Eargasms! The upsurge in audio erotica – and where to find it

Spotlight / Coming soon

Tanya Koens has seen a fair bit of porn in her time; it comes with being a sexologist. But for all the optimistic talk of “ethical porn”, the internet, she says, is still awash with free content that’s often terrible, unerotic and devoid of women having real orgasms. “If you looked at free porn all the time, you’d think that women weren’t designed to have orgasms,” says Koens, a clinical and somatic sex therapist and pleasure activist who runs a business called Pleasure, Love, Relating. Imagine her delight, then, on discovering the recent rise of audio erotica, which she describes as “less violent, less male-gazey, more female-forward and much more inclusive”. This burgeoning field, which is riding a wave of interest in sexual wellness, is broad. There are free podcasts where sexy stories are read aloud and apps such as the female-founded Dipsea, which costs $115 annually for highly produced stories, complete with sound effects, lasting from five to 15 minutes (choose from a variety of pairings and filters that include “dirty talk”, “in public” and “romantic”). Other apps include Audiodesires, &Jane, Kampsite and Ferly, which helps users overcome shame and other sexual issues. Meanwhile, the Orgasm Sound Library is just that: recordings of real orgasms. Koens says that people who might be turned off by the hairless, plastic surgery-enhanced bodies in free porn can just close their eyes and insert their lover/s or themselves into the action. Also, it’s hands-free. “Grab toys, grab your partner or touch yourself,” says Koens; the possibilities are endless. Melissa Fyfe

Read / Sweet hereafter

There’s much to be said for the simple joys of plain cakes and The Plain Cake Appreciation Society, the first book by Australian cook and photographer Tilly Pamment ($40), is a glorious celebration of them. The 52 recipes are loosely grouped into seasons, each accompanied by a suggestion for matching tea and flowers. There’s something for everyone – from a simple butter confection to a strawberry streusel cake to a decadent sunken chocolate number. Pamment’s passion is infectious and shines through in every word and photograph. Favourite suggestion? Cake for breakfast. Sublime. Nicole Abadee

Watch / Flower child

As she was writing her 2019 bestseller The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Holly Ringland feared she’d be the only person to ever read it. The show-runners bringing it to our TV screens – the first three episodes drop on Amazon Prime on Friday – will have no such worries. In the hands of director Glendyn Ivin, the story of Alice Hart – who, orphaned at nine in mysterious circumstances, goes to live with her grandmother June (Sigourney Weaver) on her wildflower farm – receives a lushly cinematic, almost painterly, treatment. Spanning two decades and three ethereally rendered locations, Ivin’s outing is as Australian as the wildflowers that populate its plot. Fortified by their secret language of love, loss and longing taught to her by June, Alice (Alycia Debnam-Carey) must navigate the dense thicket of secrets and lies that have all but obscured the violent events of her childhood – with far-reaching consequences for all. A treat. Sharon Bradley

Drink / Peel me a grape