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Heh-Hmmm. Introducing myself.
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 By Sasha White Hi Everyone. I’m Sasha and this is my first time blogging at Access Romance. YAY! I’m part of a wonderful community. I’ve been lurking around here since it’s inception, but wasn’t ready to join. I admit that even though I’m a fan of Alison Kent, Julie Leto, Karen Anders and many of the other wonderful authors here, I was still hesitant to join. I was hesitant simply because of the name- Access Romance. You see, my journey to becoming a romance author has been a bit roundabout, but I’m hoping you’ll welcome me. When I started writing a couple of years ago, I started with mainstream erotica. I sold short stories to Black Lace and Pretty Things Press among other smaller publishers. When I attempted my first romance I was rejected by Brenda Chin at Harlequin because of my writing style. The thing is, I think, that as much as I love reading romances, I’m in my mid-thirties, I’m still single, and I’ve never been in love. So I tend to write stories that aren’t always about finding love, or a traditional romantic relationship, but more about one characters personal journey. I do write romance as well, and even most of my erotica stories contain romance or some romantic elements. But they still aren’t what a lot of people consider romance novels. Now, after 3 years or writing erotica, I have contracts with Berkley’s new Erotic Romance line, and Kensington’s. My first stories for both of them will be releasing within the next month, and I’m nervous! I’ll tell you more about those stories in my next blog post here. For today though, I figured I’d my thoughts on the erotica versus erotic romance debate that seems to pop up all to often. It’s all my own opinion, and I truly hope that this will serve as a good introduction for myself. Erotic Romance (ER) is the newest hot thing . . . and with its newfound popularity, it sometimes gets confused with Erotica. Everybody seems to have a different idea of what is what, and this is just my version of things. It’s easy to say that the difference between ER and Erotica is how they end. That ER ends with a “happily ever after” (HEA) and Erotica doesn’t. Or that ER is more story and more love, and erotica is more sex and less story. But things just aren’t that simple. Erotica is, and has been a complete genre on it own for decades. A genre full of literary stories, photography and art, as well. We all know there doesn’t have to be explicit sex involved to make something erotic. Yet, it seems easy for people to look at a photograph and say it’s erotic, even when there is not overt or explicit sex, but when a book or story is called erotica, it’s expected to be completely about sex. Or worse even, it’s expected to be an Erotic Romance. Now, this is not to say that erotica novels don’t have a lot of sex. But I believe Erotica is all about the main character’s journey. The sexual acts and scenes that take place in an erotica story propel the character on a journey. I’m sure there are many who will not agree with me, but to my way of thinking Erotica is closer to the chic-lit genre than to the romance genre. Why? Because it’s all about the main character, and the obstacles that character faces. The obstacles could be a job, a boss, money! Or the fact that the character is realizing they like to be spanked, or that they enjoy sex with strangers, or that they crave being dominated and humiliated in the bedroom. The story is about one person’s journey to a satisfying end, not always a traditional HEA. Erotic Romance is, first and foremost, a romance. However, it is a romance with a high level of erotic scenes in it. The bedroom door, or any other door, does not get shut in these stories. They are a full-bodied look at the relationship that develops throughout the story. Erotic Romance is about the romantic relationship, and the struggles of the hero and heroine on the path to making their relationship work. It’s about their journey. The same as a traditional romance is, only in Erotic Romance, the author doesn’t hold back or close the door when it comes to the sexual part of the story. These are the differences as I see them. It’s how I define them when I write them. But to me, the actual definition isn’t as important as the fact that readers realize they are two different genres, that they promise different things, and that they get what they’re looking for when they pick up one of my stories. What do you think? Share your opinon in the comment section or ask me a question and be entered to win your choice of any eBook from my backlist, or a promo pack full of goodies on my upcoming releases. UPDATE: Winner of the draw for todays post is Cherie Japp !! Email me via the CONTACT button on my website Cherie and let me know which Prize you prefer, the free eBook, or some promo bookmarks and coverflaps for upcoming releases. Thanks for the Welcome everyone! 19 Responses to “Heh-Hmmm. Introducing myself.” |
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June 4th, 2006 at 7:38 am
When I read a book with an erotic story I prefer it to be a Erotic Romance, not just erotic sex. I want a good romance to go with it. Even if they have a good fight before the sex.
June 4th, 2006 at 9:40 am
Welcome Sasha! Good to see you blogging here. I enjoy stopping at your personal blog and at the allure authors one when I can. I agree with you about your description about erotic romance. I have read both traditional romance and erotic romance and the only difference is that the love scenes are more explicit. The story plots are just as good as the ones traditional romance.
June 4th, 2006 at 10:30 am
I think you are right about erotica being closer to chicklit then romance.
I’ve always seen erotica as a completely separate genre to romance.
With erotic romance, you have the romance underpinning the sex (usually, depending on how adventurous a book you’re reading). With erotica, the sex is about the sexual chemistry and physical connection between the people involved.
June 4th, 2006 at 10:49 am
Welcome, Sasha!
June 4th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
I definitely want romance in the Erotic Romance category; the story can be erotic but I want the ‘romance’ part in there to be the main part.
Yes, erotica is separate and different from erotica romance.
June 4th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
Good to see you here Sasha! This topic has been something that I have been thinking on quite a bit lately. I am finding in erotic romance that the ending may not be a traditional HEA but is a happy ending (at least in the short term). In truth, I frequently stretch that to long-term in my mind…old habits die hard and somehow whether it is portrayed in the book or not, I think of the situation eventually becoming a strong lasting one. Don’t know if I described it well, but gave it a try.
June 4th, 2006 at 1:13 pm
Hi Sasha! Great to have you here. I also agree with your definition between the two, and I also prefer the erotic romance to erotica.
But you’re right - it is more complicated. Erotic romance can include several situations that just might not work for readers. Without getting too graphic, there’s menages, same sex, sub/dom stuff. That’s when I think readers/writers start lumping in the erotic romances with erotica because the books may contain scenes that turn them off. Not that I agree with that generalization, but I can certainly understand where they are coming from. That’s why I try to be careful about reading the book blurb of a more erotic book to ensure I don’t grab one that doesn’t float my boat.
On a more positive note with erotic romances, what I enjoy, beyond the heat factor, is that they are a celebration of a woman’s sexuality, about having fun and enjoying being a woman. What’s not to like about that? ;)
June 4th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
Hey All! Thanks for stoppping by !
Hi Tammy. I hope you’ll give one of my stories a try even though most people don’t consider them erotic romances. There is more to erotica than just hot sex and erotic tension. A good story is always needed, no matter what genre. :)
Cherie! Thank you for the welcome! I’m glad to hear you visit my own blog too. I love my blog even though I was scared of it when I first got it going a few years ago. :oops:
Hello May. I lov eit when people agree with me. :D DO you read erotica as well? Not just ER but real erotica?
Hi Azteclady.
Hi Robyn. *waves*
LAMB!! Hey woman! Yes, most short term happy endings can be assumed to turn into HEA I think too!
Thanks for the welcome Stacy! (and the agreement ;) )
June 4th, 2006 at 4:06 pm
welcome. i read what i like and if it happens to be erotica will so be it.
June 4th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
Great attitude, Kim!
I think many romance readers would be surprised at how much they enjoy a good erotica story, as long as they are aware it’s not always going to end in marriage. I mean, the ending is always a happy one, just not always a traditional HEA. It has to be or the reader is left unahppy (I think).
Yesterday Jaynie R posted a review of my first erotic romance for Berkley in her Sex, Sizzle, and Snark newsletter. Now, to me, BOUND is erotica, becuase it’s all about Katie’s journey, and the romance is secondary. However, Jaynie is a hardcore romance fan, and she still loved the book, and considers it Erotic Romance.
I love that HEA is all in the eye of the beholder. :)
June 4th, 2006 at 5:18 pm
I hadn’t thought of erotica being more akin to chick lit than romance, but I think it’s a pretty good comparison. I think the most important thing is that readers understand what they are getting. This is more of a publisher issue than a reader one, though.
June 4th, 2006 at 5:31 pm
If I like the author( and I do Like Sasha White), I will read erotica, erotic romance, chicklit, romance or romantic suspense.
June 4th, 2006 at 7:05 pm
Alyssa, I agree, and I think that some publishers, and even some writers, are mixed up. They call thier erotic romance “erotica” thinking it’s not a big difference, and that snowballs, and then people get confused. I’ve given up on this topic on most sites and message boards, and I just try to make sure I’m clear about what I write so that readers know what to expect. Does my erotica have romance in it? Almost always. But they always have a happy ending, even if it’s not the traditional romantic kind.
Thanks Estella!! *hugs* I love it when people like my stories. :mrgreen:
June 4th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
I’m new to reading Erotic Romance, but over the years, I’ve noticed more Erotic Romances with great plots and stories. If it were Erotica with sex as the main focus, I wasn’t very interested. But if it’s a great story with hot sex scenes, I’ll definitely read it.
June 4th, 2006 at 10:17 pm
Welcome Sasha! I am glad that you are blogging here too. I do not have a whole lot to say o the subject because Stacy said it for me, so ditto to her comment.:smile: I will say that I almost always have to have some form of romance in anything that I read or I am not that interested. I have read erotica and erotic romances and alot of the “eroticas” lost my interest, probably because I am looking for that HEA. See you later.
June 5th, 2006 at 4:38 am
Sasha, I don’t read erotica much.
Most erotica I can find here are in trade paperbacks (which I don’t buy) and I’ve not really seen any from e-pubs that I like.
June 5th, 2006 at 5:11 am
I can understand that…You need to find one that appeals to you for sure. Well I hope you decide to give one of mine a try. If you read eBooks can I be so bold as to suggest MEANDROS. It’s one of mine, a short story that is true erotica, but I feel is very romantic and one day I think I’ll continue into a novel. If it’ll help you decide…even Mrs.Giggles liked it. LOL
You can check it out here: http://amberquillpress.com/Meandros.html
June 5th, 2006 at 10:53 am
Sasha said: I think many romance readers would be surprised at how much they enjoy a good erotica story, as long as they are aware it’s not always going to end in marriage.
Hmm — I think even in paranormal, which while is often erotic isn’t usually lumped in as erotic romance, there’s a trend towards romances not ending with marriage. I’ve read several books where the couple has developed a deep bond and are determined to make a go of things, but they aren’t married, per se.
Personally, I like it, but then I always found whirlwind marriages (in most cases) to be unrealistic. Yes, IRL, people do run off and marry someone they’ve just met, but I only know two couples that are still together almost fifteen years later.
I think my biggest “beef” with the romance genre as a whole is that the romance ends with them getting together/married/whatever … and at least to my thinking, the story isn’t over yet. What happens after they’ve gotten together? *shrugs* But that’s a whole ‘nother tangent. ;)
June 5th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
:D love E romance. must say though the first few books i read of erotic, i was a little shocked but now LIKEY:lol: