New Book – Kink Is
A soon-to-be-published book, Kink Is, highlights the real lives and experiences of kinksters from around the world.
I’m excited to announce that a project I’ve been a part of for quite some time is coming to fruition. On September 17, 2024, a new book, Kink Is: An Anthology of Surprisingly Relatable True Stories about Sex, Power, and Joy, will be published. It’s available now for pre-orders.
Rather than describe the book in my own words, here’s the book’s published description.
In this groundbreaking anthology, kinky people from around the world reveal in intimate detail their true stories of embracing the non-traditional practices that have informed or defined their identities, sexualities, relationships, connections, and communities. Filled with first-person narratives and stunning photographs, Kink Is captures the universal presence of kink across cultures, private lives, and public events. In these stories — as vulnerably honest as they are bravely bold — real people share what motivates and animates their desires to experience human-to-human connection in novel ways, most often in the pursuit of increased emotional freedom, physical autonomy, individual power, and mind-altering joy. Featured here are activists, rebels, and professionals alike: Readers will meet a teacher, a technology guru, a priest, a political prisoner, a therapist, an astrophysicist, and a grandmother, among many others across all walks of life. These people come to Kink Is from everywhere, whether living their authentic lives in big cities, tidy subdivisions, or rural outposts. In the end, Kink Is uncovers how common life on the sexual frontier actually is, making this book surprisingly relatable — even for people who think they are not kinky.
This book project was a somewhat unexpected but welcome result of a documentary series project on kink and kinksters I’ve been working on alongside some amazing people.
Our team, collaborating under the collective name Divine Deviance, has been developing a multi-media project highlighting the honesty, freedom, and strength of kinksters who have found their way out of the shadows and living proudly and openly. We think everyday kinksters stand heroically throughout our communities. They exist to help others tell their stories, share their experiences, and celebrate their superpowers discovered through kink.
We’re still working on the documentary series, but in the meantime, we’re overjoyed to be able to deliver to the reading public this remarkable book published by Unbound Edition Press. Because this has truly been a team effort of which I am but a part, here are some thoughts from my cherished collaborators.
Adam Ouderkirk
I love kink because the communication, when it's done right, happens really straightforwardly and aboveboard, then you get to that moment where two people are getting exactly what they want — and it's magic.
Beatrice Stonebanks
Creating this book was a daily reminder of the courage it takes to live authentically; communicating with transparency is not for the light-hearted. I have found the reward of being kinky beyond measure.
Silke Niggemeier
I am so thankful for every courageous voice in this book and the shared moments of joy, passion, wonder and depth. May it reach especially those who judge and cause pain through ignorance of our community and way of life.
Patrick Davis
Unbound Edition Press exists to publish work by fearless writers -- and this anthology is the most fearless effort to date. We are honored to be trusted with the real-life stories of kinksters from around the world.
Jörg Fockele
Lastly, I can’t forget this fine gentleman. The documentary and book projects would never have happened if Jörg had not filmed “Unsung Heroes: The Leather Community of San Francisco honored for World AIDS Day 2015” for the National AIDS Memorial HIV Story Project and been inspired to further investigate the leather and kink communities.
Jörg was incredibly busy with his filmmaking projects when I wrote this and he wasn’t able to provide a quote for this post, but I know how much this book and our entire project means to him. He’s been our mighty leader throughout and we owe so much to him.
We’re also honored that Margaret Cho has been with this project for the long haul and agreed to write the Foreword for the book.
If you’re going to be in San Francisco during Folsom Street Fair, our Kink Is crew will have a booth there. Stop by and say hello. We’ll also be announcing some other book launch events during the week of Folsom Street Fair. Stay tuned.
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