn’t know about them? But then this is, after all, a book celebrating the stories that became films, so maybe a little introduction is due, for those who were totally napping during English Lit.

H.P. Lovecraft (1890–1937) is still, years after his passing, the master of unnamable dread and madness. Hell, even the word “Lovecraftian” has entered our vocabulary. His books and stories—many featuring his nightmarish cosmic entities such as Cthulhu—have been turned into to film, TV shows, video games, and even plush toys. His tale, “Herbert West—Reanimator,” first appeared in Weird Tales in 1922. The film adaption, directed by Stuart Gordon (1985), and starring the delightful Jeffrey Combs, has become a modern horror classic.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) is, of course, is a pure and absolute legend. The author of classics such as Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Treasure Island (both staples of film and stage adaption), Kidnapped, and The Wrong Box—and many others. Stevenson had the fortune of being a celebrity author during his lifetime and, according to the Index Translationum (UNESCO's authority of book translations), is the 26th most translated author in the world.

There they are—at least in capsule form. But I hope these brief biographical sketches serve as an introduction to a group of authors whose terrifying work was transformed into amazing pieces of film and television history.

So, absolutely, make some popcorn—and be sure and put lots of butter and salt on it—get some soda, make up a pillow fort, and settle in to read the stories behind the great monster movies. Notice which parts of the original story were kept, which weren’t, what worked better on the printed page and what was more fun on the big or small screen.

And the next time you watch a horror flick, remember that behind those reel monsters there may very well lurk even more terrifying creatures: the original beasts, ghouls and eldritch beings from the stories at the heart of each film.

—M.Christian

Thursday, November 26, 2015

New Article At FutureOfSex: Sex in 2115 - Biohacking Bodies and Turning Ourselves into Sexual Cyborgs

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

This is very, very, very cool: my brand new article just went live on the great FutureOfSex site.

Check out by thoughts on the genitals of the future here.


Welcome to Human Body 2.0

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the basic operations of both the new and improved physical structure as well as the operating system.

The first things you may have noticed are the major improvements to the physical sexual perimeters (i.e. the genitals). Don’t be alarmed. Rest assured that not only will they perform just like the previous versions, but they have been totally redesigned to improve just about every aspect of erotic pleasure.

Oh, and don’t forget to agree to the Terms and Conditions.

#

Predicting the future is, at best, hit and miss; mostly a lot of misses to a very few hits.

But that’s never stopped me before. So, after looking at a few of the remarkable innovations that have recently appeared, I’ve tried to speculate on the hot new bodies we all could be wearing in the next hundred or so years.

And, naturally, as this is Future of Sex, I’ll be paying particular attention to the erotic fun all of us might be having with our new bodies.

Elizabeth Coldwell Likes Skin Effect!

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

This is so touching - check out this lovely review my pal, Elizabeth Coldwell, did for my new collection of erotic science fiction stories, Skin Effect: More Science Fiction And Fantasy Erotica

A woman with the ability to perfect memories – or erase them from the mind forever – offers help to people who can’t escape their past. A man tries to avenge his family’s death, and finds only a loving welcome from his bitterest enemy. And a number of friends enjoy a group sex experience in which their minds as well as their bodies become fused… 
In his second collection of high-concept science fiction and fantasy erotica, Skin Effect, M. Christian takes aspects of current technology – spectacles that enable the wearer to instantly connect to a world of data, smart fabrics, video blogging, the lurking spectre of cybercrime – and takes it to its logical extension. The characters in these stories have access to all manner of cutting edge devices, enabling them to move through time or transition their bodies, and Christian uses this overarching them to explore how this might affect love and sex. If you could routinely change from male to female, wear clothing that would adapt to suit your mood and aid seduction, or relive in perfect detail time spent with a lost lover, however painful it might prove, would you do it? And if so, would you be prepared for any unexpected consequences? 
Skin Effect isn’t an easy read. The stories are written in a style that requires close attention to extract the nuances of the text, and you may not grasp all the implications of a scenario on first reading. But as you’d expect from an M. Christian anthology, they drip with eroticism and the many and varied sexual couplings are lusciously described. If you’re looking for thought-provoking erotica that’s both cerebral and sensual, this is the collection for you.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Wonderful Review Of My New ScIFi Erotica Collection, SKIN EFFECT By Amos Lassen!

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

This is so very, very, very touching: my great pal Amos Lassen was so kind of post this lovely review of my new scifi erotica collection, Skin Effect: More Science Fiction And Fantasy Erotica (a follow-up to Bachelor Machine - also out in a new edition).

Thanks so much, Amos!

Christian is one of the freshest and most original erotica writer these days. I have been reviewing him for about eight years now and every time he sends me something new, it is a surprise. “Skin Effect” is the sequel to “The Bachelor Machine” that I reviewed some time ago and that that really showed the skills of the author. I asked myself then whether he would ever be able to top that and he has. ”Skin Effect” is a new collection of short stories that both stun the reader and arouse his/her libido. Christian breaks the rules here—his erotica is innovative and totally original. He goes beyond bondage and sado-masochism, he continues past fetish kind and arrives at a new spot and possibly a new genre in erotic literature. He writes of the here and now and of the future as he explores the nth degree of sex and arousal. Below are the titles of some of the stories included here: 
“[Title Forgotten]”
“Prêt-À-Porter”
“The Subsequent State”
“The Bell House Invitation”
“The Potter’s Wheel”
“Double Toil And Trouble”
“A Kiss Goodnight” and M. Christian gives us an informative and thoughtful afterword. 
In this book’s precursor, “The Bachelor Machine” that I reviewed several years ago, we had dark erotic stories of desperate individuals. Now, this new collection is more hopeful and that seems to be because of new technologies that include data that streams constantly, sensors that are worn, the cloud that now called the media-sphere and that allows for every thought and action to be available to everyone. Add to that that a human being is looked upon solely based on the number of people who follow him/here electronically. Quite naturally, what comes out of all this can be different for different people and there has not yet been any evaluation as to whether or not this is good for the people. It seems to me that we are asking the same questions today. Does technology challenge individualism and make our lives open books and if so, it this good for us? Memory here becomes fluid and can be changed or done away with at will. Sex is affected also in that gender indeed becomes fluid and be changed at will. 
We have the example in one of the stories that a character buys a piece of clothing that becomes whatever the wearer wants it to be and therefore is suitable for all occasions.
I can certainly see how what is written here can be upsetting but we must never lose sight that what we are reading is fiction and this is not necessarily how things will be (but we said the same thing about Dick Tracy’s watch way back then). I found the stories to be charming but also, without exception, highly erotic even though this is not quite the kind of erotica that we are used to. The writing and the erotica are both raunchy (for lack of a better word) and hallucinatory and the stories arouse us while at the same makes us worry about what the future may bring. 
I am not much of an erotica reader except in the cases of M. Christian and a couple of others and that is because I concentrate more on the writing than on the sex. I must say that M. Christian is one of the most inventive writers I have ever read and when we combine with good plots, we become more than satisfied with what he has to say. He manages to take us into the future in exciting, provocative ways yet the does not lose sight of how important sex is in our lives.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Up Now @ FutureOFSex: Dressing for Tomorrow: How Designers Are Mixing Technology, Eroticism and Fashion

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

I am having a real blast writing for the great folks at FutureOfSex ... and I'm very pleased that a brand new piece just went live there.

Click here to read Dressing for Tomorrow: How Designers Are Mixing Technology, Eroticism and Fashion!

When not protecting the wearer against the weather—or in some cases other humans—clothing has always been about sex.

While materials came and went, the basic idea of fashion has stuck around. From power ties to high heels, corsets to tuxedos, jockeys to hot pants, we’ve forever been trying to accentuate, or downplay, certain parts of our anatomy.

But now it looks like things will really be changing. Frequently using what is called intelligent clothing or e-textiles, a few innovative designers are exploring wild new territories—and perhaps giving us a glimpse of the erotic fashions for the next century.

Anouk Wipprecht

To put it overly simple, technology plus fashion, plus sensuality, equals Dutch designer Anouk Wipprecht.

One of her designs called the ParticleDress, embraces the open-source movement: where all kinds of technologies are being made available for anyone to tweak or play with.

Basically, she created a 3D printed framework/garment that supports a standardized hexagonal ‘module’—then she reached out to creative people all over the world, inviting them to design their very own modules to be attached to the dress. The final selection of these submissions then made it into the final design, unveiled at the San Francisco Maker Faire in May of this year.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Confessions Of A Literary Streetwalker: How Much? By M.Christian

(from the Erotica Readers And Writers site)

Here's a bit of fun I wrote a looooong time ago ... hope you like!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YGDE6G/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

How Much?

The Editor sends the story back, No one comes like this. It’s obvious she’s faking it and I realize he’s right: she was faking it.

#

The Director leans in, hot lights burning my legs: Just can’t get the lighting right, your cock still looks too small. I frown, thinking of all the wankers from San Francisco to Boston feeling good that the stud in their whack-off vid is smaller than they are for once.

#

She never calls me back. Six months later, I run into her on the street. I read that story you wrote for Warped Perverts, she says, scanning for a quick escape route. It scared me. 

#

The Photographer tells me to smile, damn it, smile as I lift my leg into yet another impossible position. I miss the gallery opening because of a cramp so bad I can’t get out of bed.


[MORE]

Monday, November 09, 2015

Up Now @ FutureOFSex: The Sexual Future of 2015 - What Sci-Fi Movies and Books Got Wrong… and Right

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

I'm having a serious blast writing for the great folks at FutureOfSex- and a brand new post of mine just went live!

Check out The Sexual Future of 2015: What Sci-Fi Movies and Books Got Wrong… and Right!

It was a fun to write and (hopefully) just as fun to read!
Today may not be the future these works envisioned, but maybe it’s still to come?

Science fiction has never really strived to be prophetic. Mostly the genre has used speculation to draw attention to social issues of the day; a funhouse mirror held up to mankind.

And when it has tried to gaze into a crystal ball, sci-fi’s track record is more than a bit lacking—to be polite.

Especially in regards to the future of sexuality.

Now that we are actually living in 2015—and with 2016 right around the corner—it’s fun to look at some notable books and films that tried to envision what sex would be like in the future. In other words, right this very minute.

A lot of things turned out to be flat out wrong. But what’s even more intriguing—and even more than a bit chilling—is what they actually may have gotten right.

If not this year but very, very soon.

Sunday, November 08, 2015

Tuesday: Nov. 10: Tit-Torture For Boobs: Breast Play With M.Christian @ SFCitadel

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)

This is gonna be a blast: come check out this really fun - if I say so myself - class!

Btw, I need a demo.  Let me know if you are game before or at the class.  First volunteer gets in for free!

And be sure and check out my survey for what classes you want me to teach for 2016.


Tit-Torture For Boobs: Breast Play

Breast play offers wonderful opportunities for intensely powerful scenes - but also comes with serious, even dangerous, risks. In this breasts-on seminar, participants will learn how to treat tits, both male and female, with exactly the right measure of sensuality and intensity to play well but also safely. Clothespins, nipple clamps, pinching, suction devices, gentle impact, bondage, and more will be demonstrated - as well as how to deliver effective aftercare. Additionally, participants will be given instruction in first aid, the dangers of breast play, and the limits of what boobs can take.

SF Citadel
181 Eddy St, San Francisco, CA

Class from 8pm to 10pm, doors open at 7:30pm
Cost: $20 at the door, or $15 in advance
https://www.purplepass.com/sfc1172015

#

M.Christian has been an active participant in the San Francisco BDSM scene since 1988, and has been a featured presenter at the Northwest Leather Celebration, smOdyssey, the Center For Sex and Culture, The National Sexuality Symposium, San Francisco Sex Information, The Citadel, The Looking Glass, The Society of Janus, The Floating World, Winter Solstice, and lots of other venues. He has taught classes on everything from impact play, tit torture, bondage, how to write and sell erotica, polyamory, cupping, caning, and basic SM safety.

M.Christian is also a recognized master of BDSM erotica with more than 400 stories in such anthologies as Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Bisexual Erotica, Best Fetish Erotica, and many other anthologies, magazines, and other sites; editor of anthologies such as the Best S/M Erotica series, Pirate Booty, My Love For All That Is Bizarre: Sherlock Holmes Erotica, and more; the collections Dirty Words, The Bachelor Machine, Love Without Gun Control, Rude Mechanicals, and more; and the novels Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Me2, Finger's Breadth, Brushes, and Painted Doll. His site is www.mchristian.com

Wednesday, November 04, 2015

Thursday, Nov. 12: Sex Sells: How To Write And Sell Erotica @ Center For Sex And Culture In SF!

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)

I love teaching all my classes, but Sex Sells: How To Write And Sell Erotica is especially near and dear to my heart.

And the very good news is that I'm going to be doing this special class for the Center For Sex And Culture in San Francisco on Thursday, November 12th!


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YGDE6G/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

The market for erotic fiction and nonfiction is booming! There actually is a secret to writing great erotica - and you'll discover just what that is in this fun, hands-on workshop with well-known erotica writer and teacher M.Christian.

For the beginning writer, erotica can be the ideal place to begin writing, getting published, and - best of all - earning money. And for the experienced writer, erotica can be an excellent way to beef up your resume and hone your writing skills. M.Christian will review the varieties of personal and literary expression possible in this exciting and expanding field. He'll also teach you techniques for creating love and sex scenes that sizzle.

Plus: current pay rates, how to write for a wide variety of erotic genres, where and how to submit your erotic writing, and more.

Sex Sells: How To Write And Sell Erotica
The Center for Sex and Culture
1349 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94103

Thursday, November 12th

6:00PM to 8:00PM

$20 (purchase pre-event tickets here)


M.Christian has been an active participant in the San Francisco BDSM scene since 1988, and has been a featured presenter at the Northwest Leather Celebration, smOdyssey, the Center For Sex and Culture, The National Sexuality Symposium, San Francisco Sex Information, The Citadel, The Looking Glass, Floating World, Winter Solstice, and lots of other venues. He has taught classes on everything from impact play, tit torture, bondage, polyamory, cupping, caning, and basic SM safety.

M.Christian is also a recognized master of BDSM erotica with more than 400 stories in such anthologies as Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Bisexual Erotica, Best Fetish Erotica, and many other anthologies, magazines, and other sites; editor of 2t anthologies such as the Best S/M Erotica series, Pirate Booty, My Love For All That Is Bizarre: Sherlock Holmes Erotica, and more; the collections Dirty Words, The Bachelor Machine, Love Without Gun Control, Rude Mechanicals, and more; and the novels Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Me2, Finger's Breadth, Brushes, and Painted Doll. His site is www.mchristian.com

Monday, November 02, 2015

Beyond Romance Likes Skin Effect!

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

This is very touching: the great Lisabet Sarai reviewed by brand-new erotic science fiction collection, Skin Effect: More Science Fiction And Fantasy Erotica, for Beyond Romance.

Thanks so much, Lisabet!


Normally, when I write a review, I treat the book as a stand-alone entity, without considering prequels, sequels or other books in a series. In reviewing Skin Effect, however, it’s almost impossible not to make some reference to The Bachelor Machine, M. Christian’s first collection of science fiction erotica, which I reviewed back in 2009. For one thing, there’s the subtitle, “More Erotic Science Fiction and Fantasy Erotica”, pointedly implying the existence of the previous volume. Then there’s the author’s Afterword, which explicitly compares the perspectives in the first book to those in this one. Even the title is a reference to the earlier book, the name of one of the stories therein (which is not included here). In any case, I couldn’t really read this collection without being reminded of the earlier volume. The stories are equally inventive, but extremely different in tone. To me, they suggested a more mature, subtle and balanced vision of the future. 
The world of The Bachelor Machine is largely dystopic, a dark environment of crumbling infrastructure, poisoned nature, desperate individuals, oppressive and dehumanizing technology. The stories in Skin Effect reflect a greater degree of hope as well as the expected impact of more recent technological developments—constant data streams gathered by wearable sensors; software agents that relieve us of the need to learn or remember; the omnipresent social media-sphere, where every thought, action and emotion is immediately visible to one’s audience and one’s worth as a human being might be measured by the number of spectators one can muster. Like those in the earlier book, however, these tales ask difficult but intriguing questions about reality and human existence. What does it mean to talk about one’s life history, when memories can be implanted or erased at will? What happens to sex when changing gender is almost as easy as changing clothes and every possible sexual variation is available via simulation? Is there something special or unique about direct experience, unmediated by technology? Is that sort of genuine, first-hand, totally disconnected experience even possible anymore? 
One of my favorite stories in the collection is the simple and elegant “Prêt-à-Porter”. A rather shy, serious young woman purchases a – garment – made of the ultimate intelligent fabric, fabric that transforms itself into whatever sort of clothing or costume its wearer desires—and which shapes its owner’s desires in the process. 
--- 
It was ... warm, like a another person's skin. She knew it would be, but the comfort of it was still calming – making the release of that second breath slow and easy. It moved up her body like a splash from a shallow pool, the warmness of it making her relax even more. 
As it flowed, it stayed black – but just as she noticed that, it changed: rolling through a rainbow of hues, shades, and saturations. As it flowed, it stayed glistening like colorful latex – but as she noticed that, as well, it changed: tumbling through an array of textures, contours, weaves, and shapes. 
She couldn't help it: she laughed. It was like a puppy, fresh out of the box and eager to play. It didn't take her mind long to imagine the artificial, intelligent, endlessly chameleonic material as wagging a form of artificial, intelligent, endlessly chameleonic, tail. 
--- 
“LMS”, the last story in the volume, is another high point. Set in a nearer term future than most of the tales (a future in which humans still design web sites!), this tale features an insecure, depressed protagonist who is pried out of his fugue of self-loathing by an encounter with a transsexual who sincerely admires his work. This is a sexy but surprisingly sweet love story, set in a world where your Facebook numbers can determine your personal fate. 
“A Kiss Goodnight” presents the next stage in evolution, as an aging pioneer in the study of artificial intelligence is seduced by the “ghost in the machine”, the sentient, self-aware outcome of his own research. The language in this tale is utterly gorgeous, whether the author is describing the taste of a peach (a real peach, grown on an actual tree—something exceedingly rare) or the nature of the professor’s elusive partner. 
--- 
Shimmering shoals of software; ripples of digital entities flashing in and out of existence – some on a scale of centuries, others faster than anything alive could ever blink, the on and offs of their own basic (in its own way primitive) DNA coding drifting, merging ... vast snowflakes of algorithms wheeling and spinning against an infinite spectrum of quantum uncertainty ... breaking, splintering, only to merge into new complexities, new potentialities. It was a flashing, flickering, fairy kingdom of brilliant streaks, pops, swirls, cascades of illuminated data coming and going, evolving and learning, growing and refining ... flowering unique forms for unique tasks while deep, immense structures, eternally pondering monoliths of infinite potentials and possibilities, thought their long computational thoughts ... knowing every permutation and branch of possibility and, within it all, a cool and perfect understanding of their original architects, the first programmers, far more than they could ever know themselves. 
--- 
Despite this awe-inspiring vision of distributed intelligence, the physical coupling between the professor and his digital partner is compelling, even world-shattering, flesh and blood sex a kind of fundamental language that in some sense transcends species.
This is the message of “The Potter’s Wheel” as well, a fascinating tale in which a woman who supports herself by selling her experiences via social media is chosen to meet the Potter of Gujyo-hachiman, a Living Treasure renowned for his exquisite porcelain. Living off the ‘Net at his monastic retreat in rural Japan, more or less purely in the physical world, the Potter helps Peers reconnect with fleshly, unmediated desire.
Although a few are listed as previously published, all of the stories in Skin Effectwere new to me, with the exception of “The Bell House Invitation”, which I’d called out as one of the sexiest stories in The Bachelor Machine. I was delighted to have the chance to savor this unique ménage once again. Indeed, the story might be more consistent with the worldview spun by this volume than in its original home. 
All in all, Skin Effect is a solid collection of speculative erotica. I have to be honest and admit that I found it less erotic, overall, than The Bachelor Machine. However, that may say as much about me (years older than I was when I read the first book, and far more jaded) than it does about the book. I think it’s fair to suggest that the sex in these stories is sweeter and more sincere, less about thrills and more about connections. That’s fine, as far as I’m concerned. I want more than heat in my reading; I want original ideas and graceful language. In this regard, there’s no question that M. Christian delivers.

Monday, October 26, 2015

Up Now: 5 Science-Fiction Novels That Pushed The Limits of Sexuality On FutureOfSex!

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

This is very, very cool: my grand new article 5 Science-Fiction Novels That Pushed The Limits of Sexuality just went live on the excellent FutureOfSex site!

Here's a tease - for the rest click here.


Erotic visions of the future from renowned sci-fi literature.

Like a lot of genres, science fiction took a bit of time to discover that one special, yet very basic, component of humanity.

Yes, I’m talking about sex.

But unlike mystery, horror, romance, thriller—and every flavor of literature you can name—when these science fiction authors explored eroticism, it didn’t just change that genre. Using visions of the future, they changed the way many people came to look at sex itself.

While there are many writers working today who are exploring sexuality in science fiction (hint, hint), here are five works that I personally feel went way above and far beyond the known limits of both sex and science fiction.

Oh, and be prepared for some very minor plot spoilers—but I promise not to give too much away.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

What Classes Do YOU Want Me To Teach?

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)


As 2015 is - gasp - rapidly drawing to a close I thought it would be fun to ask all of you out there to vote on what classes you want me to teach for 2016!

I'm particularly game to hear your suggestions for classes that may not be on my usual hit parade ... or venues and events that might be my cup of tea.

Here's the link to the survey.

Have fun!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

A DARK DOINGS AT MISKATONIC U Special: Made In DNA

(from M.Christian's Meine Kleine Fabrik)

Continuing the celebration of the release of Dark Doings at Miskatonic U (that I had the extreme honor of editing) here's a quickie interview with the author of one of the new Miskatonic tales in the book - the wonderful Made In DNA:


Q: What's your favorite part of the Lovecraft mythos

The creeping darkness the work introduces into your soul. There isn't any particular "monster" in the series I really dig as they all create this overwhelming sense of foreboding. It's the whole package.

Q: What do you think is the lasting "allure" of Lovecraft's work?

Though steeped in monster culture, the work never stops playing with your mind. It's the moonlit shadows and the inexplicable noises that lurk around the other side of a door or turn of a hallway.

Q: What's the scariest thing, for you, in Lovecraft's work?


The monsters.

Q: What's your area of study at Miskatonic University?

Sex Magicks.

Monday, October 12, 2015

Up Now At FutureOfSex: Part Three of The Ten Greatest Sexual Innovations to Come

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

This is fantastic news: part three of my three part series on The Ten Greatest Sexual Innovations to Come is live!

Check it out at the Future Of Sex site ... in the meantime here's a teasing taste:
Our first series on future sex technologies took a gander at developments in sensory tech: virtual reality, augmented reality, and direct neurostimulation. Then we journeyed into a future erotic world of cyborgs, body switching, and genetic engineering.

We’ve looked at what changes may come to our senses, including the changes to how we’ll experience eroticism. Then we explored the possible coming changes to our physical selves: how we’ll interact with the world.

So what’s left?

As that old chestnut goes, the greatest sex organ in the human body is the brain—and the future promises incredible changes to that very special part of ourselves. Hang on for a ride into the future of our erotic mental landscape with an exploration into neurochemistry, memory manipulation, personality reproduction, and artificial intelligence.



Sunday, October 11, 2015

This Thursday: Polyamory: How To Love Many And Well

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)

This is gonna be a blast: check out my next class at the SF Citadel in San Francisco:


Polyamory: How To Love Many And Well

Thursday, October 15, 2015 · 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
SF Citadel181 Eddy St, San Francisco, CA
Cost: $20 at the door, or $15 in advance:
https://www.Purplepass.com/sfc10082015

Sure, you've heard of it - and maybe have been intrigued by it - but what is polyamory and how do you love more than one person and make it work? How can you deal with jealousy, time-management, emotional rough patches, and more to enter into multiple sexual relationships? In this class, participants will learn to separate the myths from the realities of polyamory, how to make tentative steps towards having more than one partner, and how to approach and deal with the problems of sharing yourself with others, and being involved with someone who, in turn, is involved with someone else. Included in this class will be simple emotional exercises, true life experiences, unique techniques and innovative approaches to understanding the joys - and the risks - of beginning, or entering into, a polyamorous relationship.

#

M.Christian has been an active participant in the San Francisco BDSM scene since 1988, and has been a featured presenter at the Northwest Leather Celebration, smOdyssey, the Center For Sex and Culture, The National Sexuality Symposium, San Francisco Sex Information, The Citadel, The Looking Glass, The Society of Janus, The Floating World, Winter Solstice, and lots of other venues. He has taught classes on everything from impact play, tit torture, bondage, how to write and sell erotica, polyamory, cupping, caning, and basic SM safety.

M.Christian is also a recognized master of BDSM erotica with more than 400 stories in such anthologies as Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Bisexual Erotica, Best Fetish Erotica, and many other anthologies, magazines, and other sites; editor of anthologies such as the Best S/M Erotica series, Pirate Booty, My Love For All That Is Bizarre: Sherlock Holmes Erotica, and more; the collections Dirty Words, The Bachelor Machine, Love Without Gun Control, Rude Mechanicals, and more; and the novels Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Me2, Finger's Breadth, Brushes, and Painted Doll. His site is www.mchristian.com

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Confessions Of A Literary Streetwalker: What's Erotic?

Check it out: one of my fave Confessions Of A Literary Streetwalker essay just went live on the fab Erotica Readers and Writers site:



It's one of the most common questions I get asked – by budding writers via email or in person during one of my (ahem) Sex Sells: Erotica Writing classes: what makes an erotic story ...erotic?

But before I answer [insert suspenseful music here] a bit of exposition is in order: there is ahuge difference in writing for yourself, such as when you are first dipping your ... toes into erotica writing, and when you've made the very brave decision to throw your work out into the professional world.

If you are writing for yourself then you really don't need to be thinking about sex (or the amount of it) at all: you're writing for your pleasure, or just as practice.

But if you do decide to send your work out you really do need to be pay close attention to where you're submitting: when a publisher or editor puts out a call for submissions they are often – or should be – quite clear about the amount of sexuality they need or want from a writer.  If you're sending a story, say, to a site, anthology or whatever it's always a good idea to scope out the territory, so to speak: read what the editor has accepted before, take a gander at the site ... and so forth.  That, at least, should give you a ballpark feeling of what (and how much) they are looking for.

But [insert dramatic drum roll] as far as the right, perfect, ideal, amount of sex for a story that isn't just for your own pleasure, or a very specific market, goes ... well, what's sex?

[MORE]

Monday, October 05, 2015

This Thursday: Using Social Media To Grow Your Adult Business And Build Your Client Base - The Working Smarter And Not Harder Way!

(M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)

This is going to be very, very, very fun: this Thursday I'm going to be teaching
Using Social Media To Grow Your Adult Business And Build Your Client Base - The Working Smarter And Not Harder Way! with my great friend Jean Marie Stine.

 Here's the info:


Using Social Media To Grow Your Adult Business And Build Your Client Base - The Working Smarter And Not Harder Way...

... for Retailers, Therapists, Photographers, Video Makers, Sex Workers, Writers & Others

Thursday, October 8
6:00 PM - 8:00PM
Center for Sex and Culture
1349 Mission St,
San Francisco, CA 94103

$20

Pre-Order tickets here

Let's face facts: the adult business world has totally, completely changed marketing and advertising tricks that used to work simply don't anymore ... which is why, more than ever, thinking outside the box is key to raising above the rest and, best of all, bring in exposure and, hopefully, sales.

Twitter? Tumblr? Facebook? While there are a lot of options, many of the techniques that a lot of gurus and experts recommend only work for those same experts and gurus ... and not for anyone else.

But in this fun and provocative lecture you'll learn to learn the differences between what other people say you should do and what actually works including when to play by the rules and when not to, how to rise above the rest, and how to manage your marketing time and dollars.

Among some of the subjects covered will be:
  • How to blog, tweet and post effectively and efficiently
  • How to handle fast media like Twitter versus slower ones like Facebook
  • When national social media is what you want and when it's something you don't need
  • The power of FREE
  • Knowing your audience ... and developing great techniques to reach them
  • Understanding the difference between likes, friends and actual sales
  • How to make your social media presence rich and interesting without taking valuable time away from your company
  • How to think innovatively about advertising, public relations, and marketing that don't involve social media or even the internet
Jean Marie Stine is the author of a number of pioneering works of erotica published in the late 1960 and early 1970s, beginning with Season of the Witch in 1968, which was filmed as the motion picture Synapse. Her erotic short stories and novelettes have been collected as "Trans-sexual: Fiction for Gender Queers." She is the Publisher of Renaissance E Books, which includes the Sizzler Editions imprint of premier and groundbreaking erotica

M.Christian is a recognized master of erotica with more than 400 stories in such anthologies as Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Bisexual Erotica, Best Fetish Erotica and many others. He is a sexuality and BDSM educator for venues all across the country -- and an Associate Publisher for Renaissance E Books.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

I'm Going To Be At Con-Volution!

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)


This is gonna be a blast! If you're going to the great Con-Volution convention in Daly City look me up - I'll be doing more than a few panels, a reading and teaching a class on mixing sex in science fiction!

Here's my schedule:

Actual Science in Science Fiction
Saturday 10:00 - 11:15, Sumac (Hyatt Regency SFO)
Should we expect 100% accurate science from authors who are telling a story?
M Christian (M), Jay Hartlove, C. Sanford Lowe, Edward Pizzini Ph.D., Heidi Stauffer

Secret Panel
Saturday 11:30 - 12:45, Harbor B (Hyatt Regency SFO)
If we told you, it wouldn't be a secret, now would it?
Steve Libbey, Matt Marovich, Steven Mix, M Christian, Jennifer Nestojko, Emerian Rich, Sumiko Saulson, Linda Kay Silva, Frank Wu, Carrie Sessarego

New Wave SF
Saturday 13:00 - 14:15, SandPebble D (Hyatt Regency SFO)
Bradford Lyau (M), Dario Ciriello, M Christian, Chuck Serface

Video Games: Past, Present, Future
Saturday 16:00 - 17:15, Harbor A (Hyatt Regency SFO)
Rev. Dr. Christopher Garcia (M), Rob Miles, M Christian, Beau Safken

Reading
Sunday 11:30 - 12:45, Wine Room (Hyatt Regency SFO)
Dario Ciriello, M Christian, Jason Malcolm Stewart, Tyler Hayes

Writers Workshop: Let's Talk About Sex
Sunday 13:00 - 14:15, SandPebble D (Hyatt Regency SFO)
This class will focus on how to write credible and non-awkward sex and love scenes. How to write about the heaving bosoms without blushing and convulsing in giggles.