Tag Archives: erotica readings

Telling Stories at Smut by the Sea

I’ve been waiting anxiously for Smut by the Sea to happen ever since I first heard the idea mentioned by the fabulous Team Blisse. Victoria and Kevin Mitnik Blisse are always planning and scheming something amazing which is always designed as a win-win experience for all the writers and venders who participate. I love that about them, and I love being involved in Blisse events, not only for that reason, but because they’re so much fun. And Smut by the Sea was no exception!  To Date Smut by the Sea was the biggest event the Blisses have hosted, but knowing Victoria and Kev, today Scarborough, tomorrow the world! And I’ll be the first in line to buy my ticket. Thanks you two! You are the best!

In spite of the tombola, the book stand, the wonderful presence of Crowned Jewels, and FUJ’s fudge that was to die for, the very best part of SBTS, at least for me, was that it was so totally and completely a celebration of erotica. It was a writer-centric celebration of sex on the printed (and  eBook) page, complete with the rowdy, costumed launch of Slave Nano’s novel, Adventures in Fetishland. It didn’t feel like a workshop, because it wasn’t.  There was only one  panel, and that was a how to get published panel, without which no gathering of writers would be complete. It was a panel that resulted in some wonderful discussion from the audience.  What I liked best was that to me, the whole event felt like we were the modern version of the primal gathering around the campfire in front of the clan cave to hear and share the clan stories. If your curious about who all was seated around that SBTS ‘campfire’ check out the list of fab story tellers here.

I was elated that so much of the day was centred around reading – not just because I love to read my work, but because I love to hear the stories that other writers are reading. I’ve loved to be read to since I was a child on my mother’s knee. And I especially love to listen to first-time readers. I love to share their excitement, and I love to be one of the old timers who can encourage them and tell them not to worry it’ll be amazing. I love the looks on their faces when they’ve finished their first ever reading for an audience, the look that always tells me they’re hooked, just like I was, just like every one of us who has stood on that stage is.

For a writer, sharing a story is like breathing. We can’t NOT do it. That’s why we write. And to be able to read it out loud to an audience that’s there specifically to hear our words is like the rich, thick, butter cream icing with sprinkles on the cake. It’s a very physical reminder of why we do what we do. It’s an initiation for new writers and it’s something that those in the audience who are novices anticipate and dread at the same time.

There were three reading panels at Smut by the Sea, each with four readers. Along with Tabitha Rayne, Lucy Felthouse, Victoria Blisse, Ashley Lister, Lexie Bay, Janine Ashbless and myself, there were a good number of first timers, who all totally rocked it, by the way! Rachel Kincaid, Jennifer Denys, Slave Nano, Gemma Parkes, Liv Honeywell, Domitri Xavier and Tilly Hunter. You all were fabulous! And when our burlesque performer, Moorita had to cancel at the last minute because of car problems, the intrepid Victoria Blisse just invited more people to read. We drank wine, ate Victoria’s scrummy homemade cookies, and read and listen to readings. It was another great opportunity for newbies to pop their reading-in-front-of-an-audience cherries. I was in heaven!

In between the readings there was another key component that made SBTS such a fantastic experience, and that was the chance to chat, to share ideas, to meet people face-to-face who we had only ever talked to online before and to discover that they were just as amazing face-to-face as they are on social media. I was particularly pleased to finally meet the lovely Kerry-Ann McDade, who had come all the way from Northern Ireland to be at SBTS.  I knew from her sassy ‘Reading a Little Bit of Everything’ blog.

The other thing writers love to do almost as much as they love reading their work out loud is to talk craft with other writers, and there was a lot of animated talking shop that went on in Scarborough that day.  We talked fears and pleasures, we talked nuts and bolts, we talked failures and successes. We talked works in progress, we talked new and old publishers, we talked self-publishing and self-promoting, we P1000729talked about our characters and about our plots, we talked about what fun it was to be who we are and do what we love most. The celebratory atmosphere was very contagious.

In fact it spilled over into the Black Lion Pub after hours for a lovely buffet and a wild night of karaoke and laughter and just plain silliness. Raymond and I toddled off to bed somewhere around 1:30, but it was a long time before I could finally sleep, as I lay there listen to the gulls and reliving all the fun and camaraderie of the day and thinking about all the lovely people I’d spent time with — not listed here because the list is a long one — and mostly just feeling very happy to have been a part of it all.

More Bang Reading Slam Jam packed with Fun and Filth

Sarah Berry and K D Grace

It all started because I’m lucky enough to have lots of great writing friends in the UK. Some of them live in London, but many live all over the UK. Some of my friends were coming down to London for the Body Temperature and Rising launch party. I wanted a way to let them know how much I appreciated their efforts. A reading slam the night before the launch so that everyone could read if they wanted to and have a chance to promote and share their own work seemed like just the ticket.

I was surprised and touched by the positive response to the idea, an idea which I actually found a little bit scary, as I’d never organized an event like a reading slam before. But everyone seemed so excited.

Writer, Rebecca Bond suggested I making it into a charity event. My pulse rate went up, I bit off the rest of my nails, and when I finally stopped hyperventilating, I emailed my dear friend, Sarah Berry and put the idea to her. Sarah quickly calmed my panic attack and assured me that not only COULD we do a reading slam as a fundraiser for charity, but we SHOULD! And WE DID IT!

Last night, Sh! Portobello was THE place to be. Fun and drinks started at 6:30 with fizz all around, magical cookies from the undomestic

Kay Jaybee reading from The Collector

goddess, and cupcakes to die for furnished by Lucy Felthouse’s OH, the fabulous Ian. Ian, all I can say YUMMM!

The fun and festivities commenced to a full house, standing room only. There were twelve readers, and everyone with a unique style and a powerful, sexy voice. There was everything from sexy, if dangerous vampires, to an ode to fabulous fine art of masturbation, to baudy strip tease nastiness, to almost, but not quite the Full Monty. All of this surrounded by the sensual, provocative artwork of Jess Pritchard, Fuschia Ayling, and Shay Briscoe. Oh, and did I mention it was at Sh!, Portobello? If ever there was a formula for filthy, feisty fun, this is it!

The cast of smutters included rising stars, first timers and some people who I can only describe as gods and goddesses  in the world of smut. I felt humbled and honoured to be in such deliciously nasty company. The cast of filthiness included Kay Jaybee, Lexie Bay, Lucy Felthouse, The Dragon King’s Daughter, Liz Coldwell, Annie Player, Sarah Berry, Janine Ashbless, Ernesto Sarezale, Lynn Mann, Meg Philip. And I — that’s right, little ole me — I got to read with this fabulous crew!

Ernesto Sarezale

Poetry, performance, and deliciously smutty fiction were the order of the evening as we all did our best to celebrate the cornucopia of pleasure, intimacy and flat-out fun that is human sexuality, while raising awareness and a little money for a good cause, the Sexual Advice Association.

 

Here’s what a few of the readers had to say about the event:

Kay Jaybee says:

What a fabulous idea! A reading slam that helps promote an excellent charity, introduces people to new readers and writers work, with the fun of lots of naughtiness. Wouldn’t have missed it for the world.’

Liz Coldwell, author extraordinaire and editor for Xcite Books says:

‘It’s great to help showcase the depth of erotic writing in the UK, alongside so many talented
authors. And it’s also nice to be able to help my former Forum colleague, Sarah Berry, raise
awareness of an important sexual issue. Oh, and I also think the world needs to hear more quality smut.’

Lexie Bay

A hot quote from Lexie Bay’s reading from Taken With Concent from the anthology, Uniform Behaviour

Maddy shivered, imagining him pinning her down on her bed, pushing her arms above her head and forcing her legs apart with one swift twist of his.  She ran her tongue across her lips, catching the bottom one between her teeth, watching him wiping the sweat off his face as his colleague locked the door and slammed the hatch closed on the torrent of abuse.  In his short-sleeved shirt, she could see that his arms were tanned with a light covering of hair and she sighed.  Right now she should be wrapped in another pair of sexy arms….

Author, Meg Philip says:

I appreciate each opportunity to interact with my fans and any audience who takes an interest in my work so, when I was approached by KD Grace to take part in this Reading Slam for such a worthy cause (Sexual Advice Association) well, how could I say no?

Annie Player, captivating poet and founder of Erotic Meet says:

… “So many good things in one night! Having read KD Grace’s book, ‘The Initiation of Miss Holly’ for the Erotic Awards last year and hearing her read at Fannying Around’s first birthday party It’s an absolute pleasure to be joining her celebrations for the launch of her new book. Plus meeting and catching up with a multitude of talented erotic writers AND all for a fabulous cause! Phew!”

The set-up  for Lucy Felthouse’s nasty dogging story read will give you a hint of the naughty tone of the evening.

Lucy Felthouse

When the door banged open and a group of his colleagues piled into the room, Police Constable David Beckett jumped, almost spilling his coffee onto his computer keyboard. He’d been enjoying a nice, peaceful game of Solitaire before beginning his shift and now they’d screwed his concentration, not to mention his high score. He closed down the game resignedly and wryly observed his workmates as they got whatever was riling them out of their system.

And, no! I’m not going to give you the nasty bits, but here’s where you can get them. Sweetmeat Press’s anthology, Immoral Views.

The Dragon King’s Daughter smiled wickedly and gave us this sexy snippet from her reading.

The Dragon King's Daughter

and, no I will not analys

The origin of my desires.
Care not to seek the references
Pertaining to my preferences”

The evening was fast paced, full of smut and laughter, with the Queen of BDSM, Kay Jaybee wielding the spanker and applying it liberally to the bottom of any reader who didn’t stick to the five minute time limit. Special attention was paid to Meg Philip’s lovely bottom, as she gladly took the punishment so we could all hear the ‘climax’ of her hot story.  The evening was a lovely celebration of sexuality and the written word, and all for a good cause. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m still basking in the afterglow. Thanks everyone! You were all, audience, Sh! hostesses, Shelly and Leala, and readers alike, totally the best!

Disclaimer: I’m writing this on very little sleep and still OD-ing from a fab weekend, so please feel free to let me know if I have left anyone out or not put in a link that I should have put in and I’ll make sure it gets added.