Sunday, February 19, 2006

Books

It turns out that I have two print anthologies coming out in March, not just one. They can be pre-ordered on Amazon.



In Amazons, writers such as Maxim Jakubowski, Patrick Califia, Alison Tyler, Marcy Sheiner, and Mitzi Szereto "play" with the erotic theme of the Amazon, expounding upon and deconstructing the image of strong women in a variety of wide-ranging stories. These and many more acclaimed authors of erotica explore the cliche of the powerful woman using it, so to speak, till it breaks down. These are not simply stories of the classical myth (though some may play tribute to it). These stories dismantle the legend and break the myth apart, exploding it as it relates to gender, power, femininity vs. masculinity, and women's roles in history.

I'm in some amazing company here. When I first read this call for submissions, my thoughts went to Xena fantasies and lingered there for an indulgent amount of time, but I couldn't find a story in it. The women who impress me with strength have great personal integrity, not physical power. My story, Blue Girl, is about that kind of strength.





We all grew up with weird tales from the Brothers Grimm, the charming Disney stories, and the other childhood rhymes and verses. But even when we first heard them, we questioned the obscure motivations of the principal characters. Our curious minds wondered why a smart girl with a red hood would wander into the forest alone or what circumstances would force a woman to live in a shoe.

Now that we're all grown, we know that sex often explains the seemingly inexplicable and that's what writers show us in this delightfully twisted volume of alternative fables and fairy tales.

Rather than play with existing tales, Garden of the Perverse is a showcase for the delightfully wicked imaginations of erotica's top authors as they create new and wholly original myths and fables. Though reminiscent in flavor and style to traditional fairy tales, these stories wander into new and unique lands of surreal eroticism, exploring sensual and fetish dynamics in a diverse scope of fantastic places, bizarre creatures and adventures.




Lisabet Sarai has a story in this anthology. I look forward, as always, to reading what she offers. I don't know the other contributors yet, but I'm sure we'll be in outstanding company. She Comes Stars is one of my favorite stories. I hope you enjoy it too.

4 comments:

Keziah Hill said...

Great covers Kathleen! More for my TBR list.

Kathleen Bradean said...

I want those shoes from the Amazons cover. Such sexy heels. Too bad they aren't boots.

Happy reading!

velvetbabe said...

congrats to you!

i've been down in your neck of the woods of late--just met kate braverman at a signing

look:
http://www.katebraverman.com/kateinterview.html

life is better in mainstream! xxoo!

when mr. k starts writing like that new playwright I'm going to see on Sun "BASH"
I could kill, ya know?
glad you put it just right in your review above...misogynism? only a little.....

hoho...miss ya.

xxoo!
me

Kathleen Bradean said...

I hope I didn't imply that Mike Kimera is a misogynist in my review. That's not what I think. Mike's favorite quote works well here: What I wrote is not what you read.

I think his female characters are usually shown in a positive light. He's much harder on men. He shows very human people, in all their ugly glory, even women. That isn't misogynistic. That's talent.