In celebration of its 35th anniversary, Cleis Press will offer a wide assortment of lively events and promotions during BEA, including author appearances, cocktail receptions, rare book giveaways from the company’s archives, free sex toys, and the chance to mingle with the editors of Penthouse magazine.

Today, at 1 p.m., booksellers are invited to the Cleis booth (947B) to make an anniversary toast, followed at 3 p.m. with an appearance by sex columnist and erotic writer Rachel Kramer Bussel. She is the editor of the Best Women’s Erotica series, and in addition to giving away signed copies of her books, Cleis is bundling them with free rolls of bondage tape and other sex toys.

Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson, award- winning authors of Partners in Passion, will be on hand tomorrow, at 11 a.m., to promote their new book, Designer Relationships. Cleis will be giving away a “Haute Couture for Your Love Life” package created by Michaels and Johnson, which includes an in-person Skype session with the authors to custom-design your love life, and a Safer Sex Kit, which helps readers “play safely.” At 2:30 p.m. Cleis will hold a raffle for a full 60-volume set of The Great Books of the Western World, featuring classics from Plato to Marx to Goethe. The giveaway celebrates the release of Dead White Guys: A Father, His Daughter, and the Great Books of the Western World, by AWP Award–winner Matt Burriesci (see interview on page 42 in tomorrow’s Show Daily). He will conduct the drawing for the collection, which inspired him to write the book, and sign copies in the booth, 10:30–11 a.m.

Wrapping things up on Friday, at 10 a.m., the editors of Penthouse Variations will be giving away signed copies of all three books in the Penthouse Suite.

Cleis was founded in 1980 by Felice Newman and Frederique Delacoste, and at the time it was the only publisher that specialized in lesbian, gay, and human sexuality books. The company was purchased by Start Publishing in November 2014, although the Cleis name remains intact. Its booth will be managed by marketing director Mia Amato.

This article appeared in the May 27, 2015 edition of PW BEA Show Daily.