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KILGORE TROUT EROTIC AUTHORS PAGE

Feb 2005: site downsized. It may have become obvious from the revision dates - 2002, 2003 - that this section of the site isn't a top priority. I haven't written fiction for ages, and am no longer au fait with writing markets. Therefore I've decided to trim the erotic writing section down, leaving the two main features and a single links list.

The list is devoted to writing and literary criticism sources for the genre of erotic fiction, a form explored by many acclaimed high-profile authors. They include mainstream and popular genre writers such as Henry Miller, Anais Nin, Robert Silverberg, Brian Aldiss, Philip Jose Farmer, Samuel R Delany, Ian Watson, Guy N Smith, Philip Larkin, Anne Rice and Nicholson Baker, alongside a new generation of activists such as Gloria Brame, Susie Bright, Pat Califia, Alice Joanou and Cecilia Tan. The general intention is:

  • To counter the low-grade image of sexually explicit fiction.
  • To show the variety of contemporary erotic fiction, where traditional genres - erotica, pornography, literary fiction, romance, and so on - are becoming blurred;
  • To provide sources that give an insight - where possible from the authors themselves - into the many reasons why serious authors of either sex and various orientations make a considered decision to write in this field.
FEATURE: Erotic Fiction: A Writer's Perspective. 2002 essay, an analysis of erotic fiction and its markets from a writer's point of view (N.B. long HTML file). FEATURE: Mendal Johnson. Also not strictly erotic, but a biographical study of a mysterious author who took on a difficult explicit theme, and created a single classic novel of psychological horror.
This links collection is compiled with the aim of exploring - where possible via the authors' own accounts - the variety of reasons why many serious writers, past and present, have chosen to write erotica, pornography or other sexually explicit works.
Alasdair Gray: 1982 Janine Reviews at Andrew Crumey's site of the Glasgow author's novel, which uses the pornographic medium to literary purpose.
Alternative Sexualities in SF and Fantasy Bibliography highlighting science fiction's history as a medium for serious exploration of sexuality issues.
Anne Rice EmpireZine feature on her explicitly erotic novels and the surrounding controversy.
Cecilia Tan Writer, editor and sexuality activist. Check out the Rants link for Why smut is important to my liberation (and yours) and other essays on what motivates her work.
Corridors of Roissy Artist Stefan on how a journalist and translator became Pauline Reage, pseudonymous author of Story of O.
Delany's Dirt Essay on Samuel R Delany's novels Equinox, Hogg and Mad Man, which combine literary and pornographic genres.
Dr Carter novels Promotional page for 'sex-informative novels' designed to educate in sexual technique and the science of sex..
Erotica Femina Home page of British erotica novelist Vivienne LaFay, a.k.a. Rebecca Ambrose, Vanessa Davies, Nadine Wilder, Rosanna Challis, Margret Melrose ... includes a FAQ and writing tips.
Emma Holly: Erotica and RomanceThis Black Lace author's home page: includes a workshop, 'Steaming Up Your Love Scenes', for romance writers and others.
Erotica Readers and Writers Association A compilation of style guides for the main commercial publishers of erotic fiction can be found at the Author's Library.
A History of Homoerotica Study of 19th century gay men's erotica, at Rictor Norton's superbly researched Gay History and Literature site.
How I Single-Handedly Destroyed the Sex Book Field for Five Years and Never Even Got a Thank-You Note from the Legion of Decency SF author Mike Resnick on his stint writing adult fiction.
How to Read/Write A Dirty Story. Review by Ray Girvan of Susie Bright's writing and marketing guide, autobiography and exploration of the personal and political dimsensions of erotic writing.
Larkin's lesbians Short Guardian feature on the late Poet Laureate's novellas written as 'Brunette Coleman'.
Political Correctness: Robert Bly and Philip Larkin, a Martin Amis talk indicating something of Larkin's mindset.
Laura, Leather and Life Lecture on her life and work by Masquerade Books author Laura Antoniou.
Lesbian Erotica Without Apology: The Erotic As Power Rebecca Hall on Xena fan fiction: "the erotic remains an under-utilized source of power for women generally and for lesbians specifically".
Lust in the Dust Jackets Salon Magazine on Olympia Press and the Golden Age of Erotica.
Mary Anne's Home Page Mary Anne Mohanraj (a.k.a. Kateri), one of the best-known authors of literate erotica on the Internet, who also keeps many documents of general interest to writers.		 Me, myself and moi Autobiography of author, editor, poet, academic and sadomasochist Gloria Glickstein Brame.
Nicholson Baker Fan Page Author of Vox and The Fermata, literary novels with a strongly erotic slant. Check out the Salon and Dave Edelman interviews, where Baker discusses his work.
John Norman Bio, with links, for John Lange, academic and author of the controversial Gor sword&slavery series.
The Onion AV Club, Samuel R Delany interview Recent interview with SRD, literary/SF author who has been uncompromising in his writing about sexuality.
Porn 101 Katy Terrega's Absolute Write column: about the craft and mindset of working for paying markets.
Pulp Friction Salon Magazine interview with publisher Richard Kasak, "the '90s Prince of Porn Paperbacks".
Robert Fleming on erotica Views of an author, journalist and anthologist on the positive role of erotica in African American writing.
Robin Schone Belles and Beaux of Romance interview with another author who works in the cross-over between romance and erotica.
Sex & Horror DarkEcho magazine feature: includes Confessions of a literary streetwalker: the ins and outs of writing erotica by M. Christian, acclaimed writer of dark erotica.
Silver Moon: Interviews S&M authors Francine Whittaker and Sean O'Kane talk about their market and craft.
Smut The wise words of Tom Lehrer, mathematician and musical satirist.
Susie Bright Erotica write and editor, sexuality activist.
The Importance of Precision: Samuel Delany's Pornographic Writing Paper by Laura Chernaik on constitutional and literary issues surrounding SRD's work.
Thomas Roche: Passion and Transcendence DarkEcho magazine interview with this author of dark erotica and crime fiction, whose career began with writing pornographic novels.
Too darn hot In Salon Books, Julia Gracen reports how romance fans are divided over the "new breed of explicit, kinky love story".
Unspeakable Visions Michael Hayward's thesis on 'Beat Generation' authors - Jack Kerouac and others - whose work included underground erotica and pornographic fiction.
Why I Write Gay Erotica Essay by Lars Eighner, author of the acclaimed erotica writers' guide, Elements of Arousal.
Why Me? Susie Bright explains how she writes about sex "because no-one else has the balls to".
With fists full of fantasy Earl Kemp on the 'porno mills' that sustained fledgling SF writers in the 1960s.
Writing Pornography for a Living Experiences of commercial pornography writers, from a series on underground writing in Poets & Writers Inc's Coda magazine.
Writing Resources Mary Anne Mohanraj's guide to Internet writing resources, many relating to the field of erotic fiction and its authors.

Revised February 13th 2005