I proudly identify as a “dildo slinger” — that’s a much way cooler way of saying “sex toy retail worker.” In addition to writing this blog, I have worked at a local sex toy boutique for nearly 8 years. It’s a unique, misunderstood job, one that often elicits perplexed looks and palpable silence. Rarely is this work given the credit it deserves, so when I picked up Lynn Comella’s Vibrator Nation: How Feminist Sex-Toy Stores Changed the Business of Pleasure, I was relieved to sink into a world where my career was treated with respect and nuance. Comella has done the work. She’s been in the adult retail industry observing, documenting, and researching since 1998; she conducted over 80 interviews; . . . read more

It’s still surreal to say. I’m published. My name. Epiphora. On the pages of a book. Followed by my words — about dongs, no less. It’s not something I’ll be showing to my high school journalism teacher at his retirement party next month, but that doesn’t make it less meaningful. In fact, this book is a special sort of validation of my work as a sex writer. My mom already made me order a copy for her — and sign it. Best Sex Writing of the Year, Volume 1 was edited by Jon Pressick, whom interviewed me flawlessly for his Sex City Radio show last year. I submitted several pieces for consideration: “The 2 Weeks of My Sex Life I Lost to Zoloft,” “My Vagina is a Black . . . read more

Wedged between my consumption of Fast Food Nation and We Need to Talk About Kevin, I inhaled The Feminist Porn Book. I wrote in the margins and bent the pages and even took it in the bath. When I was a stupid teen, I inherited a waterlogged copy of Marilyn Manson’s The Long Hard Road Out of Hell, and ever since I’ve secretly wished I’d “accidentally” drop a book in the bath, thereby giving it “character.” But The Feminist Porn Book has a lot of character without my vain attempts. Its cover is splashed with the most exquisite neon orange and yellow, the huge text like a sledgehammer, and the decisive name declaring that yes, this is the one and only, the definitive feminist porn . . . read more

Dudes! You can now subscribe to my blog on your Kindle! After you subscribe, my full blog posts will be auto-delivered wirelessly to your Kindle and updated throughout the day. You’ll even see the photos (black and white, but still)! Links within the posts direct you to the Kindle browser and mobile version of my site. Your subscription begins with a 14-day free trial, during which time you won’t be charged. After that, the monthly rate is 99 cents. If the Kindle is not your thang, there are still the traditional ways of following this blog: RSS feed, email subscription, and checking it on your phone while in line for groceries. If you really want to do me a kindness, write . . . read more

It’s not like I needed to read The Secrets of Great G-Spot Orgasms and Female Ejaculation. I discovered my G-spot three years ago, and squirted soon after. I’ve been having squirtfests ever since, and my G-spot is an integral part of my sex life. But the G-spot is a very misunderstood creature, and I’m thrilled that Tristan Taormino tackled it. When I first flipped through this book, I happened to land on the intro page for chapter four (“Your G-spot Toolbox”). I then proceeded to have a heart attack, because I AM QUOTED THERE. My dorky Pure Wand post is quoted! I can barely believe it, but you guys — I’m officially a celeb. Anyway, rewind. The book opens with a brief story . . . read more

A while back, I heard rumblings of some misogynistic fool named Jack Hutson emailing bloggers about his $47 blowjob ebook. We found his promo website, and there were fits of laughter and despair all over Twitter, because, well, look: The whole site is a condescending, badly-written plea to “girls.” According to all-knowing Jack, our men will leave us solely on the basis of a bad blowjob. That is why we must fork over $47 for his mind-blowing ebook. It is, after all, the only book you need to read this year. At one point, Jack discovered me and solicited me for a review. I told him he was a douche instead. Then he started making the rounds again, emailing my . . . read more

Reading The Big Book of Sex Toys, I learned that it’s hard to read a book about subject I already know like the back of my hand. Also a subject I’m snooty and picky about. Also a subject that I believe no book could ever adequately cover unless I wrote it myself. And even that is iffy. The Big Book of Sex Toys is written by Tristan Taormino, a pornographer/sex educator/badass whom I greatly respect and admire. It is meant to introduce the reader to every kind of sex toy, and it does this extremely well. It offers detailed and comprehensive descriptions of toys, all broken down into manageable categories such as “wearable vibrators” and “cock rings.” Tristan does an . . . read more