Laura Antoniou (born 1963) is an American novelist. She is the author of The Marketplace series of BDSM-themed novels, which were originally published under the pen name of Sara Adamson.[1]
Antoniou is also known for her work as an editor and pioneer on the field of contemporary erotic fiction[2] and in particular as editor of lesbian erotica anthologies including the three-volume Leather Women series,[3][4] Some Women,[5] By Her Subdued, No Other Tribute, and a collection of her own short stories and essays titled The Catalyst and Other Works.
Antoniou's fiction and her essays on alternate views of sexual roles have been cited by writers on the evolution of erotic fiction, and on the social politics of gender roles. Documentary filmmaker and author Tanya Trepanier's described Antoniou as part of a growing trend of novelists exploring hybrid forms of identity, including cultural and sexual identity, that don't fit into simple categories, using narrative storytelling as a way of understanding identities that can't be easily defined in a traditional manner.[6] In an analysis of contemporary novelists in the area of women's erotic fiction, Carolyn Allen cites Antoniou's writings as describing the concept that all relationships between people include elements of power exchange, with one partner taking the more dominant role even in day-to-day interactions.[3] Nikki Sullivan, lecturer in Cultural and Critical Studies at Macquarie University, in her essay Sadomasochism as Resistance? refers to Antoniou's description of sexual roles as a loose structure, due to the many choices available to the participants, with the key element being the choice of which participant guides the activities.[5]
Writings by Antoniou are at the Leather Archives and Museum.[7][8]
