If you’re buying an individual paperback on Gumroad, take $1 off your purchase by using discount code “newsmutprojectfan” at checkout. This discount code also works on pre-orders of Erato.
➼ I’m not even naming the brand because it doesn’t matter.
➼ My review is: don’t buy a bullet vibe for $5.99
➼ Other vibes are more expensive but you get what you pay for
➼ On the bright side, the numbing vibrations are actually very good pain relief when I use this as a massager for the tension in my shoulders! And on its own, that seems worth the $5.99.
➼ I didn’t pay shipping because I bought over $25 worth of books along with my bullet vibe. One of the books was Rebecca Solnit’s Hope in the Dark. I made all these purchases on the night of the November 6, 2016 election. For obvious reasons in hindsight, Solnit released a new edition soon after (the original version is still good! Just out-of-date). Overall, it was not a night of wise purchases. But my cheap vibe was not the worst decision made by any American person on that date, so.
"Their Window" is up as a free read on MMURE.com. It's about two wives claiming their space in their new home, with some treats for fans of sapphic love and mild (but big for the person doing it) exhibitionism.
“Not yet,” she said.
“But, baby—”
“Not. Yet.” She punctuated the words with soft laughter and an even softer kiss.
“You know how much I love to taste you.”
“You know how much I love being tasted.” Her tongue flickered across Sandra’s upper lip. “But I like to be reminded.”
Waiting reminded her; waiting gave them both a chance to want it even more. As a horny young twentysomething, Sandra would never have believed the odd satisfaction she’d discover a decade later as a married woman, working long hours to pay a mortgage, collapsing on the couch to rest, then waking to make love to her wife, slowly and patiently. Knowing she would taste her eventually, her desire built and built, to a payoff that was better than she could imagine in her initial rush.
It occurred to her that this would be the first time she and Viv actually made love on this couch. So yes, no need to rush it.
So this isn’t quite a toy, and perhaps this is less a review than a product recommendation and/or a PSA, with a bit of rant thrown in (feel free to scroll past it to the actual ‘about Astroglide’ info if you already agree).
First, on my soapbox for the rant. LUBE: USE IT!
If you’re rubbing something and want only the right kind of friction? Lube makes that easier! If you’re sticking something into somewhere else? Lube can help! Even if that somewhere else provides natural lubrication, more can only help!
A guy once told me that he was vanilla, by which he specified he was uninterested in “sex involving anything other than the human body and a condom.” The condom was probably only mentioned because of social pressure. He also pointed out the brand he had “were lubricated” when I suggested using lube, and seemed to find the idea of adding more distinctly uncomfortable. Which, fine, prefer what you prefer, but my advice to everyone else is: don’t fuck someone who finds lube too kinky for them. After all, they’re not interested in making that fucking any easier.
Also don’t fuck someone who finds the idea of lube an insult to their sexual prowess. Mucous membranes are gonna mucus, or not (oh god, I’m so sorry, I think all of yours have switched over to “not” for the next few hours now) for their own reasons, in their own amounts, whether or not you’re truly turned on and regardless of whether those amounts are sufficient to your desired purposes. Using lube is not an admission of defeat; it’s clever forethought.
So now that we’re all in agreement that lube is good to have around, I’ll step down from my soapbox and explain why the lube I keep around is Astroglide water-based gel.
So, T.C., what’s Astroglide like?
First off, and importantly for my purposes, as a water-based lube, it’s toy-safe (unlike silicone lubricants).
Second off, and even more important, it’s in our experience nice and body-safe (aka boytoy safe, if you will. And girlfriend safe. My partner goes by both.). The ingredients listed on Amazon are Purified Water, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chlorhexidine Gluconate, Methylparaben, Glucono Delta Lactone, Sodium Hydroxide. If you’re allergic to any of those, I don’t recommend it, obviously.
The gel part means this is nicely thick. This is great for two reasons: one is that it’s not very drippy like other, more liquid lubricants I’ve used. I’m zealous with lube, but having lots of slippery liquid in the bedroom can lead to other hazards–not such a problem with gel!
Two, the gel part means this is long-lasting, and in our experience, a little can go a long way on a nonporous surface (ie a silicone or stainless steel toy. Your body is not nonporous. Don’t be stingy with lube if you think you might want more.)
The texture feels pretty good. Like…I’m not sure what a good metaphor is. Easily the best goop I’ve ever run over my fingers. Silky? Creamy? It’s smooth-feeling and reassuringly cushiony.
The lubricant-feeling equivalent of wine-tasting may be far in the future yet, and they probably won’t invite me to pilot it. Which is fine, because I’m going to be content to stick with Astroglide water-based gel anyway.
But most importantly, my beloved bottom raves about Astroglide gel too: it’s apparently one of their faves out of their experience, for smooth, comfortable texture and long-lastingness, and they’re the one it matters most to.
It’s also nice and easy to clean up afterward. No stains from what I’ve seen, and as mentioned, not much dripping. Of course, it’s smart to put down a towel or a blanket first. My partner got a cool thrift store blanket with “Queen of the World” emblazoned on it for such purposes. I’m honored.
I was pleased to see it’s in stock at my local CVS, though even more pleased to have picked up a nice three-bottle supply off Amazon. I keep a bottle in my box of tricks, a bottle in my travel bag, and a bottle at my partner’s house.
The only other addition I may want to make to my lubricant collection–aside from some zany sampling extravaganza, which certainly is possible–is a blend that includes aloe vera for extra tissue hydration, something we sometimes need here in the dry northern winters when we vigorously attempt to keep warm. It’d be used in addition to a primary lubricant, and the one I’ll likely keep using is Astroglide.
But please, even if Astroglide isn’t the kind you’d prefer, keep an open mind about using lube. If your partner asks for it, don’t make them feel weird for it. Think how cool and sexy it’d be instead to say “Absolutely, and I’ve already got just the thing in my bag of tricks” as you pull out a 3-pack of Astroglide.
Today’s a special occasion: this review was written by my partner and submissive, as the one with most firsthand experience and plenty of opinions. Also some resemblance to David Tennant’s portrayal of Crowley, being a tall genderqueer person with long hair and a preference for black, not to mention the dark glasses. If that explains anything. 😉
I’m a big fan of the “jewelry box” display, myself -TC
Imagine you awaken on a crisp morning halfway between the departing sting of winter and the enveloping warmth of spring. It’s one of those bright, dry, white-lit days that brims with a kind of saucy playfulness. Think of it as the complement to those late September evenings of which so much poetry has been written. No, today is not any ordinary day. It demands something unique.
You could break out the old tartan skirt and flame boots combo that’s just a little too Type O-Negative today. Maybe some ripped jeans and the leather jacket with the ‘Be Gay, Do Crimes’ patch sewn on one shoulder? Or why not go the opposite way, and mod out, Reservoir Dogs style, before giving in and turning it into a Crowley cosplay? Again. Maybe you’ll even look up a tutorial on how to tie a cravat.
Now, what would bring this outfit together? What are we lacking?
Of course! The plug!
When I was a baby kinkster growing up early days of the internet, I was double-shotgunned by a combination of bad online sex shops and bad online femdom porn. I came away with the idea that sex toys that go in your butt are meant to be disciplinary, even punishing. Purple prose taken from roughly ten zillion websites teletypes its way across my brain without even asking consent: “He moaned, the huge intruder stretching him to his limit, his moans muffled by the gag as he wondered how much more–” Etcetera.
And yeah, if that’s your bag, go for it. But it doesn’t do anything for me.
You know what does do something for me?
THE NJOY PURE PLUG.
Holy crap, friends! What a delightful little appliance I have come into contact with. Again, I’d had instilled in me a million years ago that anal plugs were hideous megaophallic dongs, and so while I knew I enjoyed sensations all up in my backyard, I’d kind of written off plugs in my mind.
WHAT A FOOL WAS I.
First, these widgets are adorable. They are *art* objects, crafted with love and skill out of a single piece of medical grade high stainless steel. They look like something Pris would have in her handbag in Blade Runner, and they feel…amazingly comfortable.
My girlfriend may have said “awww” when he first opened the box. – TC
I MEAN, LOOK AT THS ADORABLE LITTLE THING. It is a masterwork of handicraft, designed, created, and sold by people who are as proudly perverted as I aspire to be. The future is here. And you can stick it where the sun don’t shine.
Ease of Application: When my domme purchased this delightful toy for my (and her) pleasure, she wisely chose the Medium size, on the principle that 1) She knew I didn’t need a “small,” and 2) We can always size up if needed. I happen to be very, er, accommodating in that area (not through having done anything, the hardware just came that way), so fitting the NJoy was no problem at all. I am a huge fan of Astroglide, and abide by the wisdom of Erika Moen’s anal safety snails. Easy does it. Take your time. A gentle touch, a passage of the borderline, and the business end is resting comfortably inside.
As the Pure Plug narrows dramatically past this point, it gives no sensation of pulling or distending the anal sphincter at all. You guys, it’s comfortable. I could wear this to a black-tie event – and probably will someday, if my domme has anything to say about it. What’s brilliant here is that whether or not you are achieving a state of party time is due entirely to your own muscle movements, your personal mindset, and what’s going on with your partner or partners. That handle you can see on the end of the plug is brilliant for keeping everything in place, allowing ease of removal (!!!), AND giving your partner some options, too.
It’s great. My domme can grind on me for hours without producing discomfort, but if she WANTS MY ATTENTION, I’ve just added another handle for her to grab me by.
In short, this was everything I could have hoped for and more. A brilliant addition to a toy closet that is filling up at alarming speed. Wear it all day for a spring in your step (is THAT why Crowley walks like that?) or slip it on in the wee hours for some fun and games.
9.5 out of 10*
*(Honestly, this would be a 10/10, but I have a mild paranoia about the thing slipping out – CLONK – at that black-tie event; a factor which has nothing to do with quality and everything to do with *someone* needing to buy the next size up before this year’s Halloween party. Yum.)
I think *someone* is supposed to be me. Bossy, bossy. <3 -TC
Maybe it’s the full flush of our submissions period (260+ authors have sent us a truly uncountable number of stories, and there’s still a week to send more in!). Maybe it’s quarantine. But I keep coming up with ideas for erotica anthologies.
Reading submissions has shown some interesting gaps in the genre. That and spending my downtime browsing Reddit–specifically subs like AITA and relationship advice ones–has made me once again aware of how desperately we need better narratives about sex.
Also, the fact that we have more wonderful submissions than we can ever fit into one anthology is inspiring me to think of Erato IIalready. There are some alterations to the guidelines that would make short-short fiction more competitive, but basically everything in our Easy Sells category will remain a priority.
One thing I can’t get enough of in NSP submissions or anywhere else? Pegging. The one thing I haven’t found an anthology 100% focused on? Pegging! (An exception is the Turning the Tables anthology from Storm Moon press, which was great, but came out several years ago and only contains four stories.) So what do I want to edit? An anthology of the best pegging erotica! I don’t think it’ll be a New Smut Project title necessarily (the focus is narrow for NSP, which aims for ambitiously inclusive anthologies), but maybe a project of my own? Accordingly, I’ve added a list for my MailChimp newsletter specifically to send out alerts about anthologies I’m editing. You can subscribe here.
All those cyborg and sex robot stories we received in the first flush of Erato submissions had the editorial team and our friends brainstorming about what makes a good instance of that subgenre. And, hey, He, She and It and The Silver Metal Loverboth turned me on… Anyway, my partner and I struck upon the most important part of any anthology: an excruciatingly punny title. AI <3 Uis maybe coming to some bookstore somewhere near you at some point in the future, but at least now the title is burned into your memory.
Speaking of science fiction, Erato has received a lot of awesome F/F spec fic. Enough that one could put together a strong anthology of just that. And has anyone? Sapphics in Space? Again, the focus is a little narrow for NSP, but it might be a good choice for someone to pitch to a publisher who does themed F/F anthologies, like Bold Strokes Books or Cleis Press. That someone doesn’t have to be me, and if you take this idea and run with it, it’s a gift, not a theft.
My co-editor Guinevere Chase asks only two things: “couples with different libidos, making it work with lots of love and understanding and excitement and creativity” and “authors making love to the language like their characters are making love on the page”. For that second topic, I haven’t yet come up with a concise brief or pitch–Guinevere’s is really good on its own–but I do have the title: Cunning Linguists.
As for couples with different libidos–okay, here the Reddit reading is getting to me. Straight people, among others, desperately need to be more creative. I don’t mean swinging-from-the-ceiling kink extravaganzas (I don’t not mean that either), but just a realization that intimacy other than “penetration to mutual orgasm” does count as sex! Enter Alternative Options, a spiritual sequel/younger sister to Between the Shores, which will feature couples who enjoy “nontraditional” sex or kink because things like vaginismus, erectile dysfunction, mixed libidos, lowered ability to orgasm as a side effect of medications like antidepressants, fear of pregnancy, the reality of how arousal works for many people, etc. make the “penetration to mutual orgasm” model a poor fit. And/or just because they don’t like that model. I’m not a huge fan myself, and I like it less and less by the day as I (productivate on Reddit’s misery subs) see how being trapped in it makes people miserable for little good reason.
I’d want the final antho to be inclusive of all genders & sexualities, with each story subverting the Norm (though the Norm itself more or less assumes a cisgender heterosexual couple, it’s not like LGBTQIA+ people aren’t also expected to conform to it–“Which one of you is the man,” etc. By which they mean “Surely the long-haired vegetable never wears the strap-on” [click through for full quote from Mae Martin’s routine]. As a longish-haired vegetable myself, I resent that). So this antho can include a nonbinary person and their male partner where one of them has erectile dysfunction, or an F/F story where one or both partners take an antidepressant that makes orgasm less likely, or vice-versa for either of those pairings & concepts, along with a F/M couple where her arousal nonconcordance means she’s not wet or ready enough for penetration but still wants to enjoy intimacy and pleasure. Stuff that can affect you even if you’re not aiming for PIV (or penetration at all).
Speaking of subverting norms, I remember Alex Freeman and I once brainstormed an NSP anthology of Billionaire Erotica for the Rest of Us–basically anything but maledom billionaire/femsub ingenue pairings. Has the time for that passed? Or might it come again?
Anyway, by this point I’m just spitballing with no intended follow-up, but speaking more of breaking rules: a collection of 35 short stories (not necessarily erotica) that each depict a heroine breaking one of The Rules (or a rule from its many sequels) would be on my to-read list SO FAST. Not all of the stories would be happy–some of The Rules actually are good advice, like “Don’t expect a man to change” or “Don’t date a married man” or “Love only those who love you”. But they’d all be absolutely fascinating. And I really want to be a fly on the wall when someone breaks Rule 31, “Don’t discuss The Rules with your therapist.
(That rule is such a red flag that a red flag parade just broke social distancing orders to march down my street.)
On the one hand, I’m not 100% sure how one would break rule #1 and be “A creature like any other,” but apparently a “Creature Unlike Any Other” is “always stylish, smiling, fit and feminine” which…doesn’t exactly break any molds. Maybe a story about a frumpy, grumpy, but goodhearted tomboy who makes friends with other women who share her interests? “We ARE like other girls, and that’s okay”?
Wow, when I write it all out like that it is quite a list. What do you think? Would you want to read one of these anthologies, or write for one, or edit one?
For updates on any of these projects–which might not come for a while, since editing Erato is still my first priority, plus my day-job copyediting–you can sign up for the New Smut Project newsletter, if they turn out to be NSP projects. OR for any anthos I edit in the future, wherever they come out from, you can subscribe to my newsletter specifically for updates on “Anthologies Edited by T.C. Mill”. Neither are going to bombard your inbox frequently, but you might get some good news in times to come.
Conversely, do you want to edit or claim some of these ideas? I’d appreciate it if you dropped a line letting me know! And maybe you’d be interested in having a slush reader and copyeditor on your team? tc dot mill at yahoo dot com — I’d love to hear from you!
(Though, not to be greedy, but I’m a bit territorial over Erato II for obvious reasons, as well as Alternative Options, Cunning Linguists [Guinevere should have first dibs on editing those concepts] and Best Pegging Erotica. Not that I don’t want to read someone else’s take on an anthology that overlaps with the ideas–Erato was created partially because I loved flash anthologies like Five-Minute Erotica, and I want to edit a pegging erotica antho in part because I have trouble finding as much pegging erotica as I want. But I’m also going to be doing those myself, almost certainly, in the next few years. Knock on wood, bow to the alter of the Muse, etc.)
Wet For Her, as you might guess by the name, is a company creating sex toys “for women by women.” Neither my partner nor I are men, so we felt encouraged and affirmed by this tagline. In particular, it’s helpful that their insertable toys are designed with a slight bend that makes them able, with the right angling, to provide either g-spot OR prostate stimulation, since we have one of those between us.
(SheVibe also classes them as an anal safe toy because of the flared base–the more you know~ *flying rainbow*)
What we loved about the work of our fellow sapphic phallus designers (almost spelled that phellow sapphic phallus designers) is that the toy is nicely, sleekly phallic but isn’t trying to look like a penis. Not that I have anything against such organs; they can be quite beautiful and lovely. But wearing one myself would feel corny and unappealing. Obviously, some people would feel the exact opposite, and they might prefer to seek out a strap-on toy with balls and veins and so forth. Happy hunting to them! My partner and I, though, love the design of this one. It’s like a spaceship at my crotch.
Ready for liftoff, ma’am.
The Five come in several colors, and true to its simple and non-biorealistic design, none of them resemble anyone’s “flesh tone”. I choose the matte black because it matches my harness. The purple is also attractive and matches my partner’s cuffs, and there’s a rose pink for those whose taste runs that way. I’m only a little disappointed they don’t come in bi pride colors like some toys do.
“The Five” apparently refers to a “Five out of Five” star rating. It’s not a reference to length. Though as a matter of fact, the Small and Medium sizes of the Five both have a business length of 5.1″. They differ in girth, with the Small being 1.1″ or “two fingers” wide according to the Wet For Her website and the Medium, which I have, being 1.38″ or “three fingers”. The Large has an insertable length of 5.5″ and a diameter of 1.65″ or “four fingers”.
I own the Medium, and a happy medium it is. Actually, diameter-wise it feels like a bit of a squeeze into my SpareParts Theo harness; I suppose the fraction of an inch increase for the Large size wouldn’t be impossible, but I was surprised to hear the toy gets any wider while still being compatible with the harness. Maybe I’m just shy of forcing the O-ring. There’s a punchline to make, I’ll leave you to it. I do recognize the snug fit keeps the Five in place and offers me more control once it’s actually in place.
I guess I could have held up a dollar bill to measure, but that’s not where my focus was at the time.
Now, when it comes to easing it in–yes, let’s go there, though I should also note that 5.1″ turns out to be the perfect length for cocksucking when the sucker has a tameable gag reflex–the fact that the Five is made of smooth, seamless silicone is great. Lube spreads on it beautifully. And going back to size, I should note every condom I’ve put on it has fit fine, and I have not been very scientific in picking condoms (they advertise to me with a lot of words about the benefits “for him” and “for her” that just don’t apply).
The silicone is also easy to clean. Wet For Her’s website recommends soap and warm water, so I may have been overzealous the times I’ve also used boiling water, but that didn’t seem to do any harm either. (Okay, looks like the thorough advice is: soap and water first to clean it, then boiling to sanitize. So I’m good. But a tip for first-time toy cooker-cleaners, in case it doesn’t go without saying: hot silicone looks exactly the same as cold silicone. Let it cool down a bit before picking it up!)
Lately I’ve had my eye on another Wet For Her product, the Fusion. It’s also non-phallic in design and comes in the same color options. It’s about 0.2″ longer in each size category (I might go for the large, at 5.7″ long, since a slightly longer stroke could be pleasurable to both of us). And best of all, it includes a padded base with a ridge for clitoral stimulation. In the meantime, I’m supplementing my Five with the Sili Saddle, which as previously mentioned, I love (and I’d want a Sili Saddle too in any event for its versatility, since I can use it without penetrating my partner). A little experimentation is involved in finding the best angle for both my partner and I to receive optimal stimulation from our respective ends of the Five, but hey, that’s part of the fun!
Also mentioned in my Sili Saddle review, Wet For Her sells the Bumpher, with which one could reverse-engineer a Five for greater stimulation. However, the Five’s broad base–which is great for sticking on a Sili Saddle, for keeping it firmly in place for the harness, and even for stimulation on its own–makes me uneager to try pulling something on around it. It’s that reluctance to force O-rings again; that and, frankly, there’s very little less sexy than the thought of wrestling with my own cock. Although as soon as I typed that, a myriad of possibilities came to mind. Perils of being an erotica writer. I’m straying from the point. The Bumpher is probably an excellent choice for many people, and it has seemed to receive rave reviews for how it feels. As my toy collection expands, maybe I’ll try it sometime…
Putting any sort of pad at the base does a lot to increase comfort and pleasure–before buying the Sili Saddle, I actually folded up a menstrual pad to fit in between the Five and my body, and that also make the experience of using it a lot better (not that it was ever bad!). So if you’re not able to spring for a specially designed pad, consider this inexpensive backup option.
Ultimate ranking for the Five: I’m not sure if it’s 5/5, but it’s surely close. Attractive design, simple features, and the opportunity to combine with a few add-ons all make it a great beginner toy for some kinky sapphics (or even non-kinky ones!). While with experience, the Medium I purchased might be a little short, and the base becomes less desirable to use unpadded now that I’ve learned how great a saddle can be, “my cock” is a beloved inhabitant of my bag of tricks.
And breaking down the stigma around herpes — an incredibly common STD that will not ruin your sex life or any other aspect of your life, panic-mongering aside — is pretty sweet too.
That’s the logic behind “To Have and To Hold,” my romantic, erotic honeymoon pegging story for a cause. If “logic” is the right word when my primary goal was to evoke “Pegging. Mm. Hot.” and “Da’awww”. But also to raise some money for a good cause– With every copy sold, $1 will be donated to the Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health (http://www.thecsph.org/), an organization that promotes education and dialogue about sexuality.
In the words of my sensitivity reader, Ella Dawson, “It is SO CUTE and THOUGHTFUL and HOT and FULL OF HERPES REPRESENTATION.
Y’all should donate + read!”
Here’s an excerpt to pique your interest:
“Maybe you should stop trying to make sense of my kinks,” he says, smiling.
“Yeah, maybe I should.”
With some reluctance, she takes her hand from his ass and leans over the side of the bed for her suitcase. He takes the items as she hands them up. The lube, the packets of gloves and condoms, and then the double-headed dildo. It’s in a marbled blue pattern that reminds her of the ocean. The “flesh” color didn’t match either of their skin tones, too pale for hers and too dark for his, and actually, she likes that this one doesn’t look at all realistic. What about any of this is realistic? She’s married, to James, they’re on their honeymoon, the view outside her window looks like a postcard, and she’s about to fuck him just as he wants her to.
Claire leans over him as he spreads his legs, opening a space for her, exposing himself to her. She lifts his balls, already high and tight with his erection, and looks at him. He shivers, a tremble working its way up his thighs and turning into a wiggle along his hips and spine, as if her examination is overwhelming.
“You look good,” she says. “You’re so turned on.” One gloved finger runs along his cock, tracing a vein. “You don’t need to be shy.”
She actually can’t see a lot, his modesty protected by shadows and a little dark, curling hair. In itself that’s sexy to her. Claire has never thought of herself as the kind of person to be turned on by despoiling virgins, but there it is.
She brushes his hole with a lubed fingertip. “Okay?”
He pushes himself a little wider, another visible tremor moving along his legs. “Yes. Please.”
She feels him flex against her fingertip, not resisting but uncertain, so obviously self-conscious that it makes her smile coyly herself. As she pushes into him, his reaction is like stuttering, stammering, a shy flutter of muscles around her that makes her heart skip beats with utter adoration. He’s adorable.
“Oh my god,” she whispers as she slips further inside, eased by the slick lubricant and by the way he relaxes with a deep, slow breath. In a way it’s simpler than she feared but it’s also astonishing, this intimate opening of his body for her.
For adult fans of gentle femdom and vanilla dynamics alike, “To Have and to Hold” is now available not only on Amazon but on Smashwords, Smashwords’ broader distribution (Nook, Kobo, iBooks, and more), and for direct download on Gumroad!
LibraryThing members take note: to celebrate “To Have and To Hold”s broad distribution release, I’m giving away 10 copies on LibraryThing. The giveaway ends April 18. You may need to search the page for “erotic” or “pegging” or scroll a bit to reach it, but it’s one of the few giveaways advertising both, so that makes it an easy find.
Is it right to call these a “toy”? It almost doesn’t feel right. They’re more like…jewelry. Decoration. Or, as my one wearing them once put it, a long-distance hug.
That means the color coordination in this photo is pure happy coincidence.
Yes, I might get fluffy in this review–even fluffier than the plush faux-fur lining of these gorgeous and long-wearing pieces, just one of the quality leather offerings from LuxuriousBliss on Etsy. To be honest, the lining is what attracted me to them first. It sounded so sensual and, well, luxurious. And even though I’m not the one who wears them, I like luxury.
These come in a range of colors–when I said this to my partner, who’s red-green colorblind, they said, “I believe you.” The colors are pretty heavily red, in that the selection includes red, pink, and purple. I chose purple so that they can enjoy them as blue.
The padding makes them a little bulkier than other leather cuffs I’ve seen. That and the fact that the colorful leather strip is rather long and can dangle if they’re on tight might make wearing them while out and about a bit inconvenient–at least on the wrist. My submissive wears on them on their ankles, where they’re no problem (and where they’re discreetly hidden by socks and pants cuffs). And for playtime, the bulk and strap length aren’t a problem; if the latter got to be, I suppose the excess leather could be trimmed off.
Speaking of playtime, there’s also a D-ring on each cuff, for your convenience and pleasure :).
Not only is the strip of color attractive, I also find it makes the cuffs easier to put on as a somewhat newbie IRL dom–I know which strap to pull on and wrap over the rest of the cuff. So an A+ choice for bondage beginners.
I’ll close out this review with some words from my primary wearer of the cuffs themself: “Comfortable enough for me to wear 24/7 and forget I’m wearing them, were I not enjoying the experience so much.”
Finally, it’s key to note that these are as sturdy as they’re comfortable: 24/7 usage doesn’t seem to be making a dent in them (er, whatever the leather equivalent of a dent would be). Which is good, because we intend to keep using them for a long, long time.
All in all, an excellent choice for when you want to dominate your lover gently, thoroughly, and endlessly.
Some good news for a change – I’ve had several new publications come out over the past few weeks, plus a few other places to recommend in your search for more material:
First, “Beyond Words” in Infernal Ink’s penultimate issue (okay, maybe that part’s not such happy news) is an erotic horror story of young love, as a woman comes of terrible age. It quotes Shakespeare at a key point or two, and it’s sexy, sad, possibly even kind of sweet.
Also–and this is not a trick–I am super, super psyched to be one of the ten weird & wonderful stories in Rule 34, Volume 2: an erotica collection of unexpected turn-ons, live as of April 1!
My story, “Route 34,” is about being stuck in traffic, what might be the strangest reason to get light-headed over Charlize Theron in Fury Road, work shifts that don’t match up, and going the extra mile to satisfy your beloved. <3
The anthology is on sale at the sites listed HERE.
Meanwhile, a reminder that I have two other stories available free online:
Cliterature’s GOD/DESS issue includes an excerpt from my story “Annunciation,” about gender, Catholicism, queer desire, and growing up in the middle of them. Fittingly, the issue came out just a few days past the Feast of the Annunciation.
We talked about family and gifts, sacraments and liberation theology and martyrs. What scars through resurrected hands and feet mean to survivors. You told me about WATER’s liturgies and discussions for queer women. The label was still new to me then. Once in high school, a boy had sneered to my best friend and I, “What are you, lesbians?” (I haven’t seen him since, unfortunately). You used both words with equal pride.
I told you about Gabriel.
We spoke all the way back to my dorm.
“It was great talking to you.”
“Gosh, yeah.”
And I let you kiss my lips instead of my cheek; I kissed you back; I went up to my room and sinned thoughtlessly, unselfconsciously, but afterwards I lay awake and thought and prayed.
The next Saturday, I invited you to my room for us to finish our project. Which we did, in record time. And then—Two women together in a bedroom.
“You’re so beautiful,” I say, placing your folded socks on my chair without looking away from your hands as they open your shirt. The silver Miraculous Medal gleams at your throat beneath the rainbow bandana. I’ve put my rosary aside. “You’re the most…awesome, amazing woman I’ve ever met.”
You don’t seem to know what to make of that, but after a moment you smile. I lean closer, placing my hands on your knees. Your body’s warmth beats through your jeans.
“Okay,” I say—reassuring myself more than you. Be not afraid. “This is . . . better than okay.”
At the Erotic Review, “Like That“–part of what may one day become a proper romance novel–shows how two former lovers briefly become closer to each other. It’s also more than a little kinky.
While it was going so well, he’d proposed handcuffs. She accepted, enthusiastically. And when he brought over the pair he’d picked up at the porn store off the highway, she’d hopped onto her bed and raised her hands toward the headboard. That was when he realised maybe he hadn’t been clear. Or in her eagerness she had misinterpreted him.
But she was so eager to have them put on her. So he did.
It was fun, although he was slower to get hard than he’d ever been. At first he worried he wouldn’t be able to get into it. But she was, after all, naked — beautifully so — and her excitement became contagious.
The fact was, Leo liked doing what women wanted. But this time, he felt out of place — enjoying it, but in the way he would enjoy accidentally crashing someone else’s party.
Lastly, ebooks!
If your socially responsible isolation reading includes a Kindle Unlimited subscription, you should know:
Lovely Boy, a submissive male story of taboo roleplay,is available on KU until May 17
It’s up for preorder on Gumroad and will be available on Smashwords in May.
Her Seal Upon Him, a femdom story of medieval fantasy,is available on KU until May 20
To Have and to Hold: Honeymoon Pegging Erotica is only available on KU until April 11th–then it goes into expanded distribution.
And as of Saturday, April 4, you can enter a giveaway on LibraryThing to win a free copy (you may need to scroll down the member giveaways list to find it)!
Speaking of free books, TELENY (gay Victorian erotica which might be by Oscar Wilde) is available as a free download here on my website. It’s also available as a paperback through Amazon, but I can’t in conscience recommend giving Amazon warehouse workers more to do this month–especially since some of them are striking. Keep that in mind for later.
Also in mind for later when you order print books again–and relevant in light of Amazon’s less savory business practices: Bookshop.org is designed to be an ethical Amazon alternative and a convenient way to buy print and audio books online while supporting local bookstores. Of the sales price, 10% goes to support participating ABA independent bookstores in an earnings pool that is distributed to every six months. Another 10% of sales go to linking affiliates, including small publishers, for whom affiliate sales can provide as much as 20% of their total income. I’m a participating affiliate, with a “storefront” listing books my writing has appeared in; publications from my micropress, the New Smut Project; and recommendations of some of my favorite erotica titles:
As bookshop.org expands their catalog, I intend to keep building those lists, especially the ones for femdom!
As mentioned above, I’ve also started to experiment in offering ebooks directly through Gumroad–and might start offering paperbacks once I work out details such as shipping and sales tax. Here are the stores for my TC Mill books and The New Smut Project anthologies (you can “follow” us there for updates on paperbacks and/or the publication of our new flash fiction collection, Erato). Buying through Gumroad means a higher percentage for royalties go to the authors, which is especially important with the first two NSP anthos, for which 100% of profits are paid out as royalties to contributors.
Stay safe, keep your hands clean, and entertain yourselves! See you all on the other side.
➼ I’m not even naming the brand because it doesn’t matter.
Speaking of playtime, there’s also a D-ring on each cuff, for your convenience and pleasure :).
First, “Beyond Words” in 