Day Beauty

I just returned from seeing Belle de Jour for the first time. I’d heard a lot about this one before seeing it, and had always thought that the title, Belle de Jour, meant something like “today’s special,” the beauty of the day, a woman who could be enjoyed and then forgotten, like trendy fashions. Turns out it refers to the time of day during which Severine practices her craft, making it like a play on the phrase “lady of the night”.

There’s a certain “don’t they have odd fetishes” tone to the middle part of the film, and it revels in the voyeuristic element (very overtly at one point), playing on the desires of the audience to see just what goes on in a house of ill repute. Does it seem tame by today’s vastly elevated standards of kink? I wouldn’t say so. The eroticism is more psychological than focused on specific acts (the kinks are almost incidental), and also the movie has made the wise move of leaving much to the imagination. Besides satisfying the censors, it helps keep things interesting.

Just what did the professor want with that inkpot, after all? And, of course, what’s in the box?

(Ebert has some interesting things to say)

June 23, 2006. culture. No Comments.

“Finishing School” in Bondage Anthology

I have a second short story appearing in the upcoming Fetish Chest series from Alyson Books. This one is titled “Finishing School”, appearing in Secret Slaves: Erotic Stories of Bondage.

There’s a full TOC on co-editor Rachel Kramer Bussel’s blog, and the book is due out in July 2006.

June 21, 2006. dirty books, my writing. No Comments.

“Can I Help You?” To Appear in Upcoming Anthology

My short story “Can I Help You?” will be appearing in an upcoming anthology titled The Sexiest Soles: Erotic Stories About Feet and Shoes to be published by Alyson Books in July 2006.

Co-editor Rachel Kramer Bussel has posted the full TOC on her blog. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the other stories.

June 21, 2006. dirty books, my writing. No Comments.