Scouts, The Cougar Book – finalists for EPIC’s eBook Awards™ 2011

Formerly the EPPIE

It’s a happy day at Logical-Lust Publications with the news of two of our titles making the final round of EPIC’s eBook Awards™!

Formerly the EPPIE, EPIC’s eBook Awards™ are the oldest ebook award recognition program still in existence.

Notices went out to finalists last night so authors all over are waking up to some very good news!

Finalist:  Erotic Romance Division – Science Fiction Erotic Romance Category:

Scouts – by Nobilis Reed

Finalist:  Anthology Division – Erotica and Erotic Romance Category:

The Cougar Book – edited by Jolie du Pré

So congratulations must go out to The Cougar Book contributors who made it all possible!

Brenna Lyons

Adriana Kraft

Randall Lang

Emerald

Julia Barrett

Sascha Illyvich

Rachel Kramer Bussel

Tara S. Nichols

Jeremy Edwards

Jolene Hui

Keeb Knight

Donna George Storey

Shanna Germain

Doug Harrison

D.L. King

Madeline Moore

Heidi Champa

Craig J. Sorensen

J. C. Wesner

Bill Brent

Dona Lee

Trish DeVene

Blue Canyon

And thank you Valerie Gibson for your wonderful introduction!

We’re making plans to attend the awards banquet that closes out the 2011 EPICon in Williamsburg, VA March 10-13.

If you can make it—hopefully we will see you there!

The Cougar Book – interview with Jolie du Pre

All this month on the Logical-Lust blog we have had interviews from the authors of The Cougar Book, edited by Jolie du Pre. Today, we hear from Jolie herself as she talks about her inspiration for The Cougar Book and what went into creating the anthology.

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Am I a Cougar? I’m certainly old enough. Cougar women are typically 40 and over, and I’m in my 40′s. As a woman who has been married for over 20 years, I’m not in the market for a younger man. However, if I weren’t married I wouldn’t be opposed to it.

I consider myself young at heart, as well as physically young. Life doesn’t end at 40. Indeed, for some it’s the beginning of a new life. At 40, you are more aware of you who are and of what you want. If you’ve had children, chances are those children are teenagers or out of the house. This is the time when many women, who have spent the earlier part of their lives taking care of others, begin to take care of themselves. This may be the part of your life when you start an exercise program or when you finally get the courage to wear an item of clothing that you’ve avoided, like that short skirt!

Although I don’t live my life as a Cougar, I have a huge appreciation for Cougars. That’s the reason why I decided to pitch to Logical-Lust, The Cougar Book. I enjoyed editing Swing: Adventures in Swinging by Today’s Top Erotica Writers and I enjoyed working with Logical-Lust. Therefore, I knew that if Logical-Lust accepted my idea, The Cougar Book would be a great collection. And it is. The Cougar Book contains 23 stories about older women with younger men, and they are all beautifully written.

What bothered me most about putting this collection together was the amount of stories I had to reject, including some from those who submitted to Swing. I could only accept 23, and it was a tough decision. In the end, the stories I did accept best represented what I wanted for the book. I am also very proud of the fact that these stories represent some of the best in erotica. It is wrong to assume that a small press is unable to put together a collection of stories by some of the best names in erotica. The Cougar Book contains stories by authors Bill Brent, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Donna George Storey, Jeremy Edwards, Madeline Moore, Shanna Germain, and more.

The Cougar Book is my tribute to older women. Older women are not only smart and nurturing, but energetic and sexy. I am very pleased that Valerie Gibson, the original Cougar woman, agreed to write the introduction. Valerie has had a distinguished career introducing the Cougar phenomenon to the US. In addition to authoring Cougar, A Guide for Older Women Dating Younger Men, Valerie has appeared on a variety of radio and television programs including NBC’s Today Show, The Montel Williams Show, The Dr. Phil Show, ABC’s PrimeTime Live, Geraldo-at-Large and more.

COUGAR ON THE PROWL! Get your copy of THE COUGAR BOOK now!

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Jolie du Pre (Joliedupre.com) is a full-time freelance writer who writes for a variety of sites, including Associated Content and Seed.
Jolie is also an editor and author of erotica. Her stories have appeared in a variety of Web sites, in eBook, and in print anthologies including, Cream: The Best of ERWA edited by Lisabet Sarai, Best Lesbian Erotica 2007 edited by Tristan Taormino, Best Erotica 2007 edited by Berbera and Hyde, Purple Panties, edited by Zane, and Making the Hook-Up, edited by Cole Riley, among others. Jolie is the editor of Swing! Adventures in Swinging by Today’s Top Erotica Writers, published by Logical-Lust and Iridescence: Sensuous Shades of Lesbian Erotica, published by Alyson Books.
Jolie is the founder of GLBT Promo (GlbtPromoBlog.com), a promotional group for GLBT erotica and erotic romance. Her lesbian dating site is MeetHerHere.com.

The Cougar Book – interview with Rachel Kramer Bussel

All this month on the Logical-Lust blog we will have interviews from the authors of The Cougar Book, edited by Jolie du Pre. Today is Rachel Kramer Bussel, author of “What Pretty Girls Do.”

Rachel Kramer Bussel is an author, editor, and blogger. She’s Senior Editor at Penthouse Variations, has edited over 30 anthologies, including Peep Show, Bottoms Up, Spanked, Tasting Him, Tasting Her, and The Mile High Club, and hosts New York’s popular monthly In The Flesh Reading Series. She teaches erotic writing workshops and does readings nationwide.

What made you decide to submit your work for inclusion in The Cougar Book?

I had this story “What Pretty Girls Do” kicking around for a while and kept trying to find the right home for it. Let that be a lesson–never give up! It got rejected I think three times before being accepted for this book. It was inspired by a Kirsty MacColl song, “What Do Pretty Girls Do?”

Tell us about your story. Give us a little teaser.

As I said above, it’s inspired by the Kirsty MacColl song, which I encourage you to listen to, and made me think about what a woman who’d always been known for her looks would do once they started to go. Here’s the first two paragraphs:

Sheena looked in the mirror, peering at the fine lines that had crept into her skin over the years, and in the last month or two, it seemed, suddenly taken up permanent residence. She smoothed her cheeks, the ones that used to glow, smooth and sparkling as peaches. She used to thrill to the compliments that were passed her way, gracing every such stranger with a smile that would make his day, perhaps even his week. Being a model, she’d gotten used to the looks, the covert glances, the whispers, the constant, eternal adoration. She’d worshipped herself too, always had, ever since she was a little girl, twirling by every mirror she passed, learning early on to toss her hair back and bat her eyelashes at every man or woman she came across. Those skills had come in handy, and she’d certainly bedded some of the best. But she’d never expected to be washed up at 40. She’d had surgery to make sure of that. Sheena had never even really thought about what life might be like once she stopped being perfect.

The thing of it was, it was only up close that one would notice any crack in her armor, any slight imperfection to mar her otherwise magnificent body. She’d made sure of that, visiting the gym so regularly she didn’t even need to flash her card, simply gave a divine nod before heading off into the back to sweat and sweat and dream about being able to lie back and have handsome waiters bring her elegant drinks while she floated in the pool. If she even had a pool. She’d been reduced to living in a small cottage, just far enough away from the major Hollywood players, the ones who’d undoubtedly made it, no questions asked, to make visiting her not-so-desirable. And today was her birthday. Her 40th–although officially, on the record and in the press, she was only 35–and intended to remain so for some time. She’d been lying about her age for so long that even she had to double check, and realizing that the big four oh was approaching had shocked her to her core. She remembered starting out, a bright, young, eager wisp of a girl, and that was often how she still felt.

Could you see yourself being a cougar?

Maybe when I’m older, though probably not, since I tend to like younger men, but I have been with a few younger guys who were a lot of fun.

Does your writing turn you on?

Once in a while it does. The more personal stories, the ones inspired by a lover or a crush, often move me. Others turn me on more mentally than physically. It’s often in rereading my work, whether live at my reading series, In The Flesh, or to myself, that the power of it truly hits me. I sometimes go into a little writing trance and forget exactly what I’m writing, perhaps as a way to protect myself from fearing publishing truly filthy thoughts or feelings.

The Cougar Book release is in print and ebook formats. With ebook readers becoming more and more popular, what are your views on ebooks and their effect on the publishing industry?

I’m curious to see what happens with ebooks. I don’t have an e-reader and am pretty removed from the whole genre, plus I love physical books and cart at least 3, usually more like 5 or 6, around with me all the time, so I don’t think I will ever stop reading print books.

What do you find difficult about writing? What comes easy for you?

On most days, I’d say “everything” to the first question. I love writing but also hate it sometimes when the ideas in my head don’t work out the same beautiful way on paper.

Your birthday has been declared a national holiday. How do you want people to celebrate?

Naked with cupcakes!

You’re stranded on a desert island and you can only have one book, one album/CD, and one person with you—what would they be?

Oh wow, what a question! I’d say The Glass Castle, The Reputation by The Reputation and…well, I probably can’t steal my friend’s baby or my baby cousin, so I will say my boyfriend.

What are you working on now? Do you have a current release or a new release coming soon?

I have, crazily enough, 10 books coming out this year – 8 anthologies, and my first novel (Everything But…, Harlequin Spice) and my first nonfiction book (The Art of the Erotic Love Letter, Cleis Press). Plus I run a monthly reading series in New York, In The Flesh, and am doing a mini West Coast and Minneapolis book tour for Best Sex Writing 2010, my annual nonfiction anthology. So there’s that, plus I have a full-time job at Penthouse Variations so I keep plenty busy.

Where can we find you on the Web? Do you have a website or blog(s)? Any social networks?

I’m all over the Internet: my website is www.rachelkramerbussel.com, and my blog is http://lustylady.blogspot.com. I’m @raquelita on Twitter and have a Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Kramer-Bussel/122880675514?ref=search&sid=572008831.53549185..1

Please come out for the free cupcakes and hot stories every month at In The Flesh: http://www.inthefleshreadingseries.com

THE COUGAR BOOK IS AVAILABLE NOW!

The Cougar Book – interview with Emerald

All this month on the Logical-Lust blog we will have interviews from the authors of The Cougar Book, edited by Jolie du Pre. Today is Emerald, author of “To Make It That Way.”

Emerald’s erotic fiction has been published in anthologies edited by Violet Blue, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Jolie du Pre, and Alison Tyler as well as at various erotic websites. She lives in Maryland and serves as an activist for reproductive freedom and sex workers’ rights. Find her online at www.thegreenlightdistrict.org.

What made you decide to submit your work for inclusion in The Cougar Book?

As with Swing!, I appreciated the theme of The Cougar Book as something seemingly misunderstood and/or under-celebrated by society at large. While I have heard that some find the term “cougar” offensive, to me it seems a concept that appreciates and recognizes women who are older than an arbitrarily postulated “prime” sexual age and who own their sexuality and don’t feel intimidated away from pursuing younger men if they want to. I myself find that kind of recognizance and embracing heartening.

In addition, I enjoyed working with Jolie and Logical-Lust on Swing!, so much that I was excited by another chance to do so when the call for submissions for The Cougar Book came out.

Tell us about your story. Give us a little teaser.

“To Make It That Way” is told from the point of view of Zack, a young man whose sexual experience and understanding have not been very developed yet. The story relates his experience of meeting Cole, a woman almost two decades older than he, and the sexual connection between them led by the assuredness, expertise, and mystery he sees in her.

Could you see yourself being a cougar?

Oh, of course. I’ve never felt much of a specific orientation toward certain age groups sexually, so I have no reason to feel I would not continue to be interested in men younger than I, particularly as I become relatively older. I may not specifically go after men who are younger just because they were younger, but I certainly wouldn’t resist doing so because of an age difference either. Of course, I am in a monogamous relationship now, so that is all notwithstanding that!

Does your writing turn you on?

It has, yes, though not always immediately while I am writing it for the first time. There have been times when I’ve felt so encompassed by the act of writing that I haven’t noticed whether the content is turning me on as it’s coming (no pun intended). In those instances I have sometimes gone back to edit and found myself turned on in a way I hardly remembered or noticed when I was writing it for the first time.

I have also had the experience of writing things that may not necessarily turn me on but are obviously turning on my characters, and since I am writing them and not myself, I do my best to stay true to that without interference.

What do you find difficult about writing? What comes easy for you?

I have historically experienced difficulty with finishing pieces due to the tendency toward perfectionism in me. By that I truly mean an internal demand for perfection, and I have experienced that internally generated standard as quite intimidating sometimes. That fear has sometimes been successful in influencing me to procrastinate or continually avoid actually finishing a story (even more so if it’s unconscious so that I’m not even aware it’s happening).

Perhaps ironically, if I don’t let that part of the personality structure in me dictate my behavior and focus on writing regardless of what it says, that may be when writing seems “easy” for me. This may sound simplistic or silly (though I don’t mean it that way), but the actual act of writing is what has seemed easiest to me, at the times when I’m actually doing it—not thinking about doing it, not planning to do it, not wondering what to write about or how the story will go, but when I am actually attending to the act and it is just coming—then I’ve just seemed to need to pay attention and write it down as it comes forth.

Your birthday has been declared a national holiday. How do you want people to celebrate?

The same way I would love for all people to live–openly, authentically, awake to the present moment that is all there is. If they feel so moved, sex seems to me not only a profound opportunity to do this, but also something that, when done this way, holds enormous potential for growth, openness, and connection. What a great birthday present I would consider that!

You’re stranded on a desert island and you can only have one book, one album/CD, and one person with you-what would they be?

Tough question. I would probably choose the book I have found most significant in my adult life, The Wisdom of the Enneagram by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson. The CD would be either Songs From Black Mountain or The Distance to Here by Live–I’m not sure how I would choose which one! As far as whom I would take, I would want my cat with me, but since the question does say “person,” I would choose my life partner.

What are you working on now? Do you have a current release or a new release coming soon?

I have around a half dozen short stories in progress right now (see above about finishing stories), a few for specific upcoming submission calls. My story “Power Over Power” is forthcoming in Please, Sir edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, and my story “Shift Change” closes out Best Women’s Erotica 2010, edited by Violet Blue, which came out at the end of last year.

Where can we find you on the Web? Do you have a website or blog(s)? Any social networks?

My website, The Green Light District, is at www.thegreenlightdistrict.org, and it includes my blog (www.thegreenlightdistrict.org/wordpress).

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The Cougar Book – interview with Doug Harrison

All this month on the Logical-Lust blog we will have interviews from the authors of The Cougar Book, edited by Jolie du Pre. Today is Doug Harrison, author of “Sherry.”

Doug Harrison’s stories appear in twenty anthologies and an online memoir, In Pursuit of Ecstasy. Active in San Francisco’s leather community, he appeared in videos, photo shoots, and The AIDS Emergency Fund’s Bare Chest Calendar. He has two children, a granddaughter, and a bright, hunky partner. He lives in Hawaii.

What made you decide to submit your work for inclusion in The Cougar Book?

To thank the Cougar women who guided me as I emerged from a heterosexual marriage (2 children) into the pansexual BDSM community.

Also, my totem is the puma, and I’ve been addressed as Puma for many years. I’m not terribly athletic, but I was performing a ritual, a sun dance actually, and a Native American said that I did it “with the grace of a puma.” I knew my totem would reveal itself eventually, and I considered this a blessed event, a confirmation of sorts.

So, the pairing of the Cougar and the Puma seemed most natural

Tell us about your story.

A young man, a bisexual switch, goes to a pansexual play party and is approached by an elegant Cougar woman—his reputation preceded him. She invites him to her home where they discuss their backgrounds and finally, the distinction between bottoming and submitting. This emotional coupling leads to intense physical activity and, dare I say it, a spiritual connection.

Could you succumb to a cougar?

Yes! I have!
The dedication to my story is:
To the Cougar women in my life:
Memories of you swirl through archetypical mists of time and distance.
My gratitude for your empathy, passion, guidance, and love.

Does your writing turn you on?

Oh yes, (pant, pant) especially when the characters surprise me and engage in unusual, edgy activities.

What do you find difficult about writing? What comes easy for you?

Conversation comes easily, although I sometimes have to tone down or omit the puns and wisecracks (there’s a lot of Gilbert and Sullivan in my background, necessary to offset my expertise in Wagnerian music drama). The beginnings and endings of short stories are usually apparent when I’m answering a call for submissions, but filling in the middle can be difficult. To move the process along, I stretch out on my bed, close my eyes, and observe what the characters say and do as they take on a life of their own.

I have a technical background (PhD in optical physics), so I’m continually amazed when my erotica is accepted for publication. It’s difficult to think of myself as an author. Although sometimes things flow, more often each word, each sentence, each paragraph is laborious.

Your birthday has been declared a national holiday. How do you want people to celebrate?

Make passionate love and/or fuck their brains out, depending on who’s available, their predilections, and whatever comes naturally. Safe, sane, and consensual, of course!

You’re stranded on a desert island and you can only have one book, one album/CD, and one person with you—what would they be?

1. Born and Wolfe, Principles of Optics
2. Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde; Flagstad and Melchoir
3. My primary partner

What are you working on now? Do you have a current release or a new release coming out?

I recently submitted a long short story and I’m working on another, both erotica. I’ve almost finished an essay, both humorous and poignant, about my two cats, Dueling Cats and Domestic Tranquility: A Tale of Two Kitties. I’m being urged to do an anthology (scares me shitless), and I’m working on the proverbial novel.

My short story, Lonely Boy can be found in the anthology Best Gay Romance 2010, Richard Labonte, editor, which just hit the bookstores. No whips and chains, just good old fashioned romance.

Another short story, Mommy’s Boy, will appear in May in the anthology Please, Sir, edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel.

Where can we find you on the web?

Nowhere. My son, bless him, is setting up a website for me.

What is your favourite passage from your short story?

I positioned myself under the T-bar and held out my wrists. Sherry paused.
“Eager are we?” she asked.
“Eager and curious,” I replied. “Well?”
Sherri frowned. “I like my men to be willingly submissive. To squirm while I fuck you, yes; to have the option and pull away, and not, even if it hurts. Oh yes.”
I nodded. “You want me to continually give myself to you.”
“You understand.”
“I understand. I don’t agree.” I stepped toward Sherry. “I want to surrender myself to you all at once. And then sink into your power.”
Sherry’s eyes softened. “You’ve bottomed, but never really submitted, have you?”
“You understand, Cougar. Take your Puma, now!” I knelt, lowered my head, and held out my wrists.
Sherry put one finger under my chin and gently raised my head. Her eyes sparkled from the moonlight reflected in the mirror.
“I’m glad I can give you this,” she said softly, and then whispered, “Puma.”
She released my head.
“Thank you, Mistress.”
Her eyes misted. “And thank you.”
“Now, down to business.” She shook her head, squared her shoulders, and looked every bit the senior executive. Or Domina. “Stand!”

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The Cougar Book – interview with Heidi Champa

All this month on the Logical-Lust blog we will have interviews from the authors of The Cougar Book, edited by Jolie du Pre. Today is Heidi Champa, author of “Spring Training.”

What made you decide to submit your work for inclusion in The Cougar Book?

I thought the premise of the book sounded really interesting and fun. Cougars are everywhere right now, and it seemed like a topic that I could really sink my teeth into. I truly believe that a woman can be sexy at any age, and I was excited to be a part of a book that really celebrates that fact. Plus, I never turn down the opportunity to write about young, hot, eager men.

Tell us about your story. Give us a little teaser.

My story, “Spring Training,” is about a college admissions officer who spends way too much time staring out her window at the gorgeous, young baseball player who has caught her eye. Things start to heat up when one evening an errant baseball comes crashing through her window.

Could you see yourself being a cougar?

Absolutely!! I’m just not sure how my husband will feel about it when the time comes.

Does your writing turn you on?

If I’m doing it right, it does. If it isn’t making me hot, I figure it probably won’t make anyone else hot either. When a story is going well, the temperature in the room always goes up. That is how I know a story is really working. I know everyone gets turned on by different things, but if I don’t find a piece sexy, it usually doesn’t get very far.

The Cougar Book release is in print and ebook formats. With ebook readers becoming more and more popular, what are your views on ebooks and their effect on the publishing industry?

I think e-books are a wonderful, convenient, and affordable way to get writing out into the world, and I’m encouraged by the popularity. I have been published extensively in e-book form, and so far, my experiences have been all positive. That being said, I do love the feel of holding a book in my hands, and I know piracy is always an issue in electronic media. I think there is a place for both standard paperback books and e-books in the future of erotica, and as the industry grows and changes, I look forward to being a part of it.

What are you working on now? Do you have a current release or a new release coming soon?

I have quite a few things coming up in early 2010. Best of Best Women’s Erotica 2 will be out in February, and contains my story, Amy. In March, my story “Right Way, Wrong Way” will be in the College Boys anthology. The spring will be busy as well with appearances in anthologies edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, Miranda Forbes and Shane Allison. If all goes well, I’ll start my novel this year. Hopefully.

Where can we find you on the Web? Do you have a website or blog(s)? Any social networks?

My blog can be found at heidichampa.blogspot.com. It has links to all my upcoming releases, information about me and where to find other examples of my writing. I’m also on Facebook and Myspace.