Best Lesbian Erotica 2002

This annual smutfest is known for its diversity, offering a naughty sweet for almost every palate. In Betty Blue's "Symphony in Blue," two lovers make a shocking mess with a gallon of blue paint. The swaggering butch bottom of Toni D'Amato's "Lady's Man" earns her leathers and wins her way into the Mistress's bedroom. And in A.J. Miller-Bray's "Full Service," a wheelchair-dependent dyke-on-the-prowl invites her auto mechanic out for a roll. One of the stories, Alison L. Smith's lovely "Johnny," barely qualifies as lesbian porn, but would grace almost any recent short story collection. Recurrent themes suggest that this year's fantasies are of sex on the edge: anonymous encounters (or those plotted to seem anonymous), revenge, and wicked punishments figure large. The editors' inclusive approach means that some readers may do a substantial amount of skipping, but this isn't Sixth Sense; you won't miss the good parts if you blink. --Regina Marler