This anthology has given me a lot of trouble, just its presence on the coffee table seems to send my children into a furore of activity, and causes the phone to ring incessantly. Which meant for some considerable time the nearest I got to indulging in its tales of the sensual, sexual and erotic was starring longingly at the cover, and wondering why my legs never look that good in stockings.
Eventually, I did manage to delve inside and was rewarded by some great storytelling from some of the hottest women authors of the last 30 years, including Margaret Atwood, Janice Eidus, Joyce Carol Oates, Max Sharam, M M De Voe, Alison Tyler, Rachel Kramer Bussel and Rosemary Dashiell.
Lauren Henderson’s opening tale 5 JANUARY, 2004, invites us to throw off our inhibitions and experience the delights of an erotic massage, in a delightful holiday tale that engages the senses but never loses sight of reality.
Tulsa Brown follows with SKY PEOPLE, a deeply evocative tale of homosexuality and alien obsession at the dawn of the 1960’s. It begs us to question of ourselves and the motives of others, while entertaining us with its humour and insight.
Another trip into the past follows. Here ambiguity and drug-induced surrealism draw us into NON-STOP NEW YORK ECSTASY (1981), an essay by former music journalist and fetish model, Beverley Glick. You’ll notice I said essay, because I can’t bring myself to describe this particular piece of autobiography as a story — which doesn’t detract from it’s power, but does lead me to one criticism of the anthology. Why was this particular piece the only one of its kind? Intriguing as it was, it felt oddly misplaced surrounded by so much pure fiction. Poetry fares similarly; the only two entries are both from Rosemary Dashiell’s 1975 book, A Sexual Tour of the Deep South.
The anthology continues to explore a variety of sexualities, eras and personalities.
In CRUISE CONTROL, Pushcart Prize-winner, Janice Eidus draws us into the life of two strangers who recognise in each other traits they pursued and hungered for in their youths’ but rejected in favour of stability.
Bryn Colvin’s MOVING ON, portrays more lives on the cusp of change. In a grim future cityscape of a world destroyed by poisons in its atmosphere, a few hours and some simple human contact change a woman beyond recognition, and help to her face her past crimes.
There are plenty of gems tucked away at the back of this anthology too. HUBRIS, an amazon-inspired kidnap and freedom tale, by Jean Roberta, is about taking risks in the hopes of achieving a better life. NEROLI, by Susi Hara, uses roses to forge a link between two flatmates. In THE PANTS GIRL, Rachel Kramer Bussel ups the kink, and addresses the practice of fisting, while Kinni Ibura Salaam’s, MARKET INTIMACIES, wrenches the emotions, as we join a big lady on a desperate search for affection after the loss of a baby.
Editor, Marilyn Jaye Lewis’ ‘TIL DEATH, is a creepy, nostalgic tale of one woman’s lifetime experiences with two partners. The emotional complexities of our closest relationship are scrutinised and rounds out the collection, leaving us with questions to ask ourselves even once the book is closed.
The tales in STIRRING UP A STORM are intelligent, often brave and cover a variety of persuasions, orientations and fetishes. While not every story will appeal to every reader, they are all executed with the sort of style, solid plotting and good characterisation that pushes erotica ever close to the literary mainstream. I sometimes felt, though, that the anthology had been assembled to adhere to a manifesto, rather than purely to entertain, and that many of the stories are literary first and erotica as an afterthought.
Stirring up a Storm: Tales of the Sensual, the Sexual, and the Erotic
(Thunder’s Mouth Press; November 9, 2005; ISBN: 156025727X)
Available at: Amazon.com / Amazon UK / Amazon CA
© 2006 M. Ellis. All rights reserved.
