I know, I know, I talk about Circlet Press a lot, but it has published some of the best erotic fiction in my opinion, and if you love erotica but you haven’t read any of Circlet’s offerings yet, you’re missing out.
Circlet Press have released numerous anthologies that explore the intersection of sensuality, fantasy and science fiction. I always think that short stories are a good place to start because you are more likely to find something you love, without the time investment of reading an entire novel. It’s also a great way to discover erotic writers you might not have heard of before.
Here are a few to get you started:
Best Fantastic Erotica – Erotic sf/f combines erotic and sexual themes with magic, futurism, high fantasy, cyberpunk, space opera, magic realism, and all the many other sub-genres.
Like a Love Triangle – A collection of erotic stories for those who love threesomes, whether in real life or in the realm of imagination.
Charming: Modern Gay Erotic Fairytales – From poisoned apples to polished swords, classic fairy tales are full of sexual imagery. For this anthology, writers found those erotic threads and wove them into stories where the castle is an apartment building in Prague, or the Evil Queen is The Prince’s ex-boyfriend.
Queerpunk – Queerpunk, with its collection of stories that revel in a near-futuristic vision of our own time, investigates the evolution of Queer sexuality under the smog-covered umbrella of urban and technological advancement.
Superlative Speculative Erotica – A collection of stories that reflect many of the genres published by Circlet Press: a little cyberpunk, a little high fantasy, a touch of horror, some superheroes, a bit of space opera, some paranormal.
Apocalypse Sex – With their own demise staring them in the face, the characters in Apocalypse Sex decide to do one thing: have the best sex of their lives. These stories include a range of settings, tones, and sexualities, but they share the feeling of freedom that impending death can provide.
Like a Sword – These are tales of mages and magic, of warriors and princes and forest folk. But not all battles are won with armies, and magic finds its power not just in heart and soul but in body and desire.
And an honourable mention (because I loved the stories in this one, and I also have a story in this one):
Like a Spell: Air – Original stories of magic users, interesting twists on the typical sorcerers and mages. With smut.
V. A. CATES 