Canadian company carouses cash with e-carnality

Forget the Kama Sutra, carrying around an ancient lovemaking tome is totally analogue. In the digital age, more and more readers are getting their rocks off by reading erotic literature on e-readers like the Kobo and Kindle.

Not since Anais Nin has so many readers relinquished themselves to the relief of the written word. But this time it’s not the page that’s seducing erotica fans but a monoshcrome screen spilling with sensuality and one British Columbian company is soaking in sales.

Tina Haveman the owner of a busy digital erotic publishing company based in Squamish, B.C. says there are a lot of “closet readers” who despite being unlikely to admit to liking that kind of literature, are far from squeamish.

“Customers are starting to discover them and finding that they can read certain books that they do not want other people to see and in privacy,” Haveman, who runs eXtasy books, told CBC Radio.

After sales took off in early 2010, they have doubled in the last year and they’re expected to triple in 2012 with a majority of customers who download the tantalising tales women. With over 1,000 titles in its online store, eXtasy has been able to branch out into mixed genre titles such as the paranormal Dragon’s Pearl, the hybrid fantasy/Victorian Lady Mechatronic and the Steampunk Pirates and the Western-themed Dead Man’s Diamond.

“Women read a lot more than men. It’s always been that way,” Haveman noted.

Aside from Westerns and fantasy, the interests of eXtasy’s readers are varied and include inspirational romance to stories about werewolves and gay romance, all available for between $3 and $4 online.

According to Kobo’s merchandising director, Nathan Maharaj, eXstasy is a Canadian success story. “It’s reduced barriers to entry for publishers as well as for customers looking to get into it,” he said.

A long thriving subculture online, erotic fiction is becoming more accessible according to Susan Knabe, who teaches women’s studies at the University of Western Ontario in London.

“You can actually, in some ways, enjoy the fact that you’re doing something a little bit naughty in public,” Knabe said. “You could be reading your e-reader on public transit.”

Salacious stories even often snake their way into the bestseller lists. Maharaj said, “At any given moment in the list of the top 100 most popular titles on Kobo in any given territory there’s always some work of erotica in there."