A Tribute to the New Jersey - New York Kink Community. Devastated by the death of his love, Lynn, Nicholas turned to the community they had become part of: the kink community. He reconnected with some old friends, and through them, met some new ones. Randee was an in-your-face, self-proclaimed slut, and Cassie was an intriguing, intimidating dominatrix. To Nicholas, they were just his friends. Sometimes sex is just a distraction, but sometimes it can help to heal. For some people, sex is the only way they know how to seek or give comfort. Nicholas found an honesty and acceptance in the fetish community that he did not experience in his vanilla life. After his eye-opening relationship with Lynn, there was no going back. It was time to make new friends. What some people are saying... "I don't even know what to say." - Kevin. "I like to sit on my naked slave and paint on a canvas while he reads your books aloud to me." - Jennifer O'Neal, artist. "I'm your mother. I will never read this book." - my mother

Many, many people have sexual interests or practices that are in some way unusual. These people may enjoy bondage or spanking, erotic role-playing, dressing in special clothes that turn them on, or a host of other activities that place them outside the sexual mainstream. Your mechanic might have an alternative sexuality, or your librarian, or your kids' teacher, or your boss.... If someone you love has a sexual kink, or if you suspect that she may, and you want to know more about what that means to her and how you can deal with what it means to you, this book is for you. "When Someone You Love Is Kinky will do more for family values than anything the right wing ever dreamed up, because it lets people communicate and love and respect each other on the basis of who they really are. A wonderful contribution twoards a more sex-positive culture." - Dr. Carol Queen, author, Real Live Nude Girl "Dossie Easton and Catherine A. Liszt, both wise and compassionate women, and both players in the world of kink, welcome the reader gently into that world and answer everything anyone might have wanted to ask but was really afraid to find out." - Isadora Alman, syndicated sex and relationship columnist

A New York Times Notable Book Kink is a groundbreaking anthology of literary short fiction exploring love and desire, BDSM, and interests across the sexual spectrum, edited by lauded writers R.O. Kwon and Garth Greenwell, and featuring a roster of all-star contributors including Alexander Chee, Roxane Gay, Carmen Maria Machado, and more. A Most-Anticipated book of 2021 as selected by * Marie Claire * O, The Oprah Magazine * Cosmopolitan * Time * The Millions * The Advocate * Autostraddle * Refinery29 * Shape * Town & Country * Book Riot * Literary Hub * Kink is a dynamic anthology of literary fiction that opens an imaginative door into the world of desire. The stories within this collection portray love, desire, BDSM, and sexual kinks in all their glory with a bold new vision. The collection includes works by renowned fiction writers such as Callum Angus, Alexander Chee, Vanessa Clark, Melissa Febos, Kim Fu, Roxane Gay, Cara Hoffman, Zeyn Joukhadar, Chris Kraus, Carmen Maria Machado, Peter Mountford, Larissa Pham, and Brandon Taylor, with Garth Greenwell and R.O. Kwon as editors. The stories within explore bondage, power-play, and submissive-dominant relationships; we are taken to private estates, therapists’ offices, underground sex clubs, and even a sex theater in early-20th century Paris. While there are whips and chains, sure, the true power of these stories lies in their beautiful, moving dispatches from across the sexual spectrum of interest and desires, as portrayed by some of today’s most exciting writers.

Okay. So no one actually kills themselves in this book. The Coolest Way to Kill Yourself pulls you into the early 90's New York City rave scene, in all its chaotic, psychedelic glory. The narrator grabs you by your wrist and drags you behind two teenage lovers from New Jersey as they tumble through a whirlwind of reckless hedonism that eventually spirals into a dark, devastating world of drug addiction and heartbreak. As a teenager, Lynn cried, "No one is ever going to write something for me." Nearly two decades later, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Nicholas did just that. The gesture came too late for our unlikely heroine, but his heart was in the right place. A broken heart... but a true love. Reunited after years apart, Lynn and Nicholas embraced their love and sexuality, and embraced each other, despite troubled pasts, despite illness, despite all of their imperfections and mistakes. They shared the kind of honest and shameless connection that few have had the honor of knowing, and most would never understand. "We're not hurting anyone. We're just living life without caring what anyone thinks about us." "It's the coolest way to kill ourselves," Lynn said. So turn the page, and pull the trigger. What some people are saying... "I used to think that I was a fairly liberal and open-minded person. But this world is truly a world outside my comprehension and comfort zone." - my sister-in-law. "Screw her daughter. I'm taking this away from you." - my ex-wife. "Are you crazy? I can't believe you are publishing this." - most of my friends. "I love the fact that you are publishing this." - most of my cool friends. "You have disgraced me." - my mother. "Why is your mother so angry about your book? Make sure you shovel the snow from the driveway." - my father.

The reluctant manager of his family's restaurant, Frankie attempts to live up to the legacy of his father and grandfather. Running a business that isn't his passion and trying to do it without asking for help leaves him turning to less-than-legal means when he wants to surrender control. Newly divorced, Calvin no longer lives in the closet, leaving him searching for what he most desires- control. So when he finds Frankie on his knees in the back room of a local bar, Calvin sees the sub he's only ever fantasized about having. Can Calvin find the confidence to explore his dominant side while showing his younger roommate that submission isn't only about whips and pain?

Whether you're a trembling novice or a jaded expert, there's always something new to be discovered in the endlessly changing, complex and titillating world of kink. While there are plenty of other books out there that explain how to give a spanking or tie a half-hitch, Playing Well With Others is the first book that explains kink *culture* -- the munches, parties, leather bars, conferences, workshops, fetish nights, exploratoriums and all the other gatherings of kinksters that turn BDSM and leather from a bedroom predilection to a lifestyle and a community. You'll learn to: • Examine your own motivations, needs, wants and desires • Ease your way into established communities • Understand etiquette in different adventurous sex communities • Familiarize yourself with the many types of events available to you • Care for your relationships as you explore new territory • Negotiate for play and aftercare • Go back to the “world at large” without ruffling feathers • ...and, of course, answer the all-important question: What do you wear?! The team of Harrington and Williams offers 30-plus years of experience in diverse kink communities: top, bottom and switch; gay, bi and straight; female, male and trans; white and POC. Both former titleholders and international educators, they are an unbeatable pair of "sexual sherpas" with an inimitable voice and a great deal of wisdom. Playing Well With Others is an unprecedented and essential guidebook for anyone who wants to explore or understand the "community" aspect of the kink lifestyle.

*Sometimes the perfect Chanukah gift can change everything.*Newly divorced stone butch Jordan moves into her friend Leah's spare room, ready, at 49, to take on a new job and finally explore kink and polyamory. But moving to NYC during the holidays sends grief crashing through her, and Jordan realizes that when she isn't solely focused on caring for others, her own feelings are unavoidable. Including her feelings for Leah.51 year old queer femme Leah, an experienced submissive kink educator who owns a sex shop, has recently come to terms with being gray ace and is trying to rework her life and relationships to honor that. Leah has a brainstorm to help them both: she offers Jordan eight kink lessons, one for each night of Chanukah, to help Jordan find her feet as a novice dominant, and to create a structured space where Leah can work on more deeply honoring her own consent, now that she knows she's gray ace. She'd planned to keep it casual, but instead the experience opens cracks in the armor Leah's been using to keep people at a distance and keep herself safe. Now she needs to grapple with the trauma that's been impacting her life for years. Can these two autistic queers find ways to cope with the changes they are making in their lives and support each other, as they build something new they hadn't thought was possible?This kinky polyamorous Chanukah f/f romance includes a friends to lovers, roommates to lovers, kink lessons, seasoned romance and getting your groove back tropes, and polyamorous, gray ace, pansexual, Jewish, fat, autistic, disabled, arthritis, PTSD and depression representation.