The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica 1 Read online

  MAXIM JAKUBOWSKI was born in England but educated in France. Following a career in publishing, he opened London’s now famous MURDER ONE bookshop. He has published over 60 books, won the Anthony and Karel Awards, and is a connoisseur of genre fiction in all its forms. His recent books include six volumes in the Mammoth Book of Erotica series, as well as the Mammoth Book of Pulp Fiction. Other well-received anthologies include: London Noir, three volumes of Fresh Blood, Past Poisons, Chronicles of Crime and Murder Through the Ages. A regular broadcaster, he is the crime columnist for the Guardian. His fiction includes Life in the World of Women, It’s You that I want to Kiss, Because She Thought She Loved Me, The State of Montana and On Tenderness Express. He lives in London.

  THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF

  Best New Erotica

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  THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF

  Best New Erotica

  Edited by Maxim Jakubowski

  ROBINSON

  London

  Constable & Robinson Ltd

  55–56 Russell Square

  London WC1B 4HP

  www.constablerobinson.com

  First published in the UK by Robinson,

  an imprint of Constable & Robinson Ltd 2001

  Collection and editorial material

  copyright © Maxim Jakubowski 2001

  All rights reserved. This book is sold subject to the

  condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise,

  be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any

  form of binding or cover other than that in which it is

  published and without a similar condition including this

  condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  A copy of the British Library Cataloguing in

  Publication Data is available from the British Library.

  ISBN 1-84119-280-5

  Printed and bound in the EU

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Maxim Jakubowski

  INTRODUCTION

  Michael Hemmingson

  MOVEMENTS

  Tabitha Flyte

  AFTER LOSS

  O’Neil De Noux

  A WALK IN THE RAIN ON THE WILD SIDE

  Debra Hyde

  WEIGH STATION

  Samuel R. Delany

  A JOHN’S STORY

  Adam Barnett-Foster

  THE ROOM, AFTER SHE LEFT

  Anya Ross

  THE EDITOR VS. THE AUTHOR

  Matthew Branton

  MONKEY SEE

  Zoe Constantin

  BAHN

  Maxim Jakubowski

  BOTTOMLESS ON BOURBON

  Carol Queen

  THE HEART IN MY GARDEN

  Justine Dubois

  LES JARDINS DE KENSINGTON

  Mark Ramsden

  SODOMY AND SORCERY

  Susannah Indigo

  DO WHAT YOU LOVE

  Bill Noble

  HOW TO WRITE AN EROTIC STORY

  Helen Lederer

  PULL ME IN THE PULLMAN CARRIAGE

  Heather Corina

  LITTLE DEATHS

  Catherine Sellars

  DEMETER’S GARDEN

  Cara Bruce

  JACK

  Isabelle Carruthers

  IN THE PINK

  Jacqueline Lucas

  USHERETTE

  Thomas S. Roche

  DEATHROCKER, SEX BOY, AND FUCK

  Toby Litt

  DA DA

  Hanne Blank

  DOWNTOWN

  Lauren Sanders

  ONE IN THE HAND, TWO IN THE BUSH

  M. Christian

  NEW YORK, NY BY WAY OF TAOS, NM

  Lauren Henderson

  ONLY CONNECT

  Lucy Moore

  QUIET

  Cecilia Tan

  THE LITTLE MERMAID

  Robert Schaffer

  FRIED BLONDE TOMATOES

  Francisco Ibañez-Carrasco

  CHAMELEON

  Matt Thorne

  BUTT HUT

  Sidney Durham

  PASSENGER

  Mary Anne Mohanraj

  THE SURVEY

  Marilyn Jaye Lewis

  MURIEL THE MAGNIFICENT

  Christine Pountney

  WASABI PUNANI

  Simon Sheppard

  BELOW THE BELTWAY

  Sarah Veitch

  SUBCULTURE

  Daniel James Cabrillo

  THREESOME

  Acknowledgments

  MOVEMENTS by Michael Hemmingson, © 2000 by Michael Hemmingson. First appeared in AQUA EROTICA, edited by Mary Anne Mohanraj. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  AFTER LOSS by Tabitha Flyte, © 2000 by Tabitha Flyte. First appeared in BEST WOMEN’S EROTICA 2001, edited by Marcy Sheiner. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  A WALK IN THE RAIN ON THE WILD SIDE by O’Neil De Noux, © 2000 by O’Neil De Noux. First appeared in NOIROTICA 3, edited by Thomas S. Roche. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  WEIGH STATION by Debra Hyde, © 2000 by Debra Hyde. First appeared in DESIRES, edited by Adrienne Benedicks & Shivaji Sengupta. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  A JOHN’S STORY by Samuel R. Delany, © 2000 by Samuel R. Delany. First appeared in 1984. Reproduced by permission of the author and Voyant Publishing.

  THE ROOM, AFTER SHE LEFT by Adam Barnett-Foster, © 2000 by Adam Barnett-Foster. First appeared in GARGOYLE 42. Reproduced by permission of the a
uthor.

  THE EDITOR VS. THE AUTHOR by Anya Ross, © 2001 by Anya Ross. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  MONKEY SEE by Matthew Branton, © 2000 by Matthew Branton. First appeared in ALL HAIL THE NEW PURITANS, edited by Nicholas Blincoe & Matt Thorne. Reproduced by permission of the author and his agents, Gillon Aitken Associates.

  BAHN by Zoe Constantin, © 2000 by Zoe Constantin. First appeared in CLEAN SHEETS MAGAZINE, May 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  BOTTOMLESS ON BOURBON by Maxim Jakubowski, © 2000 by Maxim Jakubowski. First appeared in DESIRES, edited by Adrienne Benedicks & Shivaji Sengupta. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  THE HEART IN MY GARDEN by Carol Queen, © 2000 by Carol Queen. First appeared in LIBIDO MAGAZINE, Fall 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  LES JARDINS DE KENSINGTON by Justine Dubois, © 2000 by Justine Dubois. First appeared in THE EROTIC REVIEW, September 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  SODOMY AND SORCERY by Mark Ramsden, © 2001 by Mark Ramsden. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  DO WHAT YOU LOVE by Susannah Indigo, © 2000 by Susannah Indigo. First appeared in CLEAN SHEETS MAGAZINE, April 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  HOW TO WRITE AN EROTIC STORY by Bill Noble, © 2000 by Bill Noble. First appeared in SCARLET LETTERS MAGAZINE. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  PULL ME IN THE PULLMAN CARRIAGE by Helen Lederer, © 2000 by Helen Lederer. First appeared in GIRL’S NIGHT OUT, edited by Chris Manby & Fiona Walker. Reproduced by permission of the author and her agent, Curtis Brown Ltd.

  LITTLE DEATHS by Heather Corina, © 1998, 2000 by Heather Corina. First appeared in SEXILICIOUS. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  DEMETER’S GARDEN by Catherine Sellars, © 2001 by Catherine Sellars. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  JACK by Cara Bruce, © 2000 by Cara Bruce. First appeared in BEST WOMEN’S EROTICA 2000 edited by Marcy Sheiner. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  IN THE PINK by Isabelle Carruthers, © 2000 by Isabelle Carruthers. First appeared in SUSPECT THOUGHTS MAGAZINE, 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  USHERETTE by Jacqueline Lucas, © 2000 by Jacqueline Lucas. First appeared in THE DEVIL, issue N. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  DEATHROCKER, SEX BOY, AND FUCK by Thomas S. Roche, © 2000 by Thomas S. Roche. First appeared in CLEAN SHEETS MAGAZINE, August 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  DA DA by Toby Litt, © 2000 by Toby Litt. First appeared in THE EROTIC REVIEW, March 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author and his agent Mic Cheetham.

  DOWNTOWN by Hanne Blank, © 2000 by Hanne Blank. First appeared in SCARLET LETTERS MAGAZINE, 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  ONE IN THE HAND, TWO IN THE BUSH by Lauren Sanders, © 2000 by Lauren Sanders. First appeared in KAMIKAZE LUST. Reproduced by permission of Akashic Books.

  NEW YORK, NY BY WAY OF TAOS, NM by M. Christian, © 2000 by M. Christian. First appeared in ALL YOUR MIND. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  ONLY CONNECT by Lauren Henderson, © 2000 by Lauren Henderson. First appeared in THE NEW ENGLISH LIBRARY BOOK OF INTERNET STORIES, edited by Maxim Jakubowski. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  QUIET by Lucy Moore, © 2000 by Lucy Moore. First appeared in CLEAN SHEETS MAGAZINE, January 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  THE LITTLE MERMAID by Cecilia Tan, © 2000 by Cecilia Tan. First appeared in AQUA EROTICA, edited by Mary Ann Mohanraj. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  FRIED BLONDE TOMATOES by Robert Schaffer, © 2000 by Robert Schaffer. First published in DESIRES, edited by Adrienne Benedicks & Shivaji Sengupta. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  CHAMELEON by Francisco Ibañez-Carrasco, © 2000 by Francisco Ibañez-Carrasco. First appeared in SUSPECT THOUGHTS MAGAZINE, 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  BUTT HUT by Matt Thorne, © 2000 by Matt Thorne. First appeared in THE NEW ENGLISH LIBRARY BOOK OF INTERNET STORIES edited by Maxim Jakubowski. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  PASSENGER by Sidney Durham, © 2000 by Sidney Durham, First appeared in LOVESEAT STORIES (Renaissance E Books). Reproduced by permission of the author.

  THE SURVEY by Mary Anne Mohanraj, © 2000 by Mary Anne Mohanraj. First appeared in BEST WOMEN’S EROTICA 2000, edited by Marcy Sheiner. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  MURIEL THE MAGNIFICENT by Marilyn Jaye Lewis, © 2000 by Marilyn Jaye Lewis. First appeared in THE NEW ENGLISH LIBRARY BOOK OF INTERNET STORIES, edited by Maxim Jakubowski. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  WASABIPUNANI by Christine Pountney, © 2000 by Christine Pountney. First appeared in THE EROTIC REVIEW, July/August 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  BELOW THE BELTWAY by Simon Sheppard, © 2000 by Simon Sheppard. First appeared in STRANGE BEDFELLOWS, edited by Dominic Santi & Debra Hyde. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  SUBCULTURE by Sarah Veitch, © 2000 by Sarah Veitch. First appeared in SUBCULTURE. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  THREESOME by Daniel James Cabrillo, © 2000 by Daniel James Cabrillo. First appeared as ‘Two Obsessions, Pique & Melissa . . . & Doc and One Night’ in CLEAN SHEETS MAGAZINE, 2000. Reproduced by permission of the author.

  Introduction

  Maxim Jakubowski

  Following five highly successful volumes of THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF EROTICA since the series was launched in 1994, the time had arrived for a change. There are now so many other anthologies of quality erotic writing published yearly, and the genre has come into its own.

  In succession, I have compiled collections of my favourite stories published during the course of the preceding twenty or so years, then a volume of mostly newly commissioned material, followed by a venture into international waters and another into history and, finally, an anthology of short erotic novels. The question was: what now? More of the same? Well, not quite.

  We have taken a bold decision to turn this into an annual volume, collecting the best erotic material published during the preceding year. Yes, we know there is an excellent such project already ongoing, under the able supervision of sexologist extraordinaire Susie Bright (albeit restricted to American stories only – do we not have an interest in matters sexual in other English-speaking countries?), and more recently variations on the theme featuring black women’s erotica, gay, lesbian, bisexual and soon fetish and travel tales and every gentle perversion under the sexual sun, no doubt. But, on reflection, I often found their focus too restrictive and discovered that too many of my favourite stories and authors were missing.

  Hence the annual Mammoth Best of the Year series, as we have now become. (advertising plug coming up) Three times the length of most of the other anthologies of a similar nature and at a lower cover price. Surely a winning solution? We hope so.

  As ever, you will find my selections gently idiosyncratic and will love to agree or disagree with my choices, but I am confident that the majority of the stories I have selected will arouse the most hardened of readers, whatever their sexual persuasion, in this celebration of unbridled sexuality and pansexual feast of the senses set loose in a world of wonders, lust and joy unbridled.

  I was particularly surprised by the overall quality of what was available, in particular in web magazines, a format which seems to lend itself well to the erotic story and where many new writers are forging their first, tentative steps. I was also deluged by suggestions and recommendations from friends, other writers and editors and thank them all for bringing specific stories and writers to my attention; many I would definitely have missed without these invaluable encomiums (so feel free to write to me c/o the publishers of this book to recommend stories for our next volume, which will cover 2001 publications in print, e book and on the Internet; I promise to read and comment on every proposal).

  To add a dash of the unexpected to my erotic soup, I also smuggled in a few pieces which didn’t a
ppear in 2000, being stories by new and old writers I could not resist and two novel excerpts, one of which is actually an alternative take you will not find in Mark Ramsden’s book’s final version when it appears, and the other that only enjoyed limited distribution (Sarah Veitch, queen of corporal punishment writing’s new book).

  All in all, I feel, a great year for erotic writing and the celebration of the senses. Every perversion is here but also a myriad pleasures to tickle your fancy or other parts of your anatomy. There are writers old and new, familiar to the pink pages of sex writing or better known for their reputation in the literary or crime and mystery world and with a surprise or two up their sleeve or underwear.

  I am confident you will enjoy this feast. And don’t forget that next year’s erotic menu is already cooking.

  Maxim Jakubowski

  Movements

  Michael Hemmingson

  I. Suite for an End to a Marriage

  The first time I saw my wife fucking another man, she was by our Jacuzzi the night of The Party. I was fairly convinced it would be the last party we’d throw as husband and wife.

  Actually, she was with two men. One was a fellow I didn’t know and he was fucking her from behind – his large, hairy hands tightly grasping her hips in an attempt to control the backward thrust of her pelvis as if she were a wild animal. The other one (my best friend) had his dick in her mouth. She was taking this dick down her throat pretty deep, and he was no bigger than myself. She never did that for me. Maybe she never liked my dick; and this is something I could believe, given the recent sour circumstances of our marriage.

  “I don’t think I’m in love with you anymore,” she told me three months before. I was trying to have sex with her. Her pussy was dry like a dry cunt. Finally she pushed my hand away and said she didn’t want to. We hadn’t made love in quite a while.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Is it hard to understand?” she said. “How can I illustrate it any better? I don’t think I’m in love with you anymore.’’

  “I see,” I said.

  “No,” she said, “you don’t.”

  We tried the marriage counselor routine, and that only proved to drive us further apart, snickering at all the flowery, New Age suggestions the counselor was trying to sell us.