Thien-Kim Lam on writing interracial erotica and running a sex toy subscription box service
Today's Best Women's Erotica of the Year interview is with author Thien-Kim Lam. Her very hot oral sex and sex toys story "Body Shots" appears in Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 3, out from Cleis Press in ebook, print and audiobook. You can hear her read it live and discuss her writing process at our Washington, DC erotica reading on February 13 at 7 p.m. at bookstore Politics and Prose at The Wharf (70 District Square West). Our reading is free, wheelchair accessible and open to all adults. It's Thien-Kim's very first erotica reading so we hope you'll come out to hear her racy words! In addition to writing, Thien-Kim also runs the subscription box service Bawdy Bookworms, which pairs steamy books and adult toys. What could go better together? You can also follow her on Twitter at @thienkim.
See our previous interviews: Charlotte Stein on writing first person erotica, Aya de Leon on merging social justice and erotica, Annabel Joseph on writing femdom stories and August McLaughlin on the connection between women's pleasure and politics.
How long have you been writing erotica? How and why did you get started?
Though I’ve been reading erotica since I was a teen, I didn’t start writing it until 2013. My first erotica short was written for a contest designed to highlight erotica written by and about Asian Americans. I wrote it in one sitting, did minor edits, and submitted it. Guess what? My short won the contest! You can read “Phở For Two” on my site.
What was the inspiration for your story, “Body Shots,” in Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 3?
Right away, I knew the couple had to be interracial because that is a part of my life that is not often reflected in erotica and romance. I wanted to show the Asian American heroine in a way where her culture and race didn’t drive the story. Instead, I wanted her desire and sexual curiosity to motivate her.
What were the most enjoyable and most challenging parts of writing it?
Tequila is has a bad reputation for causing people to make bad decisions. However, it’s my favorite alcohol. I enjoyed showing tequila can bring forth very good things. Writing how the lovers’ bodies were positioned relative to each other was very challenging. Maybe I should buy some dolls and put them in compromising positions!
How does your story fit in with your larger body of writing (if at all)?
Food. In my writing so far, food plays a very prominent role. Food feeds the body and the soul, so why can’t it feed the libido as well?
What’s your favorite line or paragraph from your story?
On the other side of Mount Dick, nestled in the valley of his balls, is liquid gold held in place by a frosty shot glass.
You started sex toy subscription box Bawdy Bookworms—can you tell us more about that?
Bawdy Bookworms combines my passion for steamy and erotic romance with sexual exploration. Romance and erotica were my trusty guides to exploring my sexuality in my teens and twenties. They still are. I realized I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. So I created a box that pairs a erotic romance with sex toys. Because buying sex toys can be overwhelming and intimidating, I created Bawdy Bookworms Insiders, a sex-positive space for women to discuss their sexuality. We have a blast in the group and I’ll hop on live video to talk about different vibrators or do a live taste test of lubricants and lickables. The group is free and open to all women.
Since sex toys play a big role in your story and in your business, which are some of your favorites? Which sex toys would you recommend for someone new to using them?
Oh, boy, how much space do I have? Sex toys are very personal because there’s so many factors involved in achieving orgasm. For those that prefer mostly clitoral stimulation, bullet and egg-shaped toys like the one in the Fireworks to Go Kit are their best friends. They are also good for beginners. Others who prefer both external and internal stimulation will want to check out rabbit-style toys.
What are you working on next?
I’m working on a novel length erotic romance that is Scheherazade meets BDSM and Vietnamese food. Pleasure, dominance-submission, and food—all of my favorite things.
Read or listen to "Body Shots" by Thien-Kim Lam now in Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 3, available from:
Ebook
Kindle (all countries) - download free sample erotic story
Amazon (all countries) - print
Barnes & Noble (print)
Powell's (Portland, Oregon independent bookstore or mail order - free shipping over $50) Books-a-Million
IndieBound (find your local independent bookstore)
Audiobook
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