Product Description
Powerful, provocative, and raw, self-described punany poets take readers on an extraordinary erotic journey, melding poetry, short stories, and prose to explore the essence of black male and female sexuality.
The Punany Poets are pioneers of erotic entertainment, creating lush literary works that also encourage self-empowerment and safer sex. Punany Poets' founder Jessica Holter, whose urban classic Punany: The Hip Hop Psalms was featured on HBO's Real Sex, has adapted the Poets' compositions into a groundbreaking anthology created to rouse the senses and inspire the imagination. Vivid, compelling poems and prose pieces deal with every facet of modern love and lust, and blend tantalizing sensual imagery with an underlying message of urban-rooted AIDS awareness. Never preachy, always original, and guaranteed to stimulate the individual and the couple, Verbal Penetration is unique among poetry anthologies -- a riveting, multi-dimensional erotic experience with heart, soul, and message.
Product Details
* Hardcover: 320 pages
* Publisher: Strebor Books; 1st Strebor Books Hardcover Ed edition (April 17, 2007)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1593091125
* ISBN-13: 978-1593091125
* Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
* Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
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J. PINK's interview with Jessica Holter, Founder of The Punany Poets
about The Punany Poet's Verbal Penetration Book
for BareBackMag.com
Thank you for this opportunity to share The Punany Poets' Verbal Penetration with your readers.
When it came to putting together this book, what were some of the things that inspired you to pick the stories/poems you choose? How did you go about picking the other contributors?
Verbal Penetration is actually the second book by The Punany Poets. The first one, Punany: The Hip Hop Psalms which ran a total of 4000 units, was a true anthology with more than 15 contributors. It was this book, complete with sexy photos of Eebony Brown, that won us a spot on HBO. The book is hard to find now, it wasn't one of these digitally printed books. It was a high gloss off set masterpiece, years ahead of it's time. A whole lot of artists and investors from the Bay Area rallied behind its production and distribution including Dwayne Wiggins of Tony Toni Tone', Money B of Digital Underground, Yulonda Washington of For'Play Productions, Denzil Foster, Lev Berlak of The Grill Studios and Davey D of KMEL just to name a few. We gave "Punany" parties and set out press releases and even got the attention of some major publications like The Source and Rap Pages.
With the Psalms, I really wanted to draw attention, not only to AIDS awareness, but also let people know that Black sexuality did not have to be marketed with the raunchiness I felt rap music was putting forth at the time. I also didn't think black women should have to hide their sexuality to be taken seriously.
When I got the opportunity to be professionally published, by the notorious Zane (Sex Chronicles, Addicted) many years had passed, since my first publication, and I was much more experienced as a poet and had more than 300 pieces in my personal archive. So, I first chose from my own works, then added pieces from my favorite contributors from Psalms, DJ Blackmon, Branden Pernell and Gary McCoy. They are all great storytellers and DJ’s talent for rhyme is unrivalled. I have several pen names (and personalities) that represent a different side of my sexuality in Verbal Penetration. "Ghetto Girl Blue" is closest to my soul. She writes from a place of political anguish and sexual recovery, helping me to cope with my own rape and childhood molestation. I owe most of my most intense work to her. "Jane Therese", is in love with love, I created her in memory of my mother who was a hopeless romantic hippie. T Calloway, is my lesbian voice, and J Steal is my male side. He’s the kind of man I would want to be… smart, thinking with both heads.
I wanted verbal Penetration to be as educational as it is entertaining. So we included sex tips, safer sex pages and interesting trivia. People always tell me they are surprised when they read the book because it is not just erotica. I wanted to offer a range of styles and voices, so that many ideas and attitudes could be represented in Verbal Penetration, the way The Punany Poets do in our shows.
Since I was previously self published, I welcomed the opportunity to put some of my classic pieces like "Daddy Sam" (a lengthy piece in which a welfare mother gives tribute to the black man, in spite of poverty) and "The Head Doctor" (popularized by HBO's Real Sex in a single line 'I won't lie, I don't lie, I give good Head') into international circulation through Zane and Simon & Schuster. I mean, to have my work available at the local library and to get emails from students, saying they have included The Punany Poets in their dissertations is a blessing I am humbled by. There is even and entire disserttion about The Punany Poets by Dr. Raquel Monroe called “Representin’ the Forbidden”.
Throughout the book, you define the concept of "The Punany". For those who don't know, where did the word "Punany" come from? Why did you choose to incorporate that word and that concept into your movement?
“Punany”, I define as an Afro-Caribbean euphemism for female genitalia. I heard the word for the first time form a young man I met when I was a student at Howard University. He is from Jamaica. When he said the word it sounded so sexy. As Mahogany Brown said on her interview with HBO, Punany sounds better than “vagina” or “twat”… Hmmm, How would the Cunt Poets sound?
You are a leader in the erotica community, encouraging both self-empowerment and safer sex. So as you can imagine, most people don't think about sex education when they think about erotica. How has your approach to using erotica as an educational tool worked for you?
I am honored to be part of such a bold and innovative movement. When I started doing erotic at the clubs in Oakland, CA, some people made fun of me. I got my feelings hurt a lot. Being on HBO’s Real Sex and being seen as an erotic woman even caused strife in my marriage. But I feel I have a calling to spread an important message about taking control of your own sexuality. Especially right now, when AIDS is becoming as easily obtainable for Black females as the flu. Today, there are thousands of erotic poets, all over the world, doing shows that look so much like The Punany Poets, you might think you have seen our show. Imitation is the best form of flattery. If they can add the message of safer sex to their platform, then my work in truly being done. Issues of Sexual misuse are very large parts of my mission.
When I was a child, about 9 or so, I was called to preach. When I was molested by a deacon and raped by a disfellowshipped Jehovah’s Witness, my plans were derailed.
My pastor called me one night not long ago. He had seen the HBO segment. He wanted to put my mind at ease. He also knew about my being molested and raped as a child. He told me that I am still preaching.
The Punany Project is healing me. I want other people to be healed by it to. I want to teach from my own experiences and the experiences of other, so that more women can know their own power.
Was the poem "Stranger Let's Talk" a true experience?
One night I thought I saw an apparition in my window. The poem came to me. It really is a wonderful piece. The sermon part comes from my childhood Pastor Newton Cary Jr. at True Vine Baptist Church. Whenever he got to that moment of his sermon when the Holy Ghost took over, he would say, “They tell me, the earth began to real and to rock like a drunk man and the sun refused to shine, ‘cause the s u n and the s o n couldn’t shine at the same time.” Rev. Carey was speaking of the crucifixion of Christ. I always thought the vision was brilliant. When I wrote Stranger Let’s Talk, I was still in my clubbing days. I would go to Geoffrey’s Inner circle in Oakland, and just watch nature taking it’s course… numbers scribbled on napkins etc. I wondered, what would happen if you got a man home, in your bed, in the mood, and found he was a heroin addict? To get him out of your bed, you had better have Jesus on your team, or at least a gun, nearby.
Was the poem "Confessions of a Lipstick Lesbian" a true experience?
This poem was based on a friend’s experience. I changed a few things. But it is basically true.
How did you hook up with Zane?
Shameless self-promotion. My friend and music producer Femi of Oakland, CA had run across Zane’s website, eroticnoire.com. She said, girl there it a woman doing what you do, kind of. I went to the site, read her bold and daring work and got in touch with her. That was before she was publishing other people. Zane and I spoke on and off over the years, she gave me lots of advice and lots of encouragement. When I found out she was publishing other writers and was interested in film, I started giving shows in DC and inviting her. One day she invited me over for breakfast. She offered me a publishing deal as well as a film deal with her a Suzanne de Passe. Now that the Sex Chronicles is on TV, I hope to be next in line. I am working on “Midnight with The Head Doctor” for a Las Vegas filming right now.
In many people's minds, there is a thin line between erotica and pornography. Do you agree with this statement? What is the difference between the two?
I think Erotica is material that makes you feel sexy and pornography makes you feel sexual. In the publishing industry, sexy pictures in color are pornographic. Sexy photos in black & white are erotic. This difference between the two, are truly in the eye of the beholder. For example, people with foot fetishes, might find photos of naked feet pornographic.
There are a number of erotica authors who write outside of their own sexual experience and orientation. How do you prepare for that in what you contributed to Verbal Penetration?
I find that my writing, especially in Verbal Penetration, is not nearly as erotic as some. I tend to put a lot of social commentary in my work. I have underlining themes of unity, self-worth, black love and personal empowerment. Perhaps, because of my sordid sexual history, I don’t let go as easily as some of the erotic writers out there like Zane and Allison Hobbs. But I am working on it. I am working on my first erotic novel right now. The Punany Experience is based on the poem in VP “The War Between Tops and Bottoms”. It’s about two lesbians who have an affair with a married man. He’s not gay, just likes it in the ass.
You make it a point to sprinkle AIDS awareness and safer sex practices throughout Verbal Penetration. Why are these two issues so important to you?
When I was at Howard, well at a club called “Tracks” in Washington, DC that I discovered what they now call the “down low”. I suppose I really started getting HIV aware then. It was 1991 and there was a whole lot of indiscriminant fucking going on and lots of brothers spending a lot of time in jail. I saw guys from school in the club, young men with girlfriends. It was a real wake-up call.
People at my church were dying.
My boss at The Washington Post was sick, telling me all about the pills he had to take. I was getting more news on the Black man as “an endangered species” than I could handle in my job as a Copy Aide at the paper. I am from the hood. I spent time with musicians. I knew people were only talking about using condoms, not actually using them. If there wasn’t a rubber in the room when a dick was hard or a pussy was wet, there wouldn’t be any midnight trips to the pharmacy. It all added up to Black females being at risk, in my mind.
When I started the Punany Project a few years later, Black women were only 23 percent of newly reported AIDS cases. Today we are more than 70 percent of the newly reported cases and the rate at which black men are incarcerated is rising. You can even buy stock in the prison system, online.
At what point in your life did you figure out that you love sex and being sensual? How did that translate into The Punany Poets and Verbal Penetration?
I don’t know that I do love sex as much as I love the discussion of it. Frankly, it scares me too much right now. When the government releases microbicides (it’s a jel or cream that kills AIDS on contact) I’ll think about getting some steady dick. The most sensual material in my book was written to my marriage. I loved sex with my husband, but more than once he brought me bacterial infections. When my doctor suggested marriage counseling, I suggested divorce.
I do love intimacy, but I don’t have to have sex to be intimate. Right now I am having hard-core sex with my career. And the wonderful fans and supporters of The Punany Poets and our non-profit AFACTA.ORG
What's next for Jessica Holter aka Ghetto Girl Blue?
The Punany Poets just got our first invitation to perform at the AVN in Las Vegas! We will be there Jan 8th through the 11th. I have created a new format for our Vegas debut, which will include adult film stars. Additionally, I have been working closely with Vanessa Blue and plan to release some film work with her on her online network.
The new full cast production is called The Punany Poets’ Love on tour”. It’s so hot. The new Cast members include LOVE the Poet of Baltimore, MD, Actress/Singer Crystal Hill and The Harlem Bombshell. Our annual Valentine’s Day Show will be at The Production Lounge in Brooklyn. The show will be taped and webcast world-wide.
The Punany Experience book will be finished in a couple months.
I am releasing the 4th Psalms book this year in time for Christmas Southern Comfort. The editor, Aalani-Renee is also debuting her show by the same title in Washington, DC on November 15th. It’s about a Preacher Kid gone bad.
The Bo Ellis Show is also running now. It’s about sexual addiction and it is hilarious.
I am talking with Patti Kaplan at HBO about revisiting The Punany Poets now that the documentary series is being revived.
Our DVD of The Verbal Penetration Show, as well as the Verbal Penetration music CD will both be released on Valentine’s Day ’09. We are also launching a members only website with online dating services, video streaming and games at www.PunanyPlayhouse.com
Later in the year we will release our Condom.
I am outlining a project called C.O.V.E. Collective Oratory Voices for Excellence through my non- profit which will train youth in the art of Oratory and give them the opportunity to perform before a live audience in Washington, DC.
Please provide all of the internet links and contact information directly involved with the author and/or the book.
www.Opunany.com
www.Punanysplayhouse.com
http://www.jessicaholter.com/
Jessica Holter
ghettogirlblue@yahoo.com
Book Review by Allison Hobbs:
HAVE YOU HAD SOME PUNANY TODAY? Verbal Penetration by Jessica Holter
I've never been a fan of poetry until I read Jessica Holter's erotic poetry. Jessica is the founder of the Punany Poets. Her book, Zane Presents: VERBAL PENETRATION is: Powerful, Provacative, and Raw. Jessica Holter takes readers on an extraordinary EROTIC JOURNEY, melding poetry, short stories, and prose to explore the essece of Black male and female sexuality.
YOU CAN BUY VERBAL PENETRATION at ZANESTORE.COM, AMAZON.COM or booksellers nationwide. Also, Jessica signs copies at the Punany shows. THE PUNANY POETS IS A LITERARY EXPERIENCE YOU CAN FEEL! Jessica and I have signed books together and I've seen the show, so I know from personal experience that you need to have a coochie fan on hand during the show and while reading her punany-clenching prose.
About The Author:
JESSICA HOLTER was born in Berkeley and raised in Oakland, California where she resides with her only son. Holter is a writer, Founder of the controversial performance troupe The Punany Poets and serves as Artistic Director for the non-profit organization AFACT (Artists Fighting AIDS Creatively Through the Arts) www.AFACTA.org Her new book Verbal Penetration, a collection of poems, short stories, prose and safer sex messages is published by Zane through Simon and Schuster. THE PUNANY POETS are best known for a feature performance on HBO's Late night Documentary Real Sex, but their work has gained accolades among scholars and women all over the globe, who recognize their work for it's community service, and female empowerment programming. For Featured Appearances, Tour Schedules and Book Signing dates go to http://www.Punanytickets.comTo Contact Jessica Holter
