Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Where to Draw the Line: Romance vs. Erotica





In honor of the release of my second novel, Betrayal Bites - yes, release date is today! - I decided I wanted to delve into the discussion of when a novel is categorized romance, and when it's slapped with the label of erotica. Personally, I think I write romance, and there's always heavy paranormal elements to it. But then I got to thinking, maybe what I write could be considered erotica? I mean, if a love scene is built up to, and then the big 'penetration experience' is missed or only implied, that's considered romantic, right? I've begun to think that's no longer the case. While writing Betrayal Bites, I have to admit, my goal was to make the reader want to go and find their lover and go at it, I wanted to make the reader so hot they had to do something about it ;) Is that erotic? I don't think so. For me, and how I look at my writing compared to others, well, I think the best way to look at it is if there is penetration, fine, still romantic, but the inclusion of toys, and I'm not talking to pain inducing kind in the BDSM novels that are now rampant in the top sellers' lists, I'm talking stimulation toys, 'enhancing' items that help explode one's level of pleasure they experience during love play, now that's erotic.








Because today is a big release day for me, I wanted to also include the back cover blurb for Betrayal Bites, available at www.soulmatepublishing.com, and amazon and BN.com in the next few days!







Blurb: Sydney Sedrick, cursed with the powers of the Selected, is monitored by the vampires and werewolves who covet her abilities to rid the city of one another. Sydney receives a summons to attend the Blood Rites Ball, an Elder vampire ceremony to determine her fate. The Midwestern Werewolf Pack demands her loyalty, while Blake, the heir to the wolf pack, is adamant she is his life-mate, meant to be together, forever. To make matters worse, an insider is betraying the vampires, leaking information to the rogues, who want Sydney dead.



12 comments:

  1. I 'personally' feel that for me there is a scale of the romance novel. From the very innocent Amish and christian ones, through to contemporary romance (still 1 man and 1 woman = HEA). Then theres the really "hot" and extreme as I call it where there is bdsm/menage/toys etc... If there is a HEA Im a happy bunny :D

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  2. Thanks for stopping :) and I, too, am a fan of one man, one woman, their species don't necessarily have to be human though :)

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  3. Looks like it will be a great book. Can't wait to add it to my Good Reads shelf :-)
    ~Ash

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    1. Thanks Ashley :) I approached my do not cross line in writing this one, very fun :)

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    2. Now I'm even more intrigued :-)

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    3. Lol, yep, I have a do not cross line in writing sex scenes, if I did I'd have to write under a different name :)

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    4. I'm the same way. I've been stuck on writing mature YA....but I've so wanted to branch out, but there's just a massive invisible barrier and I'm not sure how to overcome it. I LOVE reading the stuff, though...A good adult paranormal romance is one of my fave reads :-)

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    5. I've thought of writing YA, but my characters tend to want to be too intimate for that age group I think... if you're looking for a great paranormal series try Karen Moning's Fae Fever series, I strive to write such a tense, plot twisting story as hers... I do hope they make a movie series out of that, think Underworld, but possibly better :)

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  4. I'm a one man one woman writer with hot sex scenes. On a scale of 1-5 my sex rates a 3 at musa. I'm labeled "sensual" and "steamy ". I like it like that!!

    Best of luck with your new release. I'm excited to read it!

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    1. Thanks Ann and I am too, but a little competition is good once in a while ;) okay, I just finished the rough draft for Fanged Fury, book 3 in the Tales of Sydney Sedrick, lots of steam coming :)

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    2. I'm intrigued. As soon as I read Betrayal Bites, I'll post a review at Amazon and b&n.

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    3. Thanks Ann, you're so sweet :) I'm also a huge fan of yours as well!

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