January 1, 2014
Best Lesbian Erotica 2014
Winnie McCroy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
The talented Kathleen Warnock serves as editor for this year's thrilling annual edition of "Best Lesbian Erotica 2014" by Cleis Press. These sixteen portraits of delightfully smart smut present a realistic look at lesbian desire. In her introduction, Warnock notes that "each year, [she] seeks out the people whose work I published in previous years and ask them to submit something new." And the list of top-notch writers reflects this, with stories by the likes of Sinclair Sexsmith, Diana Cage, Sarah Schulman and Cheryl Dunne. Talented newcomers also abound. Top stories include Sexsmith's steamy butch-on-butch locker room hook-up and Cheyenne Blue's "Run, Jo, Run," about lesbian love on the track team.
D.L. King' "Big Lesbo Cupcakery" is more naughty than sweet, with cupcake flavors inspired by unusual sex play. Crafting buddies hook up in A. L. Simonds "Stitch and Bitch," and a shy girl meets a gorgeous femme at a San Fran BDSM party in Amal Arabi's "Tongue in Cheek." Chat buddies meet and greet in Lucien C. West's "Lake Travis Steam" and a bartender hooks up with her employer for the evening in Teresa Noelle Roberts "Birthday Butch."
Some of the selections depict rough sex. Nairne Holtz gets meta in "Call for Submission," about being asked to submit a piece of erotica for an anthology of lesbian sexual fantasies. Two hard-core dykes hook up at a party in Sam Tweed's "Who at My Door is Standing," and S&M is depicted in Xan West's "What I Need." Brooklyn beauties delve into knife play in Diana Cage's "Hey, Stranger."
Other selections are more mild-mannered, such as Anamika's "Bridge Line," a tame tale about a Hindu lesbian who meets a gorgeous ex-model on an elevator and makes love to her -- before making her over. Dolar Vasani's "My Bagandan Princess" investigates a woman's special friendship with her childhood Ugandan friend. Both stories add some welcome diversity to the mix.
The collection ends with a long segment of an erotic screenplay "Mommy is Coming," by Sarah Schulman and Cheryl Dunye, both well established in their fields. The dialogue is sexy, saucy and unapologetic.
From romantic fantasies to hard-core fucking, "Best Lesbian Erotica 2014" offers something to tickle the fancy of most lady-loving ladies. Start your New Year's off with a bang!
"Best Lesbian Erotica 2014"
Cleis Press
$15.95
Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.
