Sceptre to publish New Erotica for Feminists

Sceptre has acquired New Erotica for Feminists, a book subverting traditional tropes of erotica in short "hilarious" vignettes.

Hodder has pitched the book as a "wickedly funny satirical stocking filler", calling it a "pithy" feminist response to erotica "with a serious and provocative undertone" informed by the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.

Juliet Brooke, editorial director at Sceptre, bought UK and Commonwealth rights on an exclusive submission from Caspian Dennis at Abner Stein. The book will be publishing as an A-format hardback and e-book on 15th November this year accompanied by a "playful" campaign.

The project originated as a short-form satire article on humour website McSweeney’s, which amassed over a half a million views. Its authors are four American comedy writers, Caitlin Kunkel, Brooke Preston, Fiona Taylor and Carrie Wittmer, who are the co-founders of The Belladonna, a website that responds to today’s culture, news and politics with comedic and satirical takes written by women.

Speaking collectively, the authors said the piece for them had been "a much-needed release valve of laughter during the ever-evolving discussion about toxic gender and power disparities, in and out of the bedroom". 

Brooke commented on the acquisition: "When I read the article in McSweeney’s I just knew I wanted more. The vignettes are incredibly timely and brilliantly funny, but they are also a subversive way of conveying a serious message about sexist culture and political grotesqueries through humour and satire. New Erotica for Feminists will be the perfect stocking filler for every equal opportunities bedroom this Christmas."

The book is now on submission in the US, where the authors are represented by Susan Raihofer at the David Black Agency.