Existential Smut

“I think, therefore I am, said Descartes. First of all, I am. Then comes thinking. Said the existentialists. And Existential Smut seeks to give this primacy its prerogative – to seek truth in our blunt nakedness. The short stories in the volume very cleverly and stirringly address the blunt play on the one hand, the tangled aberrations on the other, that our urge for lust can result in…..One should not expect porn from this anthology (although porn is widely discussed). It is literature, good literature, that made me think. What greater praise can you give a booklet? (A Librarything Reviewer)

“This book is different. The stories and essays contained within may tickle the libido at times, but it’s the mind they spike. Through his unnamed narrator and character Lisa, Hapax Legomenon explores and debates the nature of erotica, its value as an art form, and whether it should even exist at all. Some of the stories are light and others tragically dark. Some a tightly contained bundle and others open-ended and up for interpretation. Then there are the interludes that are tied to the stories that add another layer to the narrative, and a whole section of first time/last time flash fiction. Honestly, there’s a lot going on in this book … I’ll just sum things up by saying I enjoyed it, it made me think, and I see myself revisiting a number of the stories after they’ve had time to roll around in my head for awhile. “(A Goodreads Reviewer)

“There’s something addictive about your prose – I know what Prince Shahryar must have felt while listening to Scheherazade’s 1001 Nights. Love the interludes too. Some of the conversations seem eerily like the ones I have had with my partner. “

“Wonderfully done. Dialogue, pacing, setting, characters, premise, everything. While in one moment I’m annoyed that I am so hooked that now I know I’ll have to go read every single one written since then, I’m also hoping they’re longer, because it’s such a pleasure to read.”

“This has to be one of the more unusual serial erotic fiction offerings that I’ve come across. The basic story arc involves a young man writing about erotic fantasies to a woman named Lisa. He and Lisa are not involved, but she is reading his fantasies due to a deal that they struck one day after having an argument about privacy and fantasy. The stories tend to be cerebral stand alone meditations upon the erotic, or silly vignettes. They are not explicit in the least. I think that these stories will be most popular with those who enjoy literary titillation served up with intellectual debate.” (Jane’s Guide)

“Really well done and balanced with a great ending. Yes, love is difficult to happen because males and females have different rules for love. That is why the one who loves suffers till he is enlightened (if he is lucky).”

“I enjoyed this short story a lot. It really made me think about my own relationship with my wife and the feelings of trying to understand and appreciate even the things about her which are not as intriguing to me — simplistic romance movies, shopping….”

For more responses from readers, check the Reader Feedback Page (with links to Goodreads, Librarything, etc.)