Tuesday, May 21, 2013

6-29 FREE LIVE INTERACTIVE "MEET THE EDITORS" PANEL

This is going to be a lot of fun!  Stay tuned for more info...


Free Live Interactive Webinar
 Sizzler Edition is teaming with Creative Sexuality
to present
OUR LIVE "MEET THE EDITORS" PANEL
June 29, 2013
2pm PST/5pm EST
90 minutes

Creative Sexuality specializes in interactive online classes, worshops and seminars on sexuality for open minded adults. We have been trying out their facilities for presenting live interactive events on the web, and are proud to have partnered with them to present this very special event and others that are in the planning stage. Authors will have the opportunity of  chatting live with three experienced editors via IM or using their device's microphone, actually talk to them live on the air.

You can use the Creative Sexuality site to join this live webinar and...

Pitch your sexual fiction & nonfiction
Ask your writing & publishing questions
Learn how to:
* Format, Submit, and Publish Your Book
* Write, plot, characterize

Three Sizzler Editions editors will talk about:

Erotic romance
Sascha llyvich, Romance Editor

Writing erotica
M. Christian, Senior Editor 

Publishing and non-fiction
Jean Marie Stine, Publisher

20 minute presentation – then our editors will take your questions.

Limited Availability

 Sign-up details and website to come....

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Win A Free Book From Sizzler Editions!



As you may have heard, I'm thrilled to an Associate Publisher for the wonderful Renaissance E Books ... and now you should be thrilled because Renaissance is giving away a free - and very sexy - paperback edition from their erotic Sizzler imprint every month!  Just click here for the info and, who knows, you might be lucky enough to get one of my own books :-)

Confessions Of A Literary Streetwalker: Definitive Definitions

Check this out: a new "Confessions Of A Literary Streetwalker" piece for the always-great Erotica Readers and Writers site just went up.

All my previous columns, of course, have been collected in How To Write And Sell Erotica by Renaissance E Books.

Here's a tease:

 
Definitive Definitions 
A pal of mine asked an interesting question once: what's my definition of erotica, or of pornography? Other folks have been asked these questions, of course, and the answers have been as varied as those asked, but even as I zapped off my own response I started to really think about how people define what they write, and more importantly, why.
It's easy to agree with folks who say there's a difference between erotica and pornography. One of the most frequent definitions is that erotica is sexually explicit literature that talks about something else aside from sex, while porno is sex, sex and more sex and nothing else. The problem with trying to define erotica is that it's purely subjective—even using the erotica-is-more-than-just-sex and porn-is- just-sex-analysis. Where's the line and when do you cross it? One person's literate erotica is another's pure filth. Others like to use a proportional scale a certain percent of sex content—bing!—something becomes porn. Once again: Who sets the scale? 
 
[MORE]

Saturday, May 18, 2013

How To Wonderfully WriteSex

 

Check it out: my new post at the fantastic WriteSex site just went up. Here's a tease (for the rest you'll have to go to the site):

Sure, we may all want to just cuddle in our little garrets, a purring pile of fur in our laps, leather patches on our sleeves, a pipe at the ready, and do nothing but write masterpieces all day and night – with periodic breaks for binge-drinking and soon-to-be legendary sexual escapades – but the fact of the matter is that being a writer has totally, completely, changed.

I’m not just talking about the need to be a marketing genius and a publicity guru – spending, it feels too often, more time tweeting about Facebook, or Facebooking about tweeting, than actually writing – but that authors really need to be creative when it comes to not just getting the word out about their work but actually making money.

A lot of people who claim to be marketing geniuses and publicity gurus will say that talking about you and your work as loud as possible, as often as possible, is the trick … but have you heard the joke about how to make money with marketing and PR? Punchline: get people to pay you to be a marketing genius and/or a publicity guru. In short: just screaming at the top of the tweety lungs or burying everyone under Facebook posts just won’t do it.

[MORE]

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Coming Up: How To Create An Effective Online Profile – And How To Write Messages That Will Get Good Responses

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)


This is going to be a lot of fun: on Tuesday, May 18th, I'm going to be teaching my entertaining (if I do say so myself) class How To Create An Effective Online Profile – And How To Write Messages That Will Get Good Responses for the great folks at the Center For Sex And Culture.

- and you can now preregister for the class through Brown Paper Tickets!

How To Create An Effective Online Profile – And How To Write Messages That Will Get Good Responses

The Center For Sex And Culture
Tuesday, May 14th
7:00PM - 10:00PM
$20
 
The world is the now the Internet ... and if you don't know how to use it then you are at a serious disadvantage in making any kind of connection: employment, social, artistic and – most of all – erotic. This class will not just explore how to use the Internet and various sites as a resource to explore your own sexuality – in any form – but also how to create an effective and alluring online profile. But creating a digital 'self' is only part of it: participants will also get tips on how to reach out in imaginative ways that will get a positive response, the important things that are too often forgotten and other social niceties that can be the difference between frustration and disappointment and having a wonderful – and best of all – sexy time online!


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M. Christian has been an active participant in the San Francisco BDSM scene since 1988, and has been a featured presenter at the Northwest Leather Celebration, smOdyssey, the Center For Sex and Culture, The National Sexuality Symposium, QSM, San Francisco Sex Information, The Citadel, The Looking Glass, The Society of Janus, The Floating World, Winter Solstice, and lots of other venues. He has taught classes on everything from impact play, tit torture, bondage, how to write and sell erotica, polyamory, cupping, caning, and basic SM safety.

M. Christian is also a recognized master of BDSM erotica with more than 400 stories in such anthologies as Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Bisexual Erotica, Best Fetish Erotica, and many other anthologies, magazines, and other sites; editor of 2t anthologies such as the Best S/M Erotica series, Pirate Booty, My Love For All That Is Bizarre: Sherlock Holmes Erotica, and more; the collections Dirty Words, The Bachelor Machine, Love Without Gun Control, Rude Mechanicals, and more; and the novels Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Me2, Finger's Breadth, Brushes, and Painted Doll. His site is www.mchristian.com

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Yet More Philosophy

Coming Up - Magic Words: Using Erotic Writing To Explore Your Hidden Sexuality And Spirituality

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)

May is gonna be a blast for classes and such: first up is Magic Words: Using Erotic Writing To Explore Your Hidden Sexuality And Spirituality for the SF Citadel (on Tuesday, May 7) and then, on Tuesday May 14th, teaching How To Create An Effective Online Profile – And Now To Write Messages That Will Get Good Responses at the Center For Sex And Culture ... and I have a special event planned for the end of the month (more on that when the details are worked out).

Here's the info on Magic Words: Using Erotic Writing To Explore Your Hidden Sexuality And Spirituality:

Magic Words: Using Erotic Writing To Explore Your Hidden Sexuality And Spirituality


SF Citadel Community Center
181 Eddy Street, San Francisco, CA

8:00 PM –10:00 PM


$20 at door

There are many ways to reach your inner sexual and spiritual self -but one of the most surprisingly powerful paths is through the written word. In this lecture/workshop, participants will hear how erotic writing (fiction as well non-fiction) can reach hidden places that often lay unexposed, help make personal discoveries and to assist in a personal journey of self and sensuality. Participants will learn how to free their erotic writing voices, how to develop their writing towards discovering their erotic spirits within, and when to silence -- and when to listen -- to the inner critic.

M. Christian has been an active participant in the San Francisco BDSM scene since 1988, and has been a featured presenter at the Northwest Leather Celebration, smOdyssey, the Center For Sex and Culture, The National Sexuality Symposium, QSM, San Francisco Sex Information, The Citadel, The Looking Glass, The Society of Janus, The Floating World, Winter Solstice, and lots of other venues. He has taught classes on everything from impact play, tit torture, bondage, how to write and sell erotica, polyamory, cupping, caning, and basic SM safety.

M. Christian is also a recognized master of BDSM erotica with more than 400 stories in such anthologies as Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Bisexual Erotica, Best Fetish Erotica, and many other anthologies, magazines, and other sites; editor of 2t anthologies such as the Best S/M Erotica series, Pirate Booty, My Love For All That Is Bizarre: Sherlock Holmes Erotica, and more; the collections Dirty Words, The Bachelor Machine, Love Without Gun Control, Rude Mechanicals, and more; and the novels Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Me2, Finger's Breadth, Brushes, and Painted Doll. His site is www.mchristian.com

What Lives On My Desk, Part 2

(from M.Christian's Technorotica)

Monday, April 15, 2013

It Was A Fantastic Weekend!

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)


Thanks so all the great folks who came out for my classes last weekend (Sex Sells: How To Write And Sell Erotica and Sensual Caning: How To Use The Rod In New And Exciting Ways)!

It was a real treat to teach both these classes ... cool folks, fun times, a fantastic time! Can't wait to do it again!

Special thanks to the wonderful folks at Center For Sex And Culture and FantasyMakers Academy for such amazing venues!

Confessions Of A Literary Streetwalker: Thinking Outside Your Box

Check this out: a new "Confessions Of A Literary Streetwalker" piece for the always-great Erotica Readers and Writers site just went up.  This one originally appeared on the fantastic K.D. Grace's site.

All my previous columns, of course, have been collected in How To Write And Sell Erotica by Renaissance E Books.

Here's a tease:


Thinking Outside Your Box...
Or Writing Isn't Always About Writing
Sure, we may all want to just cuddle in our little garrets, a purring pile of fur in our laps, leather patches on our sleeves, a pipe at the ready, and do nothing but write masterpieces all day and night – with periodic breaks for binge-drinking and soon-to-be legendary sexual escapades – but the fact of the matter is that being a writer has totally, completely, changed.

I'm not just talking about the need to be a marketing genius and a publicity guru – spending, it feels too often, more time tweeting about Facebook, or Facebooking about tweeting, than actually writing – but that authors really need to be creative when it comes to not just getting the word out about their work but actually making money.

A lot of people who claim to be marketing geniuses and publicity gurus will say that talking about you and your work as loud as possible, as often as possible, is the trick ... but have you heard the joke about how to make money with marketing and PR? Punchline: get people to pay you to be a marketing genius and/or a publicity guru. In short: just screaming at the top of the tweety lungs or burying everyone under Facebook posts just won't do it.

Not that having some form of presence online isn't essential – far from it: if people can't find you, after all, then they can't buy your books. But there's a big difference between being known and making everyone run for the hills – or at least stop up their9 ears – anytime you say or do anything online.

Balance is the key: don't just talk about your books or your writing – because, honesty, very few people care about that ... even your readers – instead fine a subject that interests you and write about that as well. Give yourself some dimension, some personality, some vulnerability, something ... interesting, and not that you are not just an arrogant scream-engine of me-me-me-me. Food, travel, art, history, politics ... you pick it, but most of all have fun with it. Forced sincerity is just about as bad as incessant narcissism.

[MORE]

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Wisdom

It’s a M.Christian Weekend!

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)


If you're in the Bay Area this weekend (the 13th and 14th) then you're got an opportunity to check out not one but two - almost-back-to-back - classes taught by little ol' me.

First up is my celebrated (kinda infamous) Sex Sells: How To Write & Sell Erotica class on Saturday, for the Center For Sex And Culture.

Then, on Sunday, I'm teaching Sensual Caning: How To Use The Rod In New And Exciting Ways for the fantastic folks at FantasyMakers Academy.

Here's the info on both - hope to see you there!

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Sex Sells: How To Write & Sell Erotica

Saturday, April 13th from 10:00AM - 1:00PM

Center For Sex And Culture 
1349 Mission St, San Francisco, CA


$20 per person

The market for erotic fiction and nonfiction is booming! There actually is a secret to writing great erotica - and you'll discover just what that is in this fun, hands-on workshop with well-known erotica writer and teacher M.Christian.  For the beginning writer, erotica can be the ideal place to begin writing, getting published, and - best of all - earning money. And for the experienced writer, erotica can be an excellent way to beef up your resume and hone your writing skills. M.Christian will review the varieties of personal and literary expression possible in this exciting and expanding field. He'll also teach you techniques for creating love and sex scenes that sizzle.  Plus: current pay rates, how to write for a wide variety of erotic genres, where and how to submit your erotic writing, and more.

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Sunday, April 14, 2013, from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
 
$20 per individual guest and $15 each for additional partner.

Directions will be sent to confirmed guests by MzGrayce (MzGrayce@gmail.com)

Dress code: Discrete on the street and comfortable once you're inside.

 
The cane is one of those 'legendary' BDSM toys that is far too often used with dramatic flare - rather than erotic effectiveness. In this very special class, cane wielders will learn the difference between using a rod as a prop and, instead, how to use various types of cane (wood versus plastic, thin versus thick, etc) to send the receiver to new erotic heights. With this unique - and sensual - technique even those scared of the rod will be enticed to being on the receiving end of the not-so-scary cane.