Countdown to X: Celebrating Female Arousal

The X readings are getting closer. In a week and a day, I’ll be standing at the podium in Diesel Books in Oakland, reading from my steamy story, “Yes.” I think I’m going to go with the “two-and-a-half” scene with Sean. This really captures the essence of the story for me, plus it’s a special challenge to see if I can read it without blushing!

In a little over two weeks, I’ll be at Books, Inc. in the Castro. Among the readers joining me will be Rachel Kramer Bussel, who’s bukkake story I discussed below (how many of you already knew the proper pronunciation for bukkake?). I’ll also have the pleasure of reading with Susie Hara, whose story “Puffy Lips” is a luscious concoction of humor, erotic tension, and you-bet-it-passes-the-wet-test poetry. The story draws you right into horny land with the image of the aroused labia, lovingly, achingly described in all its plumped-up glory. It’s truly a luscious celebration of female arousal. Pause to laugh at the idea of a cocktail named “Labia majora” (see below), but then it’s on to a sultry hook-up in an alley—with a satisfying feminist twist. I hope I’m not giving too much away to say the lady has all the good lines.

I can’t wait to hear this one “in the flesh.” Here’s Susie Hara in her own words on performing in public, exotic cocktails and erotica versus reality.

By the way, any ideas for your own exotic cocktail to add to the menu? Labia minora? Aureola? Penis erectus? I might have to dream up a sake cocktail for our forthcoming blog dinner….

“Puffy Lips”

Susie Bright: Do you have a scandalous or noteworthy theater life? Plays, performance art?

Susie Hara: I performed as a solo theatre artist in San Francisco in the 80s and 90s. The closest I got to a striptease is when I was an actor in Teatro de la Esperanza's Real Women Have Curves, and we had to strip down to our underwear because the women characters in the play were working in a sweat shop in L.A. in the summer.

We wore boring underwear as a costume, though, white panties up to the waist and plain white bras. One night on tour I forgot to wear the costume underwear and when I stripped down I saw I was wearing lavender bikini panties. This did not cause a riot, however.

SB: Okay, if there was a killer cocktail called a Labia Majora... what would be the ingredients?

Mango juice, vodka, a touch of cherry syrup, some soda water, a delicate swirl of cream, and a dash of Grand Marnier. A tangerine twist.

SB: When you think of your recent writing, for "X," and then consider your recent sex life in reality, what comes to mind?

Writing erotica is great license.

DGS: Ain't it the truth?