See You At Northwest Leather Celebration 2019!

I'm THRILLED: in less than a week, I'll be attending the wonderful kink-fest that is Northwest Leather Celebration 2019!

In addition to meeting all kinds of pervy people, I'm going to be teaching two classes:

Clothespins: The Kinky Wondertoy (Saturday,10:45 am12:15 pm)

Sure, they look innocent enough but in a skilled hand, a clothespin (wooden or plastic) can be a beautifully viscous toy. Applied to genitals and breasts they can make even the most hardened of bottoms squirm with delight. In this class, lessons will be taught in how to select the right clothespin for the job, safe ways of applying them, how to easily modify them in all kinds of fiendish ways, the physics and physiology of what makes clothespins so intense, the sweet intensity of zippers, cautions and concerns, and where to apply them to a human body to get the best effect.

Basic Bondage: Tie Me Up On A Budget (3:00 pm - 4:30 pm)

Sure, they look innocent enough but in a skilled hand a clothespin (wooden or plastic) can be a beautifully viscous toy. Applied to genitals and breasts they can make even the most hardened of bottoms squirm with delight. In this class, lessons will be taught in how to select the right clothespin for the job, safe ways of applying them, how to easily modify them in all kinds of fiendish ways, the physics and physiology of what makes clothespins so intense, the sweet intensity of zippers, cautions and concerns, and where to apply them to a human body to get the best effect.

See you there!

See You At Sin In The City!

(From R.Greco and M.Christian Presents)

This is so thrilling: in just a few days Ralph and Chris will be not just attending but also teaching our class, Tit-Torture For Boobs: A Breast Play Intensive, for great folks at Sin In The City, Las Vega

Tit-Torture For Boobs: A Breast Play Intensive

Breast play offers wonderful opportunities for intensely powerful play - but also comes with serious, even dangerous, risks. In this breasts-on seminar, participants will learn how to treat tits, both male and female, with exactly the right measure of sensuality and intensity to play well but also safely. Clothespins, nipple clamps, pinching, suction devices, gentle impact, bondage, and more will be demonstrated - as well as how to deliver effective aftercare. Additionally, participants will be given instruction in first aid, the dangers of breast play, and the limits of what boobs can take.

THE SEX FILES: What I Did, (Not Exactly) On My Summer Vacation

(from R.Greco And M.Christian Presents)

Check out this WONDERFUL write up by Ralph on our very fun trip to Las Vegas and attending Sin In The City!

(from Short And Sweet NYC)

It rolled around just recently that my buddy, famous dirty scribe, kink class teacher M. Christian and I were invited, once again, to Sin in The City, in Las Vegas. Chris and I managed to teach at this convention three years ago, when it was held at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, a mere week before it was torn down. (This is the casino that stands in as the “Tangiers” in the movie Casino). Way back when, we had a grand old time teaching our dirty writing class, a cupping class and one on alternate bondage. This year we came in to manage the writing class and alt. bondage again, with Chris also managing double duty as one of the judges of the conventions’ International PERSON of Leather Contest.

Last time I was in town for this particular convention, I met and interviewed Dr. Victoria Hartmann at the Erotic Heritage Museum (see here) which proved to be one of those serendipitous moments for me, as I have come now to not only work for the EHM but call Dr. V one of my friends. This trip, I managed to get down to the EHM once again, to ‘take a meeting,’ as well as see my friend Dr. V. Alas, I wished I had had the time beyond just this short weekend to hang more with her and her wonderful husband Rev. Phil, a major player in infamous World Naked Bike Ride, that happens around the world). But there is just so much time during a quick weekend jaunt.

The convention happened slightly off the strip (across from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino) at the spacious and lovely Alexis Park All Suites Resort. It’s a very comfortable, multi-building, multi-pool space, each room a suite and very welcoming to the people who attend SITC. On these weekends you will catch most of the attendees in various forms of ‘interesting’ attire (sometimes out of it) and a hotel where one feels comfortable to dress how they want is most welcomed. In fact, I had occasion to speak briefly with someone manning the check-in desk and heard how the Sin-sters were a true delight to the hotel staff.

Time and again, I hear and see how kinksters really turn out to be the most polite and sweetest folks you might ever want to meet.

Chris and I availed ourselves of Lyft the best we could, seeing how that service and Uber has taken quite a bite out of the taxi business in town (and rightly so, with taxis being so pricey). I managed some gambling, the Willy Wonka slots pulling me in (yes, I am a big time gambler, I know) but mainly Chris and I walked the strip to see what there was to see…basically lots of people about on the Super Bowl weekend, a new observation Ferris Wheel and hotels and casinos pretty much crushing on top of one another on the strip.

Now, either, Chris and I are doing things right, or the bribes we pass around are finally reaching their intended targets (kidding about this last bit) but we received quite a few compliments over our two classes. At one point a very nice lady came up to congratulate us both about the writing class (this was the first class we had for the weekend) gave us a both a big hug each and said she’d be attending our second class to be sure…which she did. We saw plenty of people return in fact, even though that second class was 9am Sunday morning. Feedback like this, as much makes you feel like a rock star (with a little r) as it is really a good barometer for us that we are doing something right. Yes, these conventions always hand out pencils and report cards for the audience to rate teachers after each class, but Chris and I never see these results. A person taking the time to say hi to us in the lobby, give us a hug or after class stop up to our table and keep asking questions, means so so much to us.

And being the sociable animals (ok sluts) that we are, Chris and I love to gab with everybody.

I got lucky, through my connections at Vintage Rock (yeah sorry, I write for other sites than just S&SNYC here) to catch Styx and Don Felder at their residency at The Venetian Hotel. It was a two-hour greatest hits extravaganza of classic rockers showing off how well they can still do that which they have been doing for decades.

I can’t rightly say how the Sin In The City dungeon play spaces were as I did not step into any and Chris and I were in our beds by the latest eleven across the weekend (crazy Vegas parties/kinksters that we are) but we had a grand time and hope Sin will have us back. Mainly, and we never say this aloud to the people who have us to these conventions (so shhh, don’t tell anybody) but for Chris and I, he living in the San Francisco Bay Area and me in Northern N.J., the best part of being invited to these conventions is that Chris and I get to hang-out and see one another where we don’t get to do this all that often. Thanks Sin In The City 2018, it was another great time!

We're Going To SIN IN THE CITY!

(From R.Greco And M.Christian Presents)

This is going to be a BLAST!  We're not only going to be attending and teaching for the upcoming Sin In The City (Las Vegas), February 2nd to the 4th, but M.Christian is a judge for their International Person Of Leather contest!

The schedule is still being worked out but we will be teaching our fan-favorite classes, Sex Sells: How To Write and Sell Erotica and Alternative Bondage: Beyond Rope And Restraints.

Info on Sin In The City is here - and below are the descriptions of the classes.  

SEE YOU THERE!

Sex Sells: How To Write and Sell Erotica

The market for erotic fiction and nonfiction is booming! There actually is a secret to writing great erotica - and you'll discover just what that is in this fun, hands-on workshop with well-known erotica writers and teachers R.Greco and M.Christian. For the beginning writer, erotica can be the ideal place to begin writing, getting published, and - best of all - earning money. And for the experienced writer, erotica can be an excellent way to beef up your resume and hone your writing skills. M. Christian and R.Greco will review the varieties of personal and literary expression possible in this exciting and expanding field. He'll also teach you techniques for creating love and sex scenes that sizzle. Plus: current pay rates, how to write for a wide variety of erotic genres, where and how to submit your erotic writing, and more.

Alternative Bondage: Beyond Rope And Restraints

While immensely popular among beginning BDSM aficionados – as well as long-time players – restraining a person always carries with it the possibility of serious injury. But that doesn’t have to be: in this special class participants will not just learn how to use rope, restraints and many other traditional bondage devices and techniques effectively and safely but also that there is an entire universe of new and exciting ways of making someone stay put ... in a very erotic and sensual way.

Beat Me In St. Louis (BMISL) was AMAZING!

(from R.Greco and M.Christian Presents)

To all the folks great behind, and attending, Beat Me In St. Louis (BMISL) we want to give an ernest and heartfelt THANK YOU: everything was a delight and beyond.  If you ever have the chance to attend you really should - hands-down this is our favorite event to teach for or just attend.

In a word:

Bravo!

We're Going To Beat Me In St. Louis - AGAIN!

(from R.Greco and M.Christian Presents)

This is wonderful and then some!  The kinky act of one R. Greco and one M.Christian are pleased and proud to be coming (and then some) back for another year of wild classes and fun, fun, fun at the one-and-only Beat Me In St. Louis on March 24th to the 26th!

We'll be spreading the love of what we'll be teaching soon!

Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday - BDSM Creatives Next Meeting!

Let's the trumpets sound and the banners fly: next Monday, June 13th, is the next get-together of the BDSM Creatives Support Group at the SF Citadel!

Bring your smiles, your artwork, your whatever-you-want ... see you there!

Here's the event info

If you like to paint, make music, write, build things, craft toys, or just let your imagination run wild in all kinds of directions ... AND you're beautifully kinky, come join your fellow artistic community members at the BDSM Creatives Support Group!

Here will be a positive, non-judgmental space where you can mix your flair for art with your passion for BDSM. Come share experiences, network, receive encouragement, be inspired, vent your frustrations, share your skills, learn new techniques, or just hang out among other fun people who share your passion for sex AND creativity!

We'll be having regular monthly meetings at the SF Citadel – and working on munches, art crawls, show and tells, special classes, expeditions, and cooperative kinky projects. Make time to make things -- and make friends!

See You At Baycon!

This is gonna be a blast: I'm going to be attending Baycon on Saturday, May 28th and having fun on quite a few panels.

Here's my schedule - hope to see you there!

New art mediums-What is out there?
Saturday 11:30 - 13:00, Connect 1 (San Mateo Marriott)
Discussion and examples of art items and new ways of creating art. ( Can include tech items and computer programs!)
Amy-Elyse Neer, M Christian (M), Mr. Chris Butler

The good, The Bad, And The WTF of Cover Art
Saturday 14:30 - 16:00, Connect 1 (San Mateo Marriott)
Forget judging the book by its cover, sometimes you can't even identify it. Our panelists discuss highs and lows and just plain weird in the world of cover art.
Megan O'Keefe (M), Kathleen Bartholomew, Thaddeus Howze, M Christian, Deirdre Saoirse Moen

Publishing Wishlists
Saturday 16:00 - 17:30, Connect 6 (San Mateo Marriott)
What editors of magazines, blogs, and indie publishers are looking for or NOT looking for. How to wow us and get your story/article published.
Emerian Rich (M), Sumiko Saulson, M Christian

Putting Sex In Sci-Fi
Saturday 17:30 - 19:00, Collaborate 2 (San Mateo Marriott)
18 AND OVER ONLY, PLEASE.
Our panelists discuss the inclusion of sex (including kinky sex) in genre literature or media, what works and what doesn't.
M Christian (M), Christophe Pettus, Inejiro Koizumi

THE SEX FILES: Beat Me in St. Louis – Part 2

- and here's part 2 of Ralphie's fantastic write-up about our trip to St. Louis!

Crazy kinksters that Chris and I are…we were in bed that first night by nine (separate beds, in our own rooms, solo). We woke early enough to get a good filling breakfast in the hospitality suite (again, the variety of hot food was astounding), then we buzzed around the room where we would be giving our first class, “Tit Torture 101.” I conceded to the master for this particular class, letting Chris run the show and demonstrations; I tend towards introducing us, picking-up on who is raising their hands during the hour and half talk, handing Chris what he might need, introducing people helping us out. For the classes before ours, we sauntered by various rooms and I learned that though the percentage of the people here this weekend had booked for the entire Friday/Saturday/Sunday stay, a good amount also purchased tickets for just this Saturday (a day pass) or even managed over-the-weekend tickets. Yes STL3 could boast a great turn-out; Chris and my class alone had sitting-room-on-the-floor-only.

We had a blast, didn’t lose a soul in the hour and a half, fielded good questions, heard lots of laughter and welcomed a wonderfully busty ‘demo’ lass who stood at the head of the room while Chris showed some firm but fun (and not so very intense) ways one might enjoy clothespins.

Among thank you’s and back slaps, we went to get some lunch after the class, and also made plans with our driver to get out a bit. Chris and I decided to have the guy simply run us to the metro train station a mere ten minutes away, instead of having him have to take us downtown, drop us off, come back for us, etc. (which seemed a needless abuse of the guy’s good nature and time) sometime after our second class, “Cupping.”

The thing you best learn when giving a class, especially to adults possibly as knowledgeable as you on a given subject, or having maybe tried what you are teaching, or those aching to learn about it, is to be humble enough to make your presentation less a lecture and more a conversation. This is how Chris and I conduct our classes; anybody at any time can raise their hand and ask a question, offer-up an idea, or give an example and if there are professionals in the crowd, we defer to them.

And we did in the cupping class.

Going around the room making introductions, asking who has tried what, when and how of the ancient art of cupping (heating the air in a small glass ‘cup’ then suctioning it on someone’s skin to pull out toxins) we found a man who was actually a professional massage therapist who used cupping in his everyday practice. Chris and I had the young guy and his lady sit to the side of us, at the head of the ballroom and we went to him for asides, questions and advice. You’re sure to miss a great deal if you simply stand-up in front of a group of people and pontificate for an hour and half and don’t think those people might have something worthwhile to say.

Chris managed three cupping demonstrations on the massage table provided (all on people’s backs, though we assured all, heated suction works wonders in kink play on various spots of the body) and left again feeling we had reached folks and they us.

In both our Saturday classes, the powers-that-be had attendants to set up chairs, help us, monitor and in fact for our first class, we asked for and received some supplies we had forgotten, even though we asked for them only an hour before the class began. Yes, these folks were efficient.

‘The Arch,’ was a mere four or five stops straight in by train, across the muddy Mississippi, this recognizable American marvel sitting at the edge of the water. We took a spin around, took some cell phone pics (but not selfies!) walked the streets, then got back on the train, called our good man to pick us up at the station minutes before we arrived, got in his car and back to the hotel in around an hour and a half trip.

Chris and I were bound and determined to make the midnight buffet this night and going off to bed for a quick nap, we set our alarms for 11:30. All attendees were pretty much in attendance for the pot stickers, egg rolls, fruit and cheese (our driver had assured us this was well attended), loading-up before they stepped into the dungeon for the night. After eating, Chris and I made our way to the hospitality suite again where we talked with some great great people/presenters, about what to see next time we were in town (this wacky wonderful place for sure) and generally sharing laughter and good stories until one in the morning.

We had a 10 am writing class to teach come Sunday, and though there were only two people in the seats when we got there, by about ten minutes in we had a nice tight class of a good grouping of folks. This is where Chris and I really shine, having a true passion for writing that feeds off one another. Again, we ran this class informally, led more by conversation than instruction (this wasn’t a class for professional writers per say, but people who wanted to unlock that specific creative gene by taking pen to paper/fingers to keyboard). The hour and a half flew by as we took questions, gave forth our own horror writing trials and learned what was on people’s minds that they were doing with their work.

Lunch (again), goodbye hugs, our driver taking us to the airport-the three of us laughing like high schoolers-Chris and I in the airport sipping coffees, revising our class listings, marveling over the great time we had, then hugging an hour later, he on a plan to SFO, me to Newark, I thought, with a head spinning realization looking out the plane window, did it all really happen?

Again below are the websites for STL3’s stuff and their new venue. I cannot express how wonderful it was to attend and teach at Beat Me In St. Louis 2016, how warm and fun the people there were and how great it was just spending time with my great buddy (I get to see him all to infrequently, really.)

Spanksgiving

STL3.com

The Gateway Alternative Lifestyle Center

THE SEX FILES: Beat Me in St. Louis – Part 1

(from R.Greco And M.Christian Presents)

Check out this wonderful post by Ralph Greco on Short & Sweet NYC about our fantastic trip to St. Louis to teach for the great folks at Beat Me In St. Louis!

THE SEX FILES: Beat Me in St. Louis – Part 1

By: Ralph Greco

It’s another one of those, ‘so, let me tell you what I did for my summer vacation’ reports here at THE SEX FILES for this week. You know how I like to keep you abreast (or two) of my naughty journeying, my adventures with the like-minded, paint juicy pictures of the places I have been and the people I have seen. This working vacation kink weekend was one of the best trips I have ever been on.

I took a trip two weeks ago to St. Louis to give some classes, as much as to hang with one of my most bestest buds, fellow smut writer and my partner in teaching those classes, M. Christian. We were invited by the STL3, a non-profit organization with hundreds of members, who host and produce both the Spanksgiving & Beat Me in St Louis events every year (Chris and I were being flown-out and put up for Beat Me). For the past 20 years, STL3 has been delivering these August get together’s for St. Louis kinksters-and lots of men and women who come in from parts way beyond-and I am here to tell you they have this down cold!

From our ‘pick up’ at the airport, our volunteer driver (an actual ex-cab driver, among his many talents and jobs), whose name will remain a secret (but who Chris and I instantly took to) showed us top notch hospitality. Really, we were in expert hands, as our driver took us the half and hour from the airport in Missouri over a beautiful bridge spanning the Mississippi into Illinois (catching a good look at the famous Gateway Arch and hearing some interesting info about it), informed us of other sights along the way and had us joking and laughing. Chris and I tend to be slightly insular when we hang, it’s something we both work hard on trying not to be, but as a result of not getting to see one another so much we do get to talking in a way I fear sometimes excludes folks around us. But with our driver (for reasons of privacy I can’t really tell you anyone’s name of the people we met at this event) we just fell right in line like a trio of buds who had known one another for years, joking, throwing out asides and arcane references, so much so when we landed at our hotel, we didn’t even want to get out of the car!

Checked in at both the hotel and for the event, Chris and I dropped our bags and got acclimated. This mid-afternoon saw a goodly amount of folk already in, but for the most part this was the day old friends got to see one another for the first time in a long time, or people were getting a lay of the land. I have been to a handful of kink conventions where the organizers have enough attendees to rent out the entire hotel, and such was the case with STL3, as they have been at full occupancy at this event for some time. It’s just simply easier when people can walk around comfortable enough to know that everyone in their immediate influence shares the same sensibilities, outfits (or lack of them) and can go by unnoticed, or appreciated at the very least, and feel safe and secure.

Chris and I already suspected that from the way the reservations had been handled, that this group had everything working like clockwork. On the way in our driver gave us a crash course on how the STL3 had one person for one job, a guy or gal who did that job well and was part of a crack-jack working whole organization who didn’t micromanage. But when we entered the hospitality suite, started shaking hands and met the organization’s head/event chairperson and his officers you could tell right away this was a congenial group who did what they did well because simply they wanted things to run well. Instantly you realized there was no ego here, at least not in the sense that one person’s hubris got in the way. Big, fun personalities, all, stained (in a good way) with a mid-western sociability Chris and I instantly took to.

You simply could not love every single one of these people enough, really…and the freaking food cooked for us presenters each meal and everyday was spectacular. There was lots of it and of a great variety, snacks and drinks all day too. This is no small point (and to an east-coast Italian boy food is most important), but presenters at these events are often shown a hospitality table that consists of bags of chips, water, maybe a smattering of sad sandwiches come lunch time. Hardly ever do you get three squares, of hot food, cooked by the main dude of the event (a very good cook indeed), copious amounts of snacks (both healthy and not so…guess which I partook of) all day long, plus the STL3 hosted midnight gourmet buffets for everyone.

As for the actual ‘meat and taters’ of the kinks going on about us?

At seven thirty or so, after grabbing dinner, meeting more folks, managing the requisite round of coffees and checking where our classes would be the next day (and even managing to nap for a few hours…by the way, the rooms were perfect, big, clean, etc.) Chris and I stepped into the big ballroom on the ground floor of the hotel to witness the opening ceremony welcome from the STL3 head. He really is a congenial guy, tends to go for big laughs and naughty asides; Chris and I really came to love him, truth be told. Then we took a few steps around what was a make-shift big dungeon area (10,000 sq ft of it actually). Various players were engaging in spanking, some rope bondage, various other pursuits, all under the watchful eyes of DM’s (dungeon masters), and the same was true for what was happening in the smaller Medical Room adjacent. For most conventions of this type the dungeon is what a good percentage of the people come to partake in, and the STL3’s dungeon was run very professional indeed.

This is no vanilla event to be sure, only kinksters are welcome here.

In part two of this report I’ll get into the classes Chris and I taught (there ended up being over 40 classes for this weekend), seeing the famous Arch and all the rest of our adventuring with the wonderful folks at Beat Me In St. Louis.

For now, check out their three primary links and what’s happening from them in the near future:

(Nov 18th – 20th) – Spanksgiving

The STL3.com website.

GatewayALC.com–The Gateway Alternative Lifestyle Center-STL3’s ‘venue’.