Why write about sex? Erotica is often seen as trivial masturbatory material – several rungs on the literary ladder below ‘proper’ literary fiction, lower even than genre novels and light entertainment. And yet sexuality is such a large part of what makes us human. Erotic writing is an acknowledgement of a side of ourselves that is too often repressed or overlooked.

Erotica represents a fundamental right; the right to feel desire, to experience our own sexuality without shame or fear of judgement. To be turned on by whatever the hell we like.

With the advent of e-books and online publishing, erotic literature is now more widely and easily available than ever before. Interests once considered ‘niche’ can find a home and an audience online. The anonymity of the internet allows us to be more open about our desires than we are in the real world, and for every once-secret fantasy we embrace, we learn the truth; that we are far from alone.

As erotica becomes increasingly popular, and increasingly mainstream, the world moves forward. The sexual revolution reaches its natural conclusion; a society where all shades of the sexual spectrum are embraced and accepted. A world where we are free to love who, and what, we love.

The truth is, human sexuality is a complex construction, a magical mix of our innate proclivites and the sum of our sexual and life experiences. There is no such thing as a weird fetish. We are all unique, different, ‘weird’ in our likes and dislikes. All it takes is a little bravery. The courage to embrace and enjoy who we are, what we like, and what feels good.