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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Books Pantsless Heat and Other Erotic Observations

Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Jul 7, 2009 at 11:28 AM

a123/1246980740-geminiheat.png Yesterday, Penguin UK laid off 100 people. Today, Virgin Books informed their authors that they would not be releasing new titles from their Black Lace or Nexus lines in 2010. Black Lace and Nexus are Virgin book's erotic fiction lines.

Ask any bookseller: If you can't sell erotica, something is very, very wrong. There are seemingly always more bearded, balding men on the tippy edge of middle age just waiting to skulk around in the erotica section before finally buying a copy of Spanking Vixens from the hottest, youngest lady bookseller in the store.

Meanwhile, The American Society of Shitcanned Media Elites is considering a stimulus plan of their own, to pick up the freelancing world by its bootstraps: They could possibly be planning to wear pants on Friday, July 10th.

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Major adult magazines such as Playboy and Penthouse have had to adapt to the changing times, namely the idea that most of this content can be found online for free.

In fact, we may be witnessing the decline of adult periodicals, much the same way as we witness the death of the printed newspaper.

How should erotic fiction be exempt from such economic influences?

Posted by Ackham on July 7, 2009 at 11:35 AM

Gosh. I can order all kinds of classic erotica on my Kindle for 80 cents a shot.

Posted by TVDinner

on July 7, 2009 at 11:38 AM

Your sneering description of the stereotypical creepy erotica purchaser probably has a lot to do with why erotica consumers would rather get their stories from the internet rather than purchase it from a store. (Just making an observation. I have no skin in this game, if you'll pardon the expression, since I am neither balding, near middle-aged, creepy, nor have I ever bought a book of heterosexual erotica)

Posted by john t on July 7, 2009 at 11:49 AM

So Paul, what would you recommend for us bearded, fully-bald, already-tipped-over-into-middle-age types?

Something that doesn't require skulking would be preferable...

Posted by COMTE

on July 7, 2009 at 12:10 PM

Among my friends women consume more lit erotica than men. But whatever.

Posted by PedestrianMe

on July 7, 2009 at 12:11 PM

The skulking itself is way hotter than any of the erotic fiction I've thumbed through (most of which is about as sexy as a model train magazine). I'm a big fan of skulking. Hubba hubba!

Posted by Fnarf

on July 7, 2009 at 12:14 PM

@5 is right. It could be that people are cutting back due to the global recession that Comrade Bush caused, which impacts women more heavily.

Men tend to keep buying pictoral pr0n even during downturns, so they might be less impacted in comparison.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on July 7, 2009 at 12:16 PM

Don't women enjoy and purchase erotica more than men? I'm with @5 here.

Posted by Sir Learnsalot

on July 7, 2009 at 12:38 PM

women prefer erotica because testicles are never mentioned.

i can wait till till you're 40, paul. we'll laugh and point and point and laugh.

Posted by Max Solomon on July 7, 2009 at 1:30 PM

@9: Oh, the mighty testicle gets a mention in most erotica, my friend.

Posted by TVDinner

on July 8, 2009 at 3:10 AM

Paul, you forgot to add "fat" to your list. Some of us are all that, plus "fat", and personally, I'm on the tippy edge of "old". Otherwise, you've pretty much got my number. Keep up the good work.

Posted by Timmytee on July 8, 2009 at 6:12 AM