Hump Day Reviews: Book Lovers, edited by Shawna Kenney

Is it odd to review an anthology in which one of your own stories appears?

Yes.

Am I going to do it anyway?

Also yes. Kind of.

So, as you may or may not already know, earlier this year one of my short stories, “Open Letters to Famous Writers,” was published in the Seal Press anthology Book Lovers: Sexy Stories from Under the Covers, edited by the inimitable Shawna Kenney.

The book includes stories about a wide variety of authors and their literary characters, and the heat level ranges from mild to explicit. There really is a little something for everyone.

One of my favorite stories is former Playboy Playmate Izabella St. James’ “Playmates at Play,” which describes a fun literary fantasy that takes place at Hugh Hefner’s infamous mansion. Though I’d never read any of St. James’ work before, this quickie definitely made me want to read her memoir, Bunny Tales, for more of the inside scoop on Hefner and his honey bunnies.

Another hot little number is Jeremy Edwards’ “Whom.” You may remember Edwards from last week’s Hump Day Review of his award-winning erotocomedic novel of old-time radio, The Pleasure Dial. Suffice to say that this guy knows how to turn up the heat with panache.

Finally, if you’re longing for a sweet, succulent taste of my story – which combines my bookish lust for Oscar Wilde, Anaïs Nin, Henry Rollins and Leonard Cohen all into one sultry package – here’s a brief excerpt to whet your whistle:

 Dear Anaïs Nin,

I have a confession to make. Those dirty little stories you’ve been writing for your patron? The one who always tells you “less art, more sex”? That’s me.

For the rest of my kinky confession, grab a copy of Book Lovers at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or Powell’s in the U.S., or at Indigo for my Canadian friends.