Violet Blue (author)
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| Violet Blue | |
|---|---|
 Violet Blue, self-portrait |
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| Born | [1] |
| Occupation | blogger |
| Nationality | USA |
| Period | 21st century |
| Genres | Erotica and sex education |
| Subjects | Sex |
|
tinynibbles.com |
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Violet Blue is an American writer and sex educator.
Blue wrote a weekly sex column for the San Francisco Chronicle. In her podcast, Open Source Sex, she reads erotica and discusses topics such as fetishes and oral sex.[2] She also has a video blog. Blue wrote a feature about porn for women which was published in the July 2007 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine. She lectures at San Francisco Sex Information on the topics of oral sex and fetish. Blue is the author of several books on sex and has edited several volumes of erotica anthologies. Her first book, an erotic anthology she edited, was titled Sweet Life: Erotic Fantasies for Couples. It was published in December 2001 by Cleis Press.
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[edit] Name
Although her name is sometimes mistaken for a pseudonym, especially considering her writings on sexuality, Violet Blue is her real name. In an online article, she has stated:
"My name really is Violet Blue. Despite any rubbish you’ve seen by my harassers and detractors, Violet Blue is the name on my passport, social security card, all my ID, and it is who I am. I have never pretended to be anyone else (though some people have tried to pretend to be me) nor have I ever used a pseudonym."[3]
[edit] Trademark
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has registered "Violet Blue" as a trademark of Violet Blue. The request was filed on March 2, 2007 and registered as a "TRADEMARK. SERVICE MARK" on March 4, 2008.[4] On Violet Blue's website, http://tinynibbles.com/, her name is listed as, "violet blue ®".[5]
[edit] Google+ “real name” policy
On August 19, 2011, Blue's Google+ account was suspended without notice for failing "to comply with the Google+ “real name” policy".[6] On August 22, 2011, Google removed the suspension on her account, "I am happy to report that we have reviewed your profile and confirmed that Violet Blue is your common name and you may continue using it in Google+. In addition, we will be adding the verified name badge to your profile."[6]
[edit] Other activities
Blue's web presence is not limited strictly to sex writing:
- She writes news and technology blog Techyum.
- She is a contributor to Metroblogging San Francisco.
- In addition to her own video blog, she is a correspondent for Geek Entertainment Television.
- In January 2007, Forbes named her one of The Web Celeb 25.[7]
- Writes tech articles for zdnet.com in Tech Broiler.[8] She now has her own ZDNet blog Pulp Tech[9]
She was a crew member of industrial machine performance art group Survival Research Labs from 1996 to May 2007.
In October 2007, Violet Blue launched the DRM-free publishing venture Digita Publications, releasing audiobooks and ebooks in several open formats on a variety of sex-related subjects.
[edit] Litigation
In October 2007, Blue filed a lawsuit against adult actress Ada Mae Johnson,[10] who had performed under the name since 2000,[11] alleging that Johnson had adopted Blue's persona, and her recently-trademarked (in 2007) name, "Violet Blue."[12] She said she had been using the name in writings since 1999.[10] The lawsuit alleged trademark violation and dilution, as well as unfair business practices. Pursuant to a preliminary injunction and court order granted in 2007[13] to cease using "names, trademarks and Internet domains confusingly similar to, or identical to, Plaintiff's trademark VIOLET BLUE," Johnson changed her stage name to Noname Jane. The lawsuit was settled in October 2008.[14]
In July 2008, Blue sought restraining orders against online critics David Burch (aka Ben Burch) and Nina Alter to prohibit them from e-mailing her, editing her Wikipedia page, or writing unkindly about her online. Both motions were denied.[15]
[edit] Controversies
Around June 2008, there was controversy in the blogosphere after Violet Blue posted on her blog claiming that the blog Boing Boing had removed all posts referring to the author (estimated by a Los Angeles Times blogger[16] to number at least 70) from the site. A heated debate ensued after a brief statement on the Boing Boing site regarding this action stated: "Violet behaved in a way that made us reconsider whether we wanted to lend her any credibility or associate with her. It's our blog and so we made an editorial decision, like we do every single day".[17] Boing Boing editor Xeni Jardin said that she hoped she would not have to make the reasons public.[18]
[edit] vb.ly URL shortener
In August 2009, Violet Blue and Ben Metcalfe launched a URL shortening service with the domain name vb.ly, which was described as "the Internet's first and only sex-positive URL shortener."[19] The site was hosted on the .ly top-level domain, and the main page showed Violet Blue holding a bottle of beer.[20] In October 2010, the site was shut down following a letter to Violet Blue from Libya Telecom & Technology, saying that the site was contrary to the principles of Sharia law and stating: "The issue of offensive imagery is quite subjective, as what I may deem as offensive you might not, but I think you'll agree that a picture of a scantily clad lady with some bottle in her hand isn't exactly what most would consider decent or family friendly at the least." Ben Metcalfe responded by stating, "We're very clear that the site did not have pornographic or adult content hosted on it; but even if we did, my bigger concern is that the domain registry is trying to regulate against the content of a website. A domain and a website are two extricably decoupled and separate entities."[21]
[edit] Books
[edit] Authored
- The Adventurous Couple's Guide to Strap-On Sex, Cleis Press, 2007, ISBN 157344278X
- The Smart Girl's Guide to the G-Spot, Cleis Press, 2007, ISBN 1573442739
- Fetish Sex: An Erotic Guide for Couples, Daedalus Publishing Company, 2006, ISBN 1881943232 - with Thomas Roche
- The Adventurous Couple's Guide to Sex Toys, Cleis Press, 2006, ISBN 1573442542
- The Smart Girl's Guide to Porn, Cleis Press, 2006, ISBN 157344247X (IPPY Bronze award winner for erotica)
- The Ultimate Guide to Sexual Fantasy: How to Turn Your Fantasies into Reality, Cleis Press, 2004, ISBN 1573441902
- The Ultimate Guide to Adult Videos: How to Watch Adult Videos and Make Your Sex Life Sizzle, Cleis Press, 2003, ISBN 1573441724
- The Ultimate Guide to Cunnilingus: How to Go Down on a Woman and Give Her Exquisite Pleasure, Cleis Press, 2002 ISBN 1573441449
- The Ultimate Guide to Fellatio: How to Go Down on a Man and Give Him Mind-Blowing Pleasure, Cleis Press, 2002, ISBN 1573441511
- The Ultimate Guide to Cunnilingus: How to Go Down on a Woman and Give Her Exquisite Pleasure, 2nd Edition, Cleis Press, 2010, ISBN 1573443875
- The Ultimate Guide to Fellatio: How to Go Down on a Man and Give Him Mind-Blowing Pleasure, 2nd Edition, Cleis Press, 2010, ISBN 1573443980
[edit] Edited
- Sweet Life: Erotic Fantasies for Couples, Cleis Press, 2001, ISBN 9781573441339
- Sweet Life 2: Erotic Fantasies for Couples, Cleis Press, 2003, ISBN 9781573441674
- Taboo: Forbidden Fantasies for Couples, Cleis Press, 2004, ISBN 9781573441865
- Best Sex Writing 2005, Cleis Press, 2005, ISBN 9781573442176
- Best Women's Erotica 2006, Cleis Press, 2005, ISBN 9781573442237 (IPPY winner for Erotica)
- Best Women's Erotica 2007, Cleis Press, 2006, ISBN 9781573442589 (IPPY winner for Erotica)
- Lust: Erotic Fantasies for Women, Cleis Press, 2007, ISBN 9781573442800
- Lips Like Sugar: Women's Erotic Fantasies, Cleis Press, 2007, ISBN 9781573442329
- Best Women's Erotica 2008, Cleis Press, 2007, ISBN 9781573442992
- Best Women's Erotica 2009, Cleis Press, 2008, ISBN 9781573443388
- Girls on Top: Explicit Erotica for Women, Cleis Press, 2009, ISBN 9781573443401
- Best Women's Erotica 2010, Cleis Press, 2009, ISBN 9781573443739
- Best Women's Erotica 2011, Cleis Press, 2010, ISBN 9781573444231
[edit] Digital releases
- Sweet Heat (erotica), Digita Publications, 2008, (audiobook), ISBN 978-0-9799019-6-6
- Erotic Role Play: A Guide For Couples, Digita Publications, 2007, (audiobook, ebook), ISBN 978-0-9799019-5-9
- How To Kiss, Digita Publications, 2007, (audiobook, ebook, and Amazon Kindle versions), ISBN 978-0-9799019-2-8
- The Modern Safer Sex Guide, Digita Publications, 2007, (ebook and Amazon Kindle versions), ISBN 978-0-9799019-4-2
- Creatures of the Night (erotica), Digita Publications, 2007, (audiobook and ebook and Amazon Kindle versions), ISBN 978-0-9799019-3-5
- Pleasure Zone Basics, Digita Publications, 2007, (audiobook), ISBN 978-0-9799019-1-1
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2008/09/the-birthday-the-turning-point.html
- ^ San Francisco Bay Guardian Arts and Entertainment
- ^ Blue, Violet. "My name is Violet Blue". My Name Is Me, http://my.nameis.me. http://my.nameis.me/215/violet-blue/. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ "VIOLET BLUE". United States Patent and Trademark Office. http://www.webcitation.org/61pndz1zp. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ "violet blue ®". http://tinynibbles.com/. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ a b Blue, Violet. "Google Plus: Too Much Unnecessary Drama". ZDNet. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/violetblue/google-plus-too-much-unnecessary-drama/652. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ Web Celeb 25 list - Violet Blue
- ^ "Tech Broiler". ZDNet. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/perlow?tag=mantle_skin;content. Retrieved 2011-07-12.
- ^ "Pulp Tech". ZDNet. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/violetblue. Retrieved 2011-11-13.
- ^ a b Ryan Singel (2007-10-24). "Sex Writer Violet Blue Sues Porn Star Violet Blue Over Name". Wired News. http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/10/sex-journo-viol.html. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
- ^ Noname Jane, The Best Performer You Never Heard Of"; Adult Video News, May 16, 2008.
- ^ US Patent and Trademark Office.
- ^ Order Granting Plaintiff's Motion for a Preliminary Injunction.
- ^ Noname Jane Settles With Violet Blue - AINews.
- ^ Sex columnist Violet Blue tries to restrain online foes.
- ^ Violet Blue scratches her head over BoingBoing purge
- ^ That Violet Blue thing, Posted By Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator, July 1, 2008 8:48 AM
- ^ "Blog hits nerve in excising some old posts", Steve Johnson, Chicago Tribune, fetched July 8, 2008
- ^ 'Sex-positive URL shortener' Vbly launches CNET News, August 19, 2009.
- ^ Libya takes hard line on .ly link shortening domains BBC News, October 6, 2010.
- ^ Libyan domain shutdown no threat, insists bit.ly The Guardian, October 9, 2010.
[edit] External links
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- American Internet personalities
- American bloggers
- American non-fiction writers
- American columnists
- American podcasters
- BDSM writers (manuals and guides)
- Video bloggers
- American self-help writers
- Living people
- People from San Francisco, California
- San Francisco Chronicle people
- Sexuality and computers
- Sex educators
- American relationships and sexuality writers
