let’s talk about sex…

…in YA lit—swing by Chasing Ray for the latest installment in What a Girl Wants.  Neesha brings our attention to Audre Lorde’s brilliant use of the erotic:

Lorde dares us to look at the erotic as a powerful force to be channeled, not for purposes of destruction, but for *creation*–as it is meant to be. She suggests that female sexuality has been bound, both literally and figuratively, out of a patriarchal need to control and harness this power. It’s an honest and powerful book full of fascinating, insightful essays. I highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in this topic.

Another great post is up at Shveta’s blog—stop by and read her interview with Malindo Lo, author of Ash.  And if you’re free at 10:40am EST, tune in to WNYC to hear my conversation with Brian Lehrer.