by Elizabeth Barrette
- Antoniou, Laura. The Marketplace series begins with The Marketplace and continues through several other books, including some very thoughtful exploration of why women and men enjoy things like power exchange and high-impact affection. But the Marketplace itself – a network of owners, trainers, and willing slaves – requires secrecy to survive, hidden within mainstream cultures around the world. (Erotica.)
- Barrette, Elizabeth. The short story “Pvaga and the Censor” tells of an encounter between the Goddess of Free Expression and a very prudish man; it appeared in Crystal Sands. The nonfiction essay “Censorware: The Impossible Project” appears on her website. (Fantasy.)
- Dominic, Kate. Any Two People, Kissing is a spicy, rampant collection of tales spanning an impressive genre range. “The Lady Jade” is a heart-breakingly sweet and wicked pirate story about sexual pleasure and expression. “Living by Committee” introduces a character who hears voices, and the voices like to inhabit sex toys. “Cupid’s Valentine” relates the consequences of romantic favoritism by the famous cherub. (Mundane and speculative erotica.)
- Easton, Dossie and Liszt, Catherine A. The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilitiesis mainly about polyamory, but it’s very hot reading which talks a lot about freedom of sexual expression and about good communication skills. (Nonfiction.)
- Hogarth, M.C.A. Her short story “Unspeakable” appeared in the November ’02 issue of Strange Horizons. The Jokka have three sexes and can change sex at either of two puberties. This tale concerns an eperu (neuter, sturdy) storyteller who gets in trouble for setting out “clays” of naughty stories about the anadi (female, fragile) and emodo (male, somewhat fragile) sexes. In a society based on rigid gender roles supported by some tragic biology, erotic and romantic fiction can really rock the boat. (Science fiction.)
- Kelly, Valerie. How to Write Erotica explains the theory and technique of creating one-handing reading material. Add plot elements or characters from your favorite speculative subgenre and you’re ready to go. Also handy for analyzing other people’s erotica. (Nonfiction.)
- Tan, Cecilia. Author, editor, and founder of Circlet Press, Cecilia Tan has probably done more for this subgenre than any other single person: When nobody would buy her stories, she started publishing them herself, then picked up other writers, and started a revolution which is still making progress against erotic publishers prejudiced against plot and speculative publishers prejudiced against sex. Check out Telepaths Don’t Need Safewords, the chapbook that started it all, and other Circlet titles. (Speculative erotica.)
- Wood, Julia T. Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture examines many aspects of sex and gender, especially relating to language. Nonfiction.
