Stef Woods

Laura Meets Jeffrey Book Giveaway

Interested in winning a copy of Laura Meets Jeffrey? Read on to find out more about the book, author and how you can enter this giveaway!

Laura Meets Jeffrey while she’s working in an upscale New York City brothel in 1980 and they share an apocalyptic moment. It’s love at first orgasm. And so begins their double lives in a real life version of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Laura Meets Jeffrey is a love story, a name-dropping, hilarious, shameless erotic cyclone, a documentary of the excesses, dangers and extreme edges of sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll, and a close-up personal history of sexual liberation’s primetime. 



At dinner parties she’s known as a witty lingerie model and jewelry artisan, and a famous film director’s ex-lover. He’s her media wizard boyfriend, a designer discovered by John Lennon who worked for John & Yoko, Apple Records and the Rolling Stones, and then created Puritan, the world’s largest-selling explicit sex magazine. On weekends he boxes with Ryan O’Neal and Jose Torres. 



And at night, in the erotic demimondes of New York, Miami and LA, Laura and Jeffrey romp through waves of drugs and lascivious exploration and dive into S&M, porn star threesomes, orgies, glory holes and sex clubs as our unquenchable libidomaniacs fulfill their wildest fantasies.



The late Norman Mailer wrote the Foreword to Laura Meets Jeffrey and considered his famous interview with Jeffrey and Laura on “Ethics and Pornography,” excerpted as a bonus chapter in this book, one of the best of the more than 600 he gave in his lifetime. Besides bequeathing the Foreword, Mailer gave guidance to this account of two lovers, who missed none of the wild era just before the door slammed shut on sexual freedom and aren’t afraid to reveal all of it. 

“There is no such thing as great sex unless you have an apocalyptic moment.” 

• “The difference between writing and literature is agreeable style and irony. This book has both.” 

• “Objective, funny, salacious and perversely-dare I say it- uplifting!” —- Norman Mailer

“Undeniably brilliant.” — Legs McNeil, legendary punk journalist and author of the book's introduction

“Swimming in audacity.” — Dwayne Raymond

"I LOVE Laura Meets Jeffrey!! It makes me laugh out loud; it makes me horny; it leaves me in awe. It's a very funny book. Michelson writes about sex in a way that blows my mind, and his writing, and the point- counterpoint of his voice with Laura’s, brings them to life. What a fascinating character she is! When I finished Laura Meets Jeffrey there was a void. I miss being there." — Elizabeth Mailer
 
Would you like to meet the co-author, Jeffrey Michelson?  Join us on the Goodreads' "Book of the Month" club on The BDSM Group!
 
Want to hear more from the co-author, Laura Bradley?  Read her interview in the UK Daily Mail!
 
Want to enter to win a hard or electronic copy of Laura Meets Jeffrey?
 
Comment to enter below with the title of the book, "Laura Meets Jeffrey," by Friday, March 15th. One entry per person. The winning comment will be chosen at random by Random.org. A hard copy of the book can only be shipped to a winner in the continental United States. Pursuant to FTC Guidelines, no compensation has been received for this post.

Good luck!

50 Shades Class on The District Dish

I always have a great time being interviewed on The District Dish with Kate Michael of K Street Magazine! This month, I was featured on the show for my class on The 50 Shades Trilogy. I thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to speak at length abut the class and help debunk some of the misperceptions about sexuality studies and what I'm teaching. You can catch the full interview here:

 

 

I learned at the interview that I was the only guest to be featured on The District Dish three times! Some of you might recall my first interview as an anonymous relationship and sex blogger with my face pixeled out. Sixteen months later, I was back at The District Dish table talking about my breast cancer journey and the Komen Race for the Cure. My, how things have changed!

Hope you enjoy the interview!

Pregnant After Cancer

I’m not a fan of pregnancy websites.

I haven’t bought a single book about pregnancy or parenting.

I have little interest in receiving well-intentioned advice from my friends who are moms. Likewise, I'm not one for rejoicing or commiserating much with my friends who are pregnant.

With only three months left to my pregnancy, I only just started a registry.

People who don't realize how much experience I have with infant and child care misperceive my actions – or lack thereof – as denial or uncertainty. I don’t think it’s either.

I’m pregnant after cancer.

More accurately, I’m pregnant:

I’m charting my own unique path yet again. In doing so, I’m trying to navigate the joys and fears of expecting a baby after cancer.

The joys are numerous, and I recognize what a blessing and miracle this is! My body defied the odds to conceive naturally at my age following chemotherapy-induced menopause. And, I’ve thankfully had a great pregnancy thus far. The doctors couldn’t be happier with how she’s developing and how my health is faring. For the first time in my life, I'm hearing words like, "perfect" and "better than normal," in reference to my health!

I also find myself far less stressed than the overwhelming majority of my pregnant friends. I’m used to changes with my health, my weight, my activity level, and my sleep. Doctors’ appointments were already a part of my weekly routine, and I’m actually taking fewer vitamins now than before I was pregnant. Listening to my body, heeding my doctors’ advice, and restricting my schedule as needed have been my default modes.

The concerns that accompany being pregnant after cancer also seem more pronounced.  A cancer patient’s risk of recurrence drops noticeably after five years in remission, and I’m not even halfway to that milestone. I’ve had health issues since I was a baby, and three of my conditions have a genetic component. The doctors also believe that my mom and I carried a genetic predisposition for breast cancer with a gene that has yet to be discovered.

To add another layer to the mix, I am an only child. My daughter will be an only child. I lost my mom to cancer when I was 24 years old. I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 37. (I could have easily titled this post, “Pregnant After Losing Your Mom To Cancer and Then Having Cancer.”)

I know that I will raise my daughter to be aware and proactive about her health. But, I pray that she doesn’t have my genes, as I simultaneously hope that medicine continues to advance with each passing year.

Those concerns exist, but they’re on my mind far less than the larger fear:

That my cancer will return and I won’t be around to watch my daughter grow up.

There, I said it. It doesn’t make the fear any less scary. It doesn’t mean that I have any more control over the situation. But, it’s one explanation for why I’m going to view pregnancy differently from most.

Yes, I’m grateful to be in remission. But, 30% of breast cancers return in a metastatic form. The women who must face a Stage IV recurrence have just as much fight and faith (if not more!) as those whose cancer doesn’t return.

After reading a post from Lisa Adams in which she describes talking to her teenage daughter about her metastatic breast cancer, I sat in front of my laptop and sobbed. I have the same reaction when I read Facebook posts from my friend with a Stage IV recurrence. She just wants to be with her children as much as she can for as long as she can.

I feel my fear when it hits me. I cry for a few minutes. I say a prayer and trust in God's plan. And then, I move on. There’s only so much emotional energy I can devote to the unknown…or a registry…or a pregnancy side effect. I don’t know any other way to be.

Lelo Soraya Giveaway

In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th, Lelo is offering one lucky reader the chance to win a Soraya, one of its premier adult products!

What’s a Soraya, and how can you enter for a chance to win one?

The Soraya is part of Lelo’s award-winning Insignia line of toys. It provides external (clitoral) and internal (vaginal) stimulation with two individual motors. The Soraya features eight different vibrating modes to allow each user to find her perfect level of intensity. The product is sleek with an easy, three-button interface. It’s also waterproof and completely rechargeable. As with all Lelo toys, the Soraya is made of FDA-approved materials and comes with a one-year warranty. You can learn more about the toy and watch a promotional video about it here.

The Soraya dual-action vibrator retails for $199, but you can win one by commenting with the best answer to the following:

Tell a story of a woman in your life or famous female personality who has inspired you the most and why.

This giveaway will run through Friday, March 8, 2013 (International Women’s Day). The lucky winner can reside anywhere in the world. Please only one comment per person. If you’d like to double your chances to win, like Lelo on Facebook. Lelo will be posting its own Soraya giveaway this week!

Check back on Saturday to find out who the lucky winner is. If your entry isn’t chosen, you'll still receive a promotional code to enjoy 20% off any Lelo product!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with International Women’s Day, "it has been observed since in the early 1900's. Annually on March 8th, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more."

Good luck!

* Pursuant to FTC Guidelines, Lelo will provide the winning entry with a Soraya without any compensation to me.

Why I Dislike Maternity Pants

Some women swear by maternity clothes, claiming that they’re so comfortable that they wish they could wear them long after they’re pregnant.

I do not ascribe to this view.

Pregnancy websites attempt to persuade women to start shopping for maternity clothes in their first trimester. By the second trimester, these sites claim that even if a woman doesn’t need to wear maternity clothes, she’ll probably feel better if she does. Talk about pressure to conform and spend even more money while you’re pregnant!

I just entered the third trimester, and I’ve worn maternity pants on four separate occasions. Total.

Why haven’t I wanted to wear maternity clothes? For the simple reason that I haven’t found them to be comfortable at all!

See, maternity pants have a layer of fabric that go over your belly. The extra material just makes your mid section look bigger and doesn't fall inconspicously under any tops. Why would I want to accentuate that area more? And, since I'm tall, if I wear maternity pants over my belly, they look like they're cropped above my ankles.

Maternity Leggings

On vacation two weeks ago, I wore maternity pants one day on the trip. That was the only day I received comments from people at the hotel about being pregnant. Let's do a photo recap to help prove my point.

stef woods, city girl blogs,

My shirt falls naturally over my bump while I'm playing tourist.

Two days later, wearing the same top in a different color with maternity pants underneath. See how the top of the pants draws more attention to the belly? I also had discomfort in my low back after only a few hours since the material is confining. (I didn't do as much walking on this day either. It really was just the pants!)

For those of you who find maternity pants to be comfortable, great! Do — and wear — what works for you! Likewise, I appreciate that some women want to draw attention to their baby bumps. I'm just not one of them. For now, I'll keep my eyes out for the few brands of low-rise maternity pants on the market and continue to wear the few non-maternity pants that still fit for as long as I can.

Seductive Couplets Giveaway

Want to win a Seductive Couplets’ game?

“What’s that?” you might be wondering!

Seductive Couplets emerged organically for a woman in a long-term relationship who observed how easy it is to be in the same physical space as her partner, but not see each other (also known as ‘Roommatitis’). She set the stage with one line and let him discover what delicious surprise she had in store, to the delight of them both.

More and more games popped up, and a funny thing happened! Their good humor leaked out into their practical matters, and their disputes over domestic matters subsided. They developed light-heartedness and playfulness in their interactions, and their bond strengthened, creating an atmosphere of love and appreciation.

She decided to share this delicious boon so that other couples could cure their Roommatitis. Seductive Couplets is a game for everyday couples like you and your partner. Enticing and entertaining scenarios with sample scripts provide a playground where everyday events become as sweet as honey. Seductive role-play transports you through space and time, from a high-stakes showdown in the Wild West to revitalizing your senses under a waterfall in the Amazon. Intimate surprises from your partner keep you both smiling all day long!

Seductive Couplets keep couples bonded using a couple of our most primal gifts: play and carnal pleasure. Slide a card in his pocket or slip one in her intimates’ drawer. Each game has sweet nectar ready to be enjoyed.

Come savor the sweetness inside! Check out the Seductive Couplets’ website for more information about the product.

Want to win a copy of the game? Comment once before Monday, March 4, 2013, for your chance to enter. Your comment must include the phrase, “Seductive Couplets.”

A winner will be chosen randomly by Random.org. The winner must reside in the continental United States to receive the game. Good luck!

* Pursuant to FTC Guidelines, this giveaway is being conducted without direct compensation to me. One free product will be given to the winner reader in exchange for this post.

Halfway There

I had hoped for a photograph from my 18-week sonogram that was worth showing a few loved ones. That didn’t happen, though. Instead, I was given an ultrasound picture that looked as though the fetus came straight out of a Frida Kahlo painting.

If everything was good from a health perspective, though, that's what was important.

My 20-week sonogram was far less uncomfortable than the first. I attribute that to the fact that the radiology technician accepted that fact that Little Bit doesn't like to be disturbed.  The moment that the technician moved the sonogram wand toward her face she put her hand up to try to swat the wand away.

“She doesn’t want to be bothered, does she?” the technician commented.

“That seems to be her default mode,” I said, laughing.

The technician turned on the 4D technology to see her face. I smiled when I saw her lips, nose and chin. Even at 20 weeks, her features were pronounced enough that I could tell whose features she had.

As the technician tried to gently move her for a full-face photograph, she moved her arms up in front of her face.

“She’s a smart and stubborn one!” the technician exclaimed.

“I’ve heard that before,” I replied, laughing.

He took the best picture that he had of her face and printed it out. Now, this picture was a keeper!

When he moved on to measure my cervical length, he commented that everything was perfect. Little Bit looked great, and my cervix was measuring almost a centimeter better than expected.

The following week in my monthly appointment with Dr. OB, she also uttered the words, "great," and "perfect." I doubted that I would ever hear those words with respect to my health and not feel both surprised and grateful.

I was more than halfway through my pregnancy. With each week and each pair of non-maternity pants that no longer fit, I realized how real this was.

Am I Normal? E-Book Giveaway

So where do you go to find information about female sexuality?

If you consider looking in your local bookstore, don’t be surprised if you don’t find much. Unfortunately, very few resources for this important subject are available to women (or men). This lack of clear and concise information inspired board certified OB/GYN Dr. Diana Hoppe and sexologist and therapist Dr. Jennifer Gunsaullus to write Am I Normal?

Am I Normal? provides clear, accurate, and simple-to-read information that gives you permission to finally understand, explore and “know” the depths of your body physically, emotionally and spiritually. Female sexuality is an incredibly complex topic, and this e-book will get you started and more comfortable with each intriguing aspect of it. It’s just the beginning of connecting to an exciting and intimate you and a feminine identity that may have been long suppressed!

Each chapter in Am I Normal? will focus on one critical step in your journey towards better understanding your body. Chapter 1 examines the intriguing history of female sexuality, and Chapter 2 informs readers about female sexual body parts. Chapter 3 and 4 will guide you to reflect on what you’ve learned about sexual topics and where you stand now. Chapter 5 takes you through the important topic of body image and insecurities, and Chapter 6 will assist you in exploring your body regarding sensation and pleasure. All chapters include worksheets to help you connect with your own sexual identity. These chapters and worksheets are information-rich and guide you in the process of discovering a new, more aware, woman within you! 

I enjoyed the e-book's blend of education with a focus on personal exploration through the worksheets. The authors also manage to convey information in a way that's fun and accessible for women of a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

Want to win a copy of Am I Normal? Comment once before Monday, February 25th for your chance to enter. Your comment must contain the following phrase:

Am I Normal? Yes!

A winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org. One lucky winner will receive an e-copy of the book to their Kindle or mobile app. Additional copies of Am I Normal? may be purchased for $4.97 via Amazon.com. Good luck!

* Pursuant to FTC Guidelines, I am conducting the giveaway and arranging for a copy of the e-book to be given to the winner at my own expense.

50 Shades Class on SiriusXM Radio

I had such a wonderful time talking to Moll Anderson on her radio show for SiriusXM earlier this month! We chatted about the 50 Shades class, the success of the book series, and what I would do to improve the trilogy!

 

Catch my segment starting at minute 13 of the podcast.


Podcast Powered By Podbean

 
Hope you enjoy the show! And, Moll, you have an open-ended invitation to attend any of my classes if you happen to be in DC!

 

Sex: Mind full or Mindful with Dr. Jenn

"We don't talk about the complexity of sexuality. What happens when we don't talk about it is that sexuality ends up in the shadows, and that is where we have shame, embarrassment, exploitation, abuse, and fear."  ~Jennifer Gunsaullus, PhD

Dr. Jenn is a sociologist, sex therapist, and public speaker. I'm also thankful to call her a friend. I thoroughly enjoyed the video of her entertaining and informative talk at a recent TEDxWomen event in San Diego, California. (And, yes, I say that with all bias aside.)

Given that Valentine's Day is tomorrow, we're inundated with media attention and marketing campaigns that emphasize how we need to express our love and passion…on this one day only! Dr. Jenn's TED talk and email tips for Mindful Sex help to remind us to be in touch with our feelings and sexuality everyday!