Erotica. Before I was sent a copy of Polly Frost's new collection of "extreme erotic fantasies" entitled Deep Inside, I, like many people, had a preformed perception of the literary genre. My experience reading erotic short stories and novellas in the past had left me a bit bored and rolling my eyes (and not in a good way) at the formulaic structure within which many erotic authors pour their words like a cheap and badly mixed martini. It was the literary equivalent of a bad porn movie; a lot of predictable lines uttered by hunks and dolls with cardboard personalities, massive over-usage of such words as "manhood" and "bosom" and "thrusting", little to no actual story and a lot of explicit, over-the-top sex...you get the picture.

Most of the material I had read had been so boringly constructed that I couldn't even find myself "entertained" by it and that is simply sad, because in such a genre, the author has free reign to do and say pretty much anything to draw the reader in and turn them on. Hardcore or softcore, it is, in its pure essence, about sexual fantasies and, thus, there is absolutely no excuse for an author to not push the envelope and create something truly unique and truly hot. I mean if you can't truly express yourself as a writer in erotica, perhaps you're just not cut out for the job and another, tamer, genre would be better suited to your abilities?

Polly Frost is one author who has recognized the potential of the unrestricted playground that is erotic literature. In her recent collection of short stories, Deep Inside Frost uses her expert storytelling abilities and truly outrageous imagination to weave ten fantastically sexy supernatural tales. In stories ranging from a newly evolved species of humans that have been born as the result of the over usage of Viagra to a dominatrix in the middle of a life-changing career crisis, Frost indulges the reader with each and every turn of the page. Her stories are not only erotic, but also laced with an unexpected wit and humor, which caused me at times to laugh out loud.

Each story is of a completely different vein ranging from dark magic to science fiction revealing the wide range of her talents as a writer. Of course, there are plenty of horny girls in Catholic school uniforms, but the curious variety of other characters make the usage of this iconic symbol of sexual fantasy excusable. Will these stories turn you on? Most definitely! Frost's approach to erotica is delightfully unabashed, yet not so over the top gratuitous that the scenes lose their seductive appeal. She has found the perfect balance between well-written, highly imaginative fiction and erotica, making Deep Inside a devilishly fun literary experiment. If only all erotic literature was so creative and devious! Even if you have had your doubts and prejudices about the genre up until now, I suggest you give it another try by starting with Deep Inside.