Let's not ignore the fact that this pandemic (which is still happening despite what some may believe) has been a significant traumatic event for many of us. One aspect as been the interpersonal impact it has had, forcing many in isolation out of concern for their safety and the safety of others. I remember grieving the fact that dating and emotional intimacy would be out of the question for quite some time. Yet, I continued to use online dating apps and was able to get creative. One way in which intimacy was built up was erotica. As soon as a connection had formed, we started to send flirty messages and naughty pics. I started to share my erotica and one day decided to record myself reading it. It was fun to do and it also helped us connect emotionally when we could not do so in person. What started as a fun way to make things sexy over the internet became a fun way to remain connected, selecting a story I thought this person would enjoy and conveying the emotions of the characters when I read.
Skip ahead to a few weeks ago when I was given the chance to be a featured author on the All The Filthy Details podcast.
This podcast focuses on erotica authors and reviewing their work. They caution the listener to wear headphones because the stories they read are not safe for work. Wow they are not kidding! The first episode I listened to had my mind wandering in all sorts of fun ways. The sound production is amazing. The voice actors reading the stories do a fantastic job and the sound effects in the background create the perfect mood for each story. Whenever I want to get in the mood, I often read erotica myself but All The Filthy Details makes it easier by letting you lay back and just listen to steamy voices describing some naughty acts in detail.
What I also like about this podcast are the book reviews. They review three titles and discuss what they liked about each. The featured author is also given a chance to review the titles. I had a blast answering the questions on the podcast because the producers asked me about the embarrassed naked genre and how psychology can be useful in writing erotica. I also got to record myself reading a sample from Pelt, the first story in The Immodest Collection vol 3.
So as we move towards the fall with some worry that a second lockdown might happen, I will first say take care of yourself and remember, nobody asked for this to happen. We are in uncharted territories, the science is never going to be definite. Things are always changing and that is unfair, frustrating, and scary. Second, if you're looking to find ways to develop intimate connections with someone new or someone you've been with for a while, have fun with reading them some erotica. If you are still not sold on the idea, then give All the Filthy Details a listen, I'm sure they'll change your mind.
