“Amorous” Novel Examines Sex and the City, Japanese-Style

PRLog (Press Release) - Jul 28, 2008 -
Orion Publishing UK announces the US release of Donna George Storey’s debut novel, AMOROUS WOMAN.  A widely published writer of erotica and literary fiction, Storey also holds a Ph.D. in Japanese literature from Stanford.

AMOROUS WOMAN’s wise-cracking heroine gives the reader a glimpse inside a Japan few tourists ever see as she takes on various roles as English teacher, wife, bar hostess and mistress of a wealthy man.  Inspired by a 17th-century Japanese erotic classic, the novel incorporates humor and social critique that challenge Western stereotypes of the exotic East and give a nuanced view of Japanese culture and sexual mores.

The novel also strikes a contemporary note in its honest portrayal of a woman’s sexual self-discovery, from using a self-help book to find satisfaction to grappling with the allure of extra-marital attractions.  The author says, “I see AMOROUS WOMAN as ‘Sex and the City’ with a wasabi flavor—but no shoes!  Think Charlotte goes to Kyoto and turns into Samantha, with plenty of witty Carrie-like insights into male-female and East-West relations.”

Margaret Lane of the MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW described AMOROUS WOMAN as “a blend of humor, social critique, and literary skill that is impressive from beginning to end,” and American geisha, Liza Dalby, called it “literary erotica at its best.” All critics agree they came away with a sense of the heroine’s moving emotional journey as well as a new appreciation of Japanese culture.  If “Sex and the City” is about a love affair with Manhattan, AMOROUS WOMAN celebrates the allure of Japan with frank sensuality.

“People are often surprised that a mother of two with a doctoral degree in Japanese literature wrote a ‘dirty’ book,” Storey says. “Erotica has become more mainstream, but it’s still seen as a poor cousin of real literature.  I believe smart can be sexy, and sex can engage your mind as well as your libido.”  Storey has found that reading and writing erotica can be more than just a spicy hobby for a soccer mom, however.  “There’s so much talk in the media of marriages too little sex, or no sex at all.  My friends tell me that AMOROUS WOMAN has enabled them to focus on the sensual, enriching their marriages in a palpable way.  And this kind of low-cost trip to an exotic land brought benefits to my own love life even before I was published—I recommend it to everyone.”

Interviews, copies and quotes available upon request.
AMOROUS WOMAN by Donna George Storey
Neon/Orion Publishing, August 2007 in the UK/May 2008 in the US and Japan
$8, paper, 352 pages, ISBN: 1905619170 , www.donnageorgestorey.com