Writing Lesbian Erotic Fiction

Naughty Words's picture

Lesbian fiction isn't nearly as popular as it should be. I've written lesbian erotica for Cleis Press, Xcite Books, and Torquere before Torquere folded. This form of fiction feels natural for me because I'm bisexual. I like creating intriguing, playful, and vivacious women – the type I'm attracted to. My first foray into lesbian erotica was my story "Neighbors", which was published by Torquere in 2009. Charlotte and Lina (no last names) are roommates who look so much alike they could be mistaken for twins. But these aren't ordinary women. They live in a world all their own, as Annie finds out the day they move in next door to her. Here is an excerpt from the story:

Two identical faces stared at her, bright and flushed with excitement. The women couldn't have been any more than twenty years old. Both were tanned. Both had shoulder-length, bushy black hair. Upturned hazel eyes hinted at Asian ancestry. Both were mirror images of each other. Twins? Not quite. More like doppelgangers. Harbingers of change. Never before had she seen a couple of vamps like out of those old movies she watched late at night. One of them grinned. "Hi. Are you our neighbor?" Annie snapped out of her reverie. "Yes. Name's Annie," she shouted over the stereo. "I live over there," she tilted her head towards her apartment. "I brought a welcoming gift for you." She held out the plate and smiled sheepishly. She felt awkward because she was never very good at this sort of thing. "Oh, you're so sweet!" she gushed. "Come on in. The place is a mess, ‘cause we just moved in, and we have no idea where we're going to put all this stuff, and we have so much to do, and I just gotta find something for you to drink, since you were nice enough to bring us homemade cookies!! That is so kewl! I love chocolate chips . . ." She chattered on. Her voice was lost over the din of the stereo. "I can't hear you!" Annie shouted. The noisy one leaped to the stereo and turned the volume down to a dull roar. "I'm Charlotte, and that's my best friend Angelina. "Lina" for short. Don't ever call her "Angie." She thinks that's a high school hooker cheerleader name, and she hates it. We've been best friends for so long that we even look alike. We finish each others sentences." She stopped chattering long enough to munch on a cookie. Annie watched as her tongue flicked at the cookie crumbs on her lips. She licked her index finger, wrapping her full lips around her fingertip. She scooped chocolate from a long, red fingernail with the tip of her pointed tongue. Annie could have sworn she was doing it for her benefit. Both women flitted about the room like moths. They rarely sat still for long. "Hey, these are good cookies. I hope the water stays warm for a few more weeks. We like to swim. How long have you lived here? Is this a nice place?" Charlotte's high-pitched, staccato jabbering reverberated against the walls like the chirping of a mad chipmunk.

Malena is another one of my favorite lesbian characters. She makes her appearance in "Like A Breath Of Ocean Blue", which is published in "Best Lesbian Romance Of The Year, Vol. 1", published by Cleis Press. Malena lives in a beach house and meets much quieter Kate – sweeping her off her feet. The sound of the waves, the smell of the ocean surf, and the allure of romance make my story read like a dream.

Malena, her name was an elixir on my lips. Ma - le - na. An orgasm in my mouth. Like a breath of ocean blue, she caught me in the pull of her riptide. Malena, whose hair fell down her back like dark rain during a midnight storm. Her sun-kissed skin glowed the color of the coffee and cream I sipped every morning. I admired her body from afar; a swell of broad hips that kissed her waist the way I wanted to; shoulders broad enough for me to rest my head upon; breasts so full I could get lost in all that delicious cleavage. How I longed for Malena, but I was too chicken-hearted to make a move.

One problem I've seen with lesbian erotica – especially lesbians as depicted in film – is that the women are paraded and coupled in order to please straight men. They aren't accurate depictions of women's sexuality. Rather, they are fodder for straight male masturbation. There is that ugly straight male fantasy that a lesbian will turn straight if she's fucked by the right man – preferably the one watching the video. I've found that the best lesbian erotic fiction is written by women with a female audience in mind. With the advent of women-oriented lesbian erotica, the world of erotica is opened up to a more gender-fluid audience. There is something that will appeal to everyone. Here are some examples of good lesbian erotica: "The Club" by A. L. Brooks (Ylva Publishing) – Clubs where people meet to engage their fantasies are a popular trope. The relationships in this book range from your basic hookup to in-depth and loving couples. A twist on an affair is at the heart of "Behind The Green Curtain" by Riley LaShea (self-published). Caton's unscrupulous boss hires her to be the personal assistant to his wife. She questions his motives, but takes the job anyway. Soon, the two women engage in a steamy affair. I wrote a similar short story entitled "Like A Moth To A Flame" with the twist that my main female character is a vampire. She seduces the wife of a man with whom she's having an affair. This story appears in the anthology "Partner Swap", published by Xcite Books. Two women are trapped in an elevator in "Thirteen Hours" by Meghan O'Brien (Bold Strokes Books). At first they are like oil and water but time washes away the differences resulting in a hot read. I'd like to see more lesbian literature, and I definitely want to continue writing it. It has a high comfort level for me and feels natural. It's also fun, and that's the best part about it. ----- Elizabeth Black writes in a wide variety of genres including erotica, erotic romance, horror, and dark fiction. She lives on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and her two cats. Web site: http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethablack Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethABlack Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/elizabethblack Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/b76GWD