The last time I was at IML was in 2010, when I was one of the judges of the event. It was that experience that finally pushed me into writing “The Killer Wore Leather.” While “Killer” had been in the back of my mind for a long time, being surrounded by 50+ hot men all competing for the title was definitely inspiring. (Did I mention hot?)

And then, IML Founder and Executive Producer Chuck Renslow read “The Killer Wore Leather.” Here’s what he said: “Laura Antoniou has a winner in The Killer Wore Leather. Her grasp of the leather contest scene is erie. She captures all the fun and all the drama of these events. You’ll swear you’ve alreaqdy met many of her characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it really made me laugh.”

With such praise as that, how could I NOT attend IML this year?  This time, I’ll be reading and signing books at this amazing event. Here’s where to find me:

• Friday, May 25th: signing books in the Vendor space at the Leather Archives & Museum from 4-6pm
• Saturday, May 26th: Reading and booksigning in the Great America Room, 6th Floor, 12-1
• Saturday, May 26yth: signing books in the Vendor space at the Leather Archives & Museum table from 4-6 pm
• Sunday, May 27th: signing books in the Vendor space at the Leather Archives & Museum table from 12-2 pm

The folks behind International Mr Leather encourage you to find me, and buy the book.

This book is a MUST READ! Whether you’re a neophyte or a title contest regular, Laura has perfectly captured the passion, the protocol, the strange and sometimes bizarre shenanigans that surround leather title events. All in good fun with many well placed pokes because …well …because they needed poking. All that, and a delightful murder mystery too! Whether title events are your thing or not does not matter. This made me laugh. It will make you laugh. A lot! In the end, one person gets stabbed. And a community is lovingly skewered. Jon Krongaard, Coordinator of International Mr Leather Inc.

See you in Chicago!

from Cleis Press: 

Editor and talk show host Judith Regan interviews Laura Antoniou about The Killer Wore Leather, her tongue-in-cheek mystery set at a leather convention, and they discuss the interest in sexually explicit fiction among women, thought to be on the rise. Join these two legendary women for a no-holds-barred conversation and an evening of intrigue and insight at Barnes & Noble on May 20th, or watch them discuss the phenomenon on Joy Behar: Say Anything!

Nobody knows publishing like Judith Regan, with wildly popular acquisitions ranging from The Game to Wicked. Laura Antoniou has a developed a loyal following for The Marketplace, a series of erotic fiction that captured the dynamics of BDSM long before 50 Shades of Grey had emerged. Both women contributed to 50 Writers on 50 Shades of Grey (Lori Perkins), a comprehensive examination of the phenomenon. Laura and Judith have been on the cutting edge of writing, always a step ahead of the trends, and are perfectly poised to discuss the current climate of publishing and writing from an insider perspective.

Join Laura and Judith at Barnes and Noble to learn more.

50 Shades of Fascinating
Monday, May 20th, 7pm
Barnes & Noble
2289 Broadway, New York, NY

On The 20th of May, I head to the Upper West Side’s Barnes & Noble to have a conversation with talk show host Judith Regan about the future of BDSM fiction. I’ll be riffing on some of the things I have talked about in the Advocate article, and over the last 20 years as a smut writer. I’m pretty excited about this interview – I met Judith Regan when I was on her show promoting 50 Writers on 50 Shades of Gray - she and I both have pieces in the book. I’m looking forward to this conversation.

Meanwhile, this is my last week in Australia, with the amazing Uber Services.  I’m visiting Canberra for the first time, and also teaching workshops on service, protocol, and punishment in Sydney.

And then, I’m off to the International Mr Leather Contest in Chicago! What better place to be promoting The Killer Wore Leather than the biggest leather contest in America? I’ll be signing books in the vendor space, at the Leather Archives & Museum’s table. Whether you’re new to BDSM or have been part of the scene longer than I have, let’s have fun together.

Was at Laura’s two workshops today. . . .
Her sessions have been a significant milestone in my education on this journey. I am a total fan. Catch her in Canberra or Adelaide or back here later on. You will not regret it. Experienced, humorous and wise.

Adelaide

• Wednesday, May 8th: Free Booksigning & Reading
• Thursday, May 9th: D/s Relationships & Play: Finding Your Way
• Friday, May 10th: Starting D/s in the Bedroom
• Saturday, May 11th: The Way of It: Creating Protocols and Training Your Own Sex Slave

Sydney

• Saturday, May 18th: The Way of It: Creating Protocols and For Your Own Good: Punishment

I love visiting Australia. This is my third time to the Land Down Under, and each trip has been filled with laughter, great conversations, and unexpected moments of connection. Stop by and see me, and join in the fun!

More and more reviews of The Killer Wore Leather are showing up, and I’m putting them up on my “reviews” page for your enjoyment.

Now, I’ll be spending several weeks in Australia, visiting Sydney, Adelaide, and Canberra, with the wonderful folks of Uber Services. In addition to book signings, I’m also teaching a bunch of classes. You can read the descriptions here. Uber is selling multi-passes in each city (you can buy them here), as well as class-by-class registration. The readings and booksignings are free.

Sydney

• Friday, May 3rd: Free Reading and Booksigning
• Saturday, May 4th: D/s Relationships: Finding Your Way and Tell Me What You Want, What You Really, Really Want
• Sunday, May 5th: Starting D/S in the Bedroom and Training Your Own Sex Slave
• Tuesday, May 14th: Serious Players: Taking Responsibility for Your Choices
• Wednesday, May 15th: Service Orientation: Submissives and the People Who Manage Them
• Saturday, May 18th: The Way of It: Creating Protocols and For Your Own Good: Punishment

Adelaide

• Wednesday, May 8th: Free Booksigning & Reading
• Thursday, May 9th: D/s Relationships & Play: Finding Your Way
• Friday, May 10th: Starting D/s in the Bedroom
• Saturday, May 11th: The Way of It: Creating Protocols and Training Your Own Sex Slave
• Sunday, May 12th: For Your Own Good: Punishment and Serious Players: Taking Responsibility for Your Choices

When I return to the United States, the tour continues. Keep an eye out for appearances in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Tampa.

This weekend (April 26-28), I’ll be Dallas for Passionate Bonds, a weekend intensive for people seeking to strengthen their D/s relationships. I teach this intensive with acclaimed educator Midori to an intimate group of dedicated students who are interested in building their own personal protocol.

While I am in Dallas, I’m stopping over at the Dallas Bondage Expo on Saturday evening, April 27th and then at the Lincoln Park Barnes & Noble on Sunday, April 28th at 7:00 p.m.

And then, I leave the Continent, and head to Australia! I am thrilled to be returning to Australia this year, and visiting new cities on that lovely continent. Look for me in Sydney May 3-5th, and then again May 14-15 and on Saturday the 18th. Where else will I be? Adelaide from May 8-12th, and in Canberra the 16th and 17th. You can find my full schedule at the Uber Website, under the Workshops tab.

But before I head overseas,  I’ll be spending a week in San Francisco, teaching at the International Ms Leather Contest, and doing multiple readings and booksignings around the Bay Area. Look for me in the following locations:

Thursday, April 18
Good Vibrations on Polk Street
Reading and Booksigning, 6:30 p.m.

Friday-Sunday, April 19-21
International Ms Leather 
Teaching, Booksigning, and more. 

Sunday, April 21
Good Vibrations – Berkeley
Reading and Booksigning 4:00 p.m.

Monday, April 22
Books, Inc. Castro
Reading and Booksigning 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 23
Wicked Grounds
Reading and Booksigning 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 24
San Francisco Leathermen’s Discussion Group
An Evening With the Laura Antoniou, 7:30 p.m.

After San Francisco, I’ll be Dallas for a Passionate Bonds, a weekend intensive for people seeking to strengthen their D/s relationships. I teach this intensive with acclaimed educator Midori, the weekend of April 26-28. There is still time to register!

Don’t worry, Dallas – I’ll also be doing some readings while I’m visiting you at the end of April. For the adventurous, you will find me at the Dallas Bondage Expo on Saturday evening, April 27th.  If you’re more the bookish type, I’ll be at the Lincoln Park Barnes & Noble on Sunday, April 28th at 7:00 p.m.

But first!

If you like hot and sexy Femdom erotica, come to Purple Passion on Friday, April 12th. My friend and colleague DL King has a new anthology coming out, called “Under My Thumb,” and I’ll be reading a story I wrote for the collection, called Blame It On Spartacus.

On Saturday the 13th, I’ll be reading and signing books at the Fifth Annual Rainbow Book Fair at the Holiday Inn in Midtown. The Book Fair is a great place to meet your favorite LGBT authors, and hear some exciting new works, too. I’ll be at the Cleis Book Table, and reading at about 3:00 p.m.

And then, I’ll be headed to the Bay Area, appearing at bookstores and events all over the area from April 17-24th. Look for me at Good Vibrations on Polk Street or Berkeley, Books, Inc. Castro, Wicked Grounds and of course, International Ms Leather .

See you on the road!

You can also get to know my colleague Pam Rosenthal, aka Molly Weatherfield during her “blog tour” to promote Carrie’s Story. When I first read this novel, it was instantly clear to me that the author knew what she was writing about. Whether kinky or not in real life, she is certainly kink aware and very sex positive and knowledgeable about the shifting emotions and thought that happen in play.

Molly’s next stop  is on DL King’s blog. Speaking of DL King…I am  joining DL King the weekend of April 12th for a series of appearances in New York City.  On Friday, April 12th,  she is hosting a book launch of Under Her Thumb: Erotic Stories of Female Domination. Join me, DL King, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Anne Grip and Lawrence Westerman at 6:00 p.m. at Purple Passion at 6:00 p.m.

Then, on Saturday, April 13th, New York City’s “Rainbow Book Fair,” coming up on Saturday, April 13th. I’ll be reading there in the afternoon, along with dozens of other authors. Stop by and see me – I won’t be back in NYC for several weeks!

I’m very excited to be joining Lou Paget on her weekly radio show, Sex Talk With Lou on Wednesday, April 3rd. It’s a call-in show, so I hope you’ll be one of the folks who calls in!

Do you have a podcast, a blog, or book review site, and want to interview me? Write to me at Laura (at) Lantoniou (dot) com and let’s set it up!