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No Dark Odyssey for your faithful erotica author and blogger this weekend. Tonight, instead of packing my new fetish gear into my suitcase, I stashed it in the farthest reaches of my closet so that I don't get sad gazing at all that shiny black patent leather. 

Hemingway once quipped, "Nothing bad can ever happen to a writer; it's all material."

I'm not sure I agree with the first part of that statement, but as for the second...I believe in it more with each passing day.

You read that right. Paper Bag Press is looking for the highest-quality erotic short stories on the planet. Specifically, we need more lesbian erotica.

Why not niche it up? We want lesbian SUPERHERO erotica. Who would a lesbian superhero thwart? Who would she love? What trouble would she get into, during the course of her exhausting, feminist, crime-fighting days?

You tell me.

Stories from 5,000 - 10,000 words are encouraged. We have boutique pricing and an incredibly author-friendly contract.

Our submissions FAQ is here: https://www.paper-bag-press.com/pages/submissions-faq

Our submissions portal is here: http://submissions.paper-bag-press.com/

We wanna read about the womyn!

Seems that yours truly, author of "Sandwich Filling," is pushing her envelope ever so slightly.

I've never been much for BDSM, although a few years ago I wrote an exhaustive (and exhausting!) glossary of "alternative lifestyle" terms for a website that never went live for reasons unknown. Many of these terms were familiar to me from my years spent researching the wonderful world of sex parties and so-called sandwiches (see my eBook), but many more were not. By the end of this writing gig, I had a pretty clear idea of my comfort zone, and which activities I might want to try in good (i.e., "bad") company.

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a "pain slut." I have a very low threshold for pain, and let's not even get into the years of torture I endured before somehow managing to train myself out of being extremely ticklish. Nor do I have any pressing need to dish out pain in a sexual context--the only time I really feel like hurting someone is when I'm angry, and far outside the boudoir. And anger apparently has no place in SM. All this by way of stating that my knives shall stay in the kitchen drawer when they are not being used to chop edibles; my candle wax shall cool in its holder; and my needles shall stay in the sewing kit I never use because the tailor a few blocks away does a much better job hemming a new pair of pants.

I have been reading and reading. I don't know if folks realize just how much reading is involved in a publishing business--even a new one, such as this. There is a LOT to read.

Because we are so particular about what we will publish, unfortunately we reject most of what comes through our submissions portal. I suppose that's just the way things are, and I do feel twinges of sadness when I reject a story, but that's what has to happen if I'm going to publish only the best.

This takes time, and I thank our loyal readers for hanging in there with us. This is also a reminder about our general call for submissions; if you are in a writing group, feel free to share our link:

http://submissions.paper-bag-press.com

Send in your best stories, and we'll read them! It's what we do.

...although the chemistry between Julia (played by the miracle known as Meryl Streep) and Paul, her diplomat husband was definitely cooking as well. These two middle-aged spouses, in fact, were far smokier together than the younger couple of Julie and Eric, who were more like two toddlers arguing over ownership of a shovel in the playground sandbox.

I just managed to delete the rest of this post. This is why one should never write a blog entry directly into the blog box.

Anyway, watching this movie made me wish that the concession stand served sole meuniere, boeuf bourguignon, and gimlets instead of popcorn with fake butter and soft drinks.

Food choices really do tell so much about a person's character, as well as the times we live in. I wish there was more food in movies, because most people do eat as they live their complicated lives, even if they don't actually cook. As a pro-butter omnivore with blessedly low cholestoral levels and a frame that still falls within the parameters of petite, I sometimes feel like an irresponsible hedonist when confronted with friends' diets..."juicing" instead of eating fruits and vegetables; no bread; and of course, no butter. At least I mostly run with carnivores. And it was a pleasure to cook an English breakfast for my English friend as he packed for a three-week vacation nearly three weeks ago. Upon his return, I want to surprise him with a vat of spaghetti carbonara and a caprese salad...after our other appetites have been satiated, that is....   

I'll be performing some of my erotic poetry in a variety show tomorrow night.

When: Tues. 8/18, 8 p.m.

Where: POV, 99 South 6th Street (between Bedford & Berry), right next to the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn

Why: it's a fundraiser for a Burning Man camp that calls themselves "the Museum of Unnatural History"

Wallet: between $5 - $15, depending on how many greenbacks you have to spare

Wet Your Whistle: drinks will be served!

This show will also feature musicians and comedians. All in all, a lineup of talent that will make the heatwave in "the Baked Apple" that much steamier. If you, um, come, you'll surely be glad that you did.

Our selection of stories featuring gay men is expanding. Hooray! We love the gay. Wayne Mansfield is at it again, with The King's New Harem Boy.

Tell your gays to get on over here, and read something!

Isn't summertime grand? Of course, I'm being hemi-centric, as it is winter in the southern hemisphere right now, as well. That does not detract from the fact that summer is wonderful.

Our garden here in Denver is running riot. It has rained 90% of the days since June 1. We have finally been receiving enough sun to get those plants to grow. Today and tomorrow the weather will be hot and dry, which will be good for the garden, as well. We need sun as well as rain!

During these rainy days, it has been my pleasure to read, read, and read some more. We have been receiving some stellar submissions, and you can count on more new stories, all the time. Of course, our publishing schedule moves slowly, since we only accept the highest quality writing. That takes some time to find! If you are an author, you might consider submitting a story to us. We would love to read it.

Spending time with family is also a great thing in the summertime. I've been trying to do that, as well. I hope you are, too.

Meet Wayne Mansfield! His stories of gay vampires are very well-received (his newest one, "Midnight Kiss" will be published here, shortly), and his newest story in the gay superhero genre is forthcoming as well. You will love Wayne's writing style -- straightforward, yet descriptive, and highly erotic.

Wayne, what can you tell us about your writing? Do you also read erotica?

  I used to write just plain horror stories with heterosexual characters and wrote a bit of gay erotica on the side. But then I wondered why I used heterosexual characters in my story when I was gay. I asked myself why gay men couldn’t have their own horror stories? So I did a few horror stories with gay characters that I felt were missing something. Finally I just combined horror and erotica. It was all a natural progression, and now I have something I can really get my teeth into. (Pun intended). And no, I don’t read much erotica. I prefer something more … visual. 

Most of us in the industry write more than one genre. Do you?

I am currently trying to write just plain gay, more literary, short stories – no horror or erotica. My first ever literary short story called “An Afternoon In The Life Of…” was chosen to be included in this year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras short story anthology – one of only 10 (out of “hundreds”). That felt pretty special.   [Ed. note:Congratulations!]

What about your feelings regarding ebooks?