Review
"Whatever her interests or circumstances, every woman in this fantastic and diverse collection is empowered by her steamy adventures." Publishers Weekly "The entries range from tenderly seductive--Alyssa Cole's sf human/android tale "Essential Qualities" proves a true standout in this regard--to playfully raunchy, with everything in between. This anthology's inclusion of diverse characters in terms of age, race, kinks, and ability is refreshing and much-needed in erotica; each writer finds a way to adhere to the collection's theme while blissfully breaking the mold. VERDICT An exceptional volume of quality quickies; highly recommended." Library Journal"The latest of this anthology series includes stories of hetero, gay, and multiple-partner sex in all sorts of exciting scenarios, under the vague theme of "outsiders" and "risk." This means everything from a Fifty Shades-ish BDSM story to the above skydiving short to a wild Halloween orgy on a yacht -- no skipping ahead required." Cosmopolitan"If you're not sure where to start, try Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 4...the anthology's overarching theme of "outsiders and risk" manifests in plenty of incredibly sexy ways." SELF
"The overall quality of the volume is quite high, the sense of eroticism beautifully enacted. Best Women's Erotica of the Year is just that, and will please many a reader on the long, cold winter nights ahead." All About Romance
Kick off your shoes and drop any qualms at the door! Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 4 is a book that's built to inspire! From 'carnal delights' to 'delectable tortures,' each of these journey-filled stories is an irresistible gift just waiting to be unwrapped." (Rose Caraway, host of The Kiss Me Quick's Podcast )
"Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 4 will have your heart beating throughout your entire being with its diverse array of thoughtful and tantalizing fantasies. Now, more than ever, we need this book to help harness the undeniable power of women's sexuality and pleasure." (Nicoletta Heidegger, co-host, Sluts & Scholars podcast )
"An enticing mix of tales that are both sensual and thought-provoking." (Caridad Piñeiro, New York Times bestselling author of One Summer Night )
"This collection is as diverse as it is exciting--familiar and new, kinky and sweet, fierce and tender--and filled with women from across the spectrum of life's experiences. It's a good thing the book is long, because each story leaves you hungry for more." (Suzanne Krohn, Love in Panels )
"Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 4 titillates and satisfies, with hot fiction featuring a diverse range of experimenters and experiences. From bar encounters to bucking broncos, from online flirtations to sexy gangbangs, the women in these stories all learn a thrilling lesson--that great rewards can come from taking risks." (Justine Elyot, author of The Story of Jo )
From the Inside Flap
Introduction: The Sexual Allure of Outsiders Who Take Risks
The first three volumes of Best Women's Erotica of the Year didn't have official themes, but when I was compiling Volume 4, I decided I wanted stories on the themes of Outsiders and Risk. While on the surface those may seem incongruous, both spoke to me regarding current events and seemed urgently relevant. At a time when outsiders of many kinds are being ostracized, discriminated against, and shunned, I wanted to explore what being an outsider feels like on a deeply personal level. I always want the authors I publish to turn readers on, but this time, I also want to make you think.
The outsiders you'll read about here sometimes grapple with navigating a new culture, as in "Aftershock," by Jo Henny Wolf, or the constraints of their own culture, such as the tender, heartbreaking longing in "Seven Sweets and Seven Sours," by Megan Hart. In Eliza David's "Protestof Passion," a community organizer finds herself swept away by a different kind of passion than the one motivating her lover.
I left it to my authors to define what exactly an outsider means to them and their characters. All of us have likely been outsiders at one time or another, depending on the circumstances. Outsiders may be able to learn something about themselves via insiders, and in the process enjoy some hot sex, as happens in "The Pick-Me-Up," by Suleikha Snyder. Sometimes it's hard to say who the outsider is, such as in Alyssa Cole's sexy science fiction tale, "Essential Qualities." The bisexual protagonist of Calliope Bloom's "O Captain! My Captain!" ventures into unknown territory with her new lovers, going from outsider to insider as she takes a risk that pays off.
Taking risks in the face of fear has certainly cropped up in past volumes, but the risks the characters take in these stories are heightened. Sometimes these risks are erotic in nature, like trying something new for the first time, for instance posing for an erotic calendar, as the heroine of"Take the Shot," by Mica Kennedy, does, or starring in a gang bang, like Julie in "Beautiful Dirty Wonderful," by R. M. Wood. Sometimes the risk itself is a turn-on, such as the illicit but utterly arousing behavior of the naughty narrator in "The Dressing Room," by Alessandra Torre.
Sometimes these risks, while sexual in nature, involve confronting aspects of these characters' core selves that require a great amount of bravery. In "Her Invisible Prison," by Jocelyn Dex, Eden faces a battle between her desire and her agoraphobia. Her steps out of that "prison" are hard fought and all the more exciting. And lest you think a story involving mental health can't be scorching hot, Dex will surely prove you wrong. Similarly, in "Baby Doll," by Sienna Saint-Cyr, Heather pursues her fetish only with the very careful reassurance of her lover.
Many of these stories involve finding community of one sort or another, whether that's the world of rodeo bull riders in "Eight Seconds," by Madeline Moore, or kink club BDSM as in "Belonging," by Tamsen Parker. While passion and desire are at the heart of these tales, there's more happening than simple arousal.
There's a little something for everyone, I'd like to think, within these pages, from the woman going back to school who gets an education beyond the books in "With Honors," by Sofia Quintero, to a divorced woman getting seduced by a learned man in "Words with Benefits," by Tamara Lush. You'll travel back in time with "The Invitation," by Regina Kammer, get kinky with "Mark" by Rosie Beth Randall, explore a penchant for tickling in "Breathe," by Patricia Elzie, and attend an orgy in "On Display," by Louise Lagris.
You can find out more about the series at bweoftheyear.com and follow our books and authors @BWEoftheyear on Twitter and bestwomenserotica on Instagram. You can always reach me at bweoftheyear@gmail.com to share what you want to see more of in future volumes.
I hope, at least in some small way, this book entertains you and gives you inspiration to take the kinds of risks these characters do.
Rachel Kramer Bussel
Atlantic City, New Jersey
About the Author
Rachel Kramer Bussel (rachelkramerbussel.com) is a writer, editor, event organizer, and erotica writing instructor. She's edited over 70 anthologies, including The Big Book of Orgasms, Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica, Dirty Dates, On Fire, Spanked, Please, Sir, and Please, Ma'am, and the Best Women's Erotica of the Year series. Her nonfiction has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Marie Claire, O, The Oprah Magazine, Elle.com, Salon, Slate, Time.com, The Village Voice and numerous other publications. Follow her @raquelita on Twitter and learn more about her writing workshops and consulting at EroticaWriting101.com.
