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So I think it’s time I let you all in on a not-so-secret fact: I’m a huge nerd. I may have one of the coolest jobs on earth but it’s undeniable that I am an truly, an unbelievably big nerd. Case and point – the name I chose for my blogs “Villanelle” is the name of a poetic form that came to the English language from the French around late 1800s. And it’s the name of a character from a book I read and loved, which brings me to this blogs topic – sexy lit.
I love erotica but, more often than not I want more plot to the story. For me, I need the story to be entertaining and written well for me to enjoy the eroticism. Poorly written erotica is quite possibly the saddest thing ever. I mean, what’s worse than reading something that is supposed to get you off but only manages to confuse you with clunky dialogue and poor syntax? And, seriously, the euphemisms for body parts is usually more ridiculous than sexy.
The biggest downside to erotica is that sometimes, reading something titled With a Rough Tongue or The Leather Daddy and the Femme in public isn’t the best idea. Don’t get me wrong, they’re excellent titles but sometimes you want to read your erotica and get entertained outside the comfort of your own private space – without getting strange looks from strangers. So I’ve comprised my list of top titles of discreet sexy lesbian lit, feel free to comment and add titles to the list.
1. Jeannette Winterson is my favorite fiction author; which, given my collection of more than a couple hundred books, is a huge statement for me to make. I totally admit that Winterson is not for everyone – if you’re looking for realism, most of her writing is not for you. She typically employs a lot of references to the bible (though not preachy at all) and ancient myths. She also has a more modernist style of writing that can be a little too bare for some readers. That said, my personal favorite titles:
The Passion: The androgynous Villanelle’s story about her love affair with an aristocratic woman is utterly amazing.
Written on the Body: An ambiguous narrator falls in love with the wife of a cancer researcher. Sounds depressing and it is, but it’s such a beautiful heart-wrenching tale that it’s one of my favorites.
2. Dorothy Allison’s Trash. Not all the stories in this amazing collection are sexy; in fact, a few are incredibly dark and upsetting (if you’ve read Bastard Out of Carolina, think along those lines). But the descriptions of lesbian sex in some of these stories are incredibly, for lack of a better word, hot.
3. Sarah Waters. All of her titles are wonderfully written and damn sexy. Her more recent one, The Night Watch, is different than the previous titles (different setting and slightly different style) but the romance and the sex are as intense as ever.
4. Mary Fallon, Working Hot. This is definitely not an easy read. And it’s almost impossible to find a copy of, but if you do brace yourself for some incredibly erotically charged dialogue. The author is Australian, so some of the references fall flat but I will love this book forever, if only for the quote, “on the hole I prefer women/but then again/all that glitoris is not gold (Fallon 1989, 75).”
As a student, currently working on getting my Masters in English Lit, I probably shouldn’t spend as much time and money as I do on books but everyone has a weakness. If you have any titles you love and think I should read – pass it on, I love recommendations.
best,
V
