According to her bio, Alessia Brio writes “all colors and flavors of erotica.”

Her last two releases were Coming Together titles, Al Fresco and Against the Odds. Her upcoming release is Coming Together: For Her, a collection of “naughty” stories by Laurence Doyen, which Alessia is co-editing with Lisabet Sarai. It’s Coming Together’s first single-author fiction collection.  The first single-poet collection was released in May 2009, Lefty McGee’s Coming Together: Pondering the Indelible.

Alessia, thank you for coming to Novel Hearts blog to tell us about your Coming Together series and the charitable causes it supports. What inspires you to use the series to support various charities?

For a short story writer, publication options — at least in print — are limited and certainly not an adequate source of income, no  matter how prolific the authors. In early 2005, some colleagues at Literotica Authors’ Hangout (a forum) were discussing the possibility of bundling our stories into anthologies in order to get more exposure.  However, when talk turned to money, we realized that splitting the proceeds 15 to 20 ways was never going to result in a lucrative income. Someone — and it may’ve even been me, I don’t recall — suggested donating the revenues to charity, and Coming Together was born. Many of the original participants are still involved with the project. I’m both humbled by and proud of its growth.

How do you identify the organization to support with each release?

These days, it’s usually by suggestion. Lots of folks send me their ideas for themes and causes. I fit as many of them into my schedule as feasible.

Which organizations have you assisted with the series and why do you think their work is important?

Gosh, there are quite a few now, and each has its own significance. Currently, for sale are volumes benefiting:

• Susan G. Komen For the Cure
• AVERT
• American Red Cross
• BLISS
• Amnesty International
• Electronic Frontier Foundation
• First Book
• Autism Speaks
• San Diego Foundation’s After-the-Fires 2007 Fund
• Southern California Wildfire Relief Fund
• Conservation International
• Kaplan Family Hospice Residence of Orange County

In the submissions and/or editing stages are volumes that will benefit:

• V-Day
• Action Against Hunger
• ONE
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• Coalition for Positive Sexuality
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• Sight Savers International
• N.O.W.

How can readers learn more about your Coming Together series?

The best way is to follow the blog or Twitter. Those interested in contributing can visit the site’s submissions page for details.

How can readers get in touch with you?

A comment on Facebook or an @Alessia_Brio note on Twitter are fastest. E-mail gets buried in a hurry these days.

Alessia, thank you for all you do to support nonprofit organizations that support our communities.

Novel Hearts is a forum to raise awareness of the charitable causes some of our favorite authors support. Each month, we’ll chat with one or two authors about the nonprofit organizations they help, either with time, money and/or materials.

If there’s an author you’d like to see featured on the blog, please send me the author’s e-mail address and the name of the nonprofit organization he or she supports. You can reach me at BooksByPatricia@Yahoo.com.

Thank you!