I don’t so readily toot my own horn here at THE SEX FILES. I’d rather throw the spotlight on adult performers, naughty toymakers, writers, who can use me (I love to be used) to present themselves and their wares to you. When I’ve gotten out and about, either to Las Vegas for a kink convention or maybe a strip club event, say at Ricks Cabaret NYC, I give you as much reportage as I can. Admittedly, things have been all but wacky these past few months, and I can’t rightly say when I might next get out to a sex convention. And even though lots of content providers are still providing, there has been a certain mood of ‘duck-and-cover’ out there and not as many people doing as much as they usually do.

Understandable, I think, given our circumstances.

In this particular column, though, I am ‘catching you up’ as it were on my doings. I am sure, like you, I found there is just so much cleaning out a closet/jigsaw puzzle-making/baking I can stand (actually since I work from home doing this writing thing, my work situation didn’t change all that much in the time of COVID). But I did get into something new and what I am about to tell you about is as much about porn stars, juicy sex-positive happenings, and kink as it is about me, so I feel somewhat justified (somewhat) telling you all about my new podcast, Licking Non-Vanilla.

A little bit before the self-quarantine nightmare, I began this podcast with my buddy, fellow erotic writer M. Christian. Along with Reiny Marco (executive producer) and Velvet Minx (associate producer), ‘Chris’ and I man an hour of unexpurgated talk, sometimes talking with top people of the adult world. As of this writing, we have interviewed Octavia Hunter (an adult star of the ’90s, you might remember Octavia from her ‘mainstream’ turn in Paul Thomas Anderson’s movie “Boogie Nights,” she is the thin blonde in the bikini and big sunglasses who OD’s at the pool party at the beginning of the film), Neil, owner of Clips4Sale, and a whole bunch of others. Then there are the shows where Chris and I just gab, over all things sex, from writing smut (and where and how to sell it) exploring technology and sex and the various kinks one could attempt. We also completely ‘geek out’ from time to time, being both stone-cold sci-fi fans.

We even made this list TOP 40 Best Sex Podcasts list from ticklelife.com. In this rundown you can see a whole bunch of other naughty podcasts you might want to check out; I’d advise you to do so.

I know this all seems a bit self-serving, like blogging, putting up a podcast and tweeting, posting on Instagram, pretty much all social media communication does (and is). But as Licking Non-Vanilla circles around the same subject as this column (and I am sure I’ll be plucking live interviews for the show from the people I have featured on here, or getting those we interview on the show to give forth some time here) and it costs fuck-all to listen in to, I thought, why not let you know I am ‘out there’ in this other, completely new-to-me, form.

So, have you been ok during the self-quarantine? I certainly hope you have and that your family is well. All of the above aside, what’s most important is that you and yours remain healthy.

If you are of a mind, listen in to my podcast but mainly stay as positive as you can, and I wish every person good health.