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Saturday, January 29th 2005

5:02 PM

romance writers discuss erotica

Here's a bit of dialogue among authors, all published. The other two won't let me identify them. I'm under dire peril if I reveal their names (this peril is also secret, but involves florescent lights and a bikini. Allow your worst imaginings run wild. Shudder.) but I can just say that the other two have made it onto best-selling lists.

Author A: Is anyone else a little concerned about the number of erotic lines coming out?  

Author B: Yes, I am concerned. It's all soft porn, which will do nothing for Romance's credibility as a genre.

We're just starting to get some respect, starting to attract a broader
readership base thanks to some gifted writers, thanks to clever dialogue and intriguing premises, and now the industry chooses to revert back to bodice rippers?? Only this time featuring alpha females. Spare me!

Author Me: That's a good point, Author B. On the other hand, the more types of books that are labeled "Romance" the less the whole genre can be pinpointed. . . .if you see what I mean.

"MYSTERY" used to just mean hardboiled detectives. Now it can be anything from a hard boiled detective to a cat. Seems like the more the merrier so a member of the public doesn't just have one particular type of book in mind when the word is used.
 
That's the optimistic view, anyway. Or maybe the Would-be Erotica writer's view??
 
****
 
I have been bugging my local newspaper's book reporter, trying to get her to write about me, me, me. She's finally agreed to do an article, but it will be about erotica -- I think something about how it's mainstream? I will probably be a source of information, but not a subject. Hmmm, bad news, Authors A and B.  Once our local paper (the Hartford Courant) agrees to cover something, it's a well-established cultural phenomenon.  (Anything remotely cutting edge belongs to its sister paper, The Advocate.)
 
Another author friend has expressed concern that erotica emphasizes easy sex and has a real problem with the morality of that. I don't share that viewpoint -- I think people can't be corrupted by erotica unless they're in the mood for corruption -- and actually, even if I did believe it . . .well, I just read an erotic novel that has to be one of the nicest celebrations of long-term monogamy I've read in a long time, and that's including the sweet lines.  Hmmm. I'm gonna look it up.
 
Right it's Memories to Come by Cricket Starr (okay, the names of erotic authors? Sort of silly. I think we can agree on that, says Summer Devin, or Devon) published by Ellora's Cave. Hot but sweet. It can be done!
 
I know RWA's sending out a questionaire about the definition of romance, and I'm betting it has to do with the whole erotica thing.
 
So, okay . .. . What do you guys think?
35 People Say.

Posted by Beth:

Just a stray thought that went through my head as I read this - I think Erotica actually gets more respect than Romance, in some respects. Or at least I think it gets more respect or appreciation or whatever from men, specifically, because it's perceived as sex without the mushy stuff. Like, Erotica serves a purpose (to some minds), but Romance is just sex dressed up with some cheesy mushiness.

And I think, really, that a lot of non-Romance-reading women feel the same. Like, stories about people having sex is less of a shameful waste of time than stories about people making googly eyes at each other and professing their undying love.

Okay, I dunno how much that contributes to the discussion, but there you have it.
Sunday, January 30th 2005 @ 7:05 AM

Posted by Bec:

:lol: Yeah what she said.

I don't think erotica aimed at women is new, as such, there've been websites and ezines based on the genre for at least as long as I've been on the web. It just seems that now there are mainstream companies willing to pay for and produce them.

BTW are your books available in OZ? I had a look in Borders the other day and didn't see it.
Sunday, January 30th 2005 @ 7:40 AM

Posted by Kate Rothwell:

There's an Aussie seller on my side bar that carries my books . . That's NOT why I listed it though. Actually I can't recall why I listed them. . I think I liked the site?

Amazon carries my stuff too.
Sunday, January 30th 2005 @ 7:41 AM

Posted by Shannon:

I can tell I'm going to need a lot of duct tape in the months to come or I'm going to get myself in trouble and probably thrown off the entire internet.

So ALL I'm going to say (today, anyway *g*) is that I don't believe two people can live happily ever after if they're not compatible sexually. So to buy into the HEA, I need the sex. I need to see it change their relationship and grow through that change.

And sex does change a relationship. You can't just close the door on the scene, because the two people who come out of the bedroom will interact differently than than the two who went in, and I want to see that change happen.

And Author B's comparison to bodice rippers is ridiculous. People who aren't familiar enough with a subgenre to avoid generalities shouldn't go ranting about it. You don't see me running all over the internet complaining there are too many fantasy romances and all the elves give me nightmares.
Sunday, January 30th 2005 @ 8:19 AM

Posted by Claire Andrews:

It depends if erotica is the main event or just part of how the loving is shown. The former seems to be shelved separately from romance so I wouldn't think it reflects on romance as a genre in the public eye.

I think sex scenes run the risk of recycling cliches, plus what's sexy to one person can be a bore to another and disgusting to a third (and have a fourth rolling around on the floor in uncontrollable laughter), so they'd need to be handled with care.
Sunday, January 30th 2005 @ 10:27 AM

Posted by Sheila Holloway:

Romantica/Erotica/Whatever you want to call it, IS a romance. It just happens to be romance that contains explicit scenes. "Porn" is sex without the emotions, therein lies the difference.

Says the Inspy Writer...
Sunday, January 30th 2005 @ 10:50 AM

Posted by Anna:

I'm inclined to agree with Beth at the moment. There are some circles in which erotica does get a more favorable "vibe" than romance. Why, exactly? Not sure. :-? Then again, I'm only on my first cup of tea, and my brain arrives with the second. Good point from Sheila also. If the main event is the emotion, then (at least to me) it's a romance. If the main event is what consenting parties do with their private bits, then erotica might be an appropriate label.

I need more tea.:P
Sunday, January 30th 2005 @ 7:48 PM

Posted by Sasha:

"Author A: Is anyone else a little concerned about the number of erotic lines coming out?"
I am. I love it! Diversity is a good thing, so is CHOICE. The more choice out there, the better it is for everyone.
"It's all soft porn"
This is so wrong. Just because the focus of erotica is sex that does not make it pronography. Sure erotica is meant to arouse, but it also meant to show the emotions and journey that is a result of it.
"Romantica/Erotica/Whatever you want to call it, IS a romance"
There is a difference between erotic romance and erotica. Maybe not in the sex acts, but inthe way the author discribes them and in the way the story itself is told. Erotica is more about the journey of one person, and how they come to terms with things. Romance is still about the happily ever after.

I think there is room for all of it out there, and I sincerely hope that Author B takes the time to read some erotica or romantica (more than one that is) before she implies that there aren't any "gifted writers" in this sub-genre. After all, not all romance novels have "clever dialogue and intriguing premises."
Monday, January 31st 2005 @ 4:03 AM

Posted by Cece:

What sasha and sheila said. IMO Sex is about emotion (whether it's in the context of erotica or romance, where porn is not (really).
And if romance is JUST NOW starting to get some respect, ask yourself what took so long.

>>After all, not all romance novels have "clever dialogue and intriguing premises."

HEre here Ms. Sasha.....
Monday, January 31st 2005 @ 11:32 PM

Posted by Cricket:

What can I say...my ears were burning and...Okay, so I googled my book title and name and found this post.

First off, THANK YOU SO MUCH, Kate, for the compliment about Memories To Come. It is intended to be sweet and hot and manages to do both, so that thrills me.

As for the rest of the discussion, it is true that there are a lot of erotic romance lines opening up, and there is a lot more graphic sex going into almost all romance novels these days. Myself and two other Ellora's Cave authors have even been asked to do a seminar at this upcoming RWA convention about writing Erotic romance. Why is this happening? Because it sells well. This is a business and the audience has spoken...they want hotter sex in their romance.

If we can do it well, and get compliments like Kate's then this little erotic romance writer is very pleased.

Oh, about the name Cricket was the name of a guinea pig my family had when I was a kid.



Cheers,
Cricket
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