Headed to Warmer Climes

One of the advantages of the winter months is that they encourage me to stay indoors and write. I’ve been feeling pretty productive: two short stories for two different collections, a chapter on “How To Train Your Sex Slave” for The Ultimate Guide to Kinky Sex,edited by Tristan Taormino (to be published later this year), and a secret project (#sekritproject) with Cecilia Tan and Midori.

I’m inspired to do more writing by my literary agent, Lori Perkins, who is also the Editorial Director of Ravenous Readings. Ravenous Romance is the publisher of my novel, Cinema Erotica.

After a while, though, the cold does seep into my bones, so I’m quite happy (and, frankly, relieved) to have a break from New York’s multiple snow storms and freezing temperatures with a trip to Phoenix for the annual Southwest Leather Conference.


The Southwest Leather Conference focuses on merging leather sexuality with leather spirituality. Known by many as the “woo-woo” conference, it’s not one where you’d expect to find me, giving a keynote. I sure didn’t! But the producers did ask, they are friends, and I will be giving the Sunday brunch address.

Let’s remember: they asked for it.

In addition to the speech, I am presenting my ever-popular protocol workshop, and, in keeping with the theme of the Conference, I will also present a special workshop on the leather-themed Passover seder that my wife and I created, over 10 years ago. Avadim Hayeinu, which is Hebrew for Once We Were Slaves, is our entirely kosher Passover seder, with a heavy emphasis on the themes of slavery and freedom, taken from rabbinical sources. (Is anyone surprised that my spiritual identity comes with nearly 5,000 years of back-up documentation?)

After a week home, I’ll then be headed to the Midwest for Winter Wickedness, in Columbus, Ohio. I am offering two of my newer workshops here: The Marketplace as a Model, and The Revenge of the Middle Aged Guard. But mostly I’m looking forward to the event itself: this is the first time I’m attending Winter Wickedness, and I’ve heard great things about it.


(They want me to keynote here, too. When will you people learn?!)