Got a Minute? - erotic book by Cleis Press Inc. - review by Sammi

Got a Minute? I can usually fit in a minute or two somewhere in my crazy days, whether it’s waiting for someone in my car, hiding in the bathroom for a few, or those moments right before bed when the house is blissfully silent except for the stereo snoring of my husband and dogs. And during these times, I like to sneak in times to read.

Got a Minute? (60 second erotica) is an oversized paperback anthology. It was first published by Cleis Press in 2007: this is a subsequent printing from 2010 with a forward by Thomas S. Roche, author of hundreds of erotic short stories. It’s edited by Alison Tyler, a writer I’m coming to enjoy more and more, and whose stories have appeared in hundreds of erotic collections.

I knew when I picked up this book that the title referred more to the shortness of the stories rather than detailed stories about fast sex, and indeed, I found that to be the case. With 60 stories packed into 222 pages, the stories are all under 1500 words, with a few that are only 3-4 paragraphs long. Most of the stories will take a bit longer than 60 seconds to read, but all are easily read in under 5 minutes.

Some of the stories are really too short, and don’t leave you wanting more or thinking about them after you’re done. Others feature hot and fast sex; still others manage to have longer encounters within their few pages. For the most part these are the stories that I found exciting and more arousing.

The stories in this collection feature quite a variety. From vanilla sex to BDSM, solo dreams to couple play (mostly, but not entirely, between a man and woman) to quick three-ways, there’s a little something for everyone: phone sex, chance encounters, voyeurism, peep-hole sex, spanking and bondage. Sex at home is as likely as sex away. The stories range from first person to third person and some are even laid out as scripts or questionnaires.

While not all of the stories were particularly arousing for me, there were several that definitely were, most (but not all) having some element of control and domination. Some of my favorites:

“Squeaky Clean” by Shanna Germain – A woman cleans her sex toys in the sink, thinking about the previous night and what’s to come.

“The Test” by Xan West - She's asked to be taken on as a novice by a man. He pulls her into a bathroom stall by her collar to see if she’ll pass his test.

“The Rider” by Clare Moore - This tale takes the idea of a quickie to heart, as Bess lusts after a Pony Express rider. He only has 2 minutes when he arrives at the station to dismount and change horses to continue his ride. Bess is fully ready to make the most of their short time together, and so is the rider.

“What She Hath Deserved” by Alison Tyler – She’s been bad and has to think of a suitable punishment. She asks to write a script, and is given an hour to complete it. Will the script name her punishment, or the discarded pages?

“As She Was Told” by Tenille Brown - Stephanie lies on a hotel bed, doing as she’s been told. She’s never questioned what he’s asked, even when he’s not there to make sure she does it. And with the curtains open, what if a maintenance man should happen by the window?

“The Magazine” by Bonfils - When he comes home early from work, he finds his woman looking guilty. She’s found one of his favorite dirty magazines, and he’s inspired to take control and have her read, amongst other things.

“The Last Good-Bye” by Alison Tyler - Connor calls and tells her to be ready. When he arrives with flowers and a crop, she knows she’ll be facing more of her “fucked-up” fantasies that she’s revealed to him.

Overall, Got A Minute? is a good collection with a wide variety of stories. While some of them may not arouse you, others will make you want to seek out a 60 second or longer encounter of your own.