A Request
Let me preface this entry with this disclaimer: People should feel free to write and read whatever they want. But…is it too much to ask for some variety? I had dinner with my fellow published authors from the San Diego RWA chapter last night (which was awesome). Before dinner, I looked around the shelves in the B&N next door. Yes, 90% of the offerings were either paranormal or erotic romance* or both. That was irritating enough. The bigger frustration was that most of the erotic romance titles had a plot with a menage a trios.
I am begging - really, on my knees begging - erotic romance authors to find another plot device. This reminds of when the hotter (non-erotic romance) books started hitting the shelves about 5 years ago. All of the plots seemed to center around sexy, adults-only, live-out-your-fantasies resorts. I kept wondering where all these all-sex-all-the-time joints were located. I got so sick of the premise that, to this day, if I see any book involving a one of these fantasy resorts I can’t read it. The idea is just so contrived and overdone.
And, back to the topic at hand…I’m starting to feel that way about the menage a trios story. There has to be something else to write about. Something more creative and not done-to-death in the genre that still has the level of heat and boundary-pushing feel you want. Please, please, please, mix in other plots.
*Note: When I say erotic romance, I mean books that might be more erotic than romance and come out in imprints like Berkley Heat, Kensington Aphrodisia, Avon Red and EC, etc.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I second this request. And can’t we ratchet up the sexual tension, too? You know, that stuff that goes on BEFORE they boink?
October 18th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
I agree, Nicole!
October 18th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I am bored to death by ménage à trois. The only good one on my keepershelf is from Emma Holly. And those heroes!!!!!!!!!!!! URGGG. Supposedly bi-sexual, they are characterized as gayfriendly, anal sex loving heterosexual UBERalphas that love to dip their wick into other orifices. Snort.
October 18th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
I agree with Nicole too!
October 18th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
You know, for us at least, menage often outsells any other red hot anywhere from 2:1 about 3:1. Readers (apparently not you guys, but the other readers, lol) will buy menage (or more) before they buy anything else. And paranormal outsells contemp. So some readers are still saying (with their credit cards) that they want menage and they want paranormal.
I, on the other hand, want more fantasy romance and futuristics. Pretty please
October 18th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
wow — i must be looking int eh wrong place. I’ve only seen one or two menage books around.
October 18th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Diana - More likely I’m looking in the wrong place…
I went into the romance section, picked up seven books from those facing out or on special displays. Four had a menage a trios theme. Maybe erotica/erotic romance sells really well at this B&N or something, but it was a bit too much of the same thing for my taste.
Katie - You gave me my laugh for the day.
Nicole - I agree. And, it’s not just the erotic romance titles. Some of the hotter books could use more tension and set-up. I’m thinking the rush to write hotter and hotter books sacrificed craft in some instances. Hopefully the demand will calm to more realistic levels, the really goods books and authors will stay and a more stabilized market will take care of the rest. That has happened in every other genres that experienced a dramatic increase. There is an eventual fall and leveling out, and the genre is better for it.
Liza & Estella - I find Nicole to be right most of the time
October 18th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Angela - That news makes me want to weep. Fall down and weep. It certainly explains why I keep seeing the plot in all of these new books. Also makes me realize I’m out of touch with romance buyers…which is scary.
I haven’t read many fantasy romances or futuristics. I want to try the new Shomi imprint. If anyone has another reading suggestions in this area, let me know.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Angela, I know at the end of the day it’s numbers that count in a business operation. And as an author it’s definitely an important decision to take. I am not per se against a ménage à trois themed book, but why oh why do they have to be so stereotypical? I have reviewed my fair share of them from quite a number of authors and different publishers. Most often the only thing that changes are names and places and maybe the breeziness of the heroine, her vanilla to more kinky fantasies and her librarian to waitressing job. The heroes remain bland and UNBELIEVABLE beyond belief. And I personally belong to those readers who can’t see a paranormal story anymore. I make a few exceptions for witches and magic or druidism books in a contemporary setting but I positively get delirious over good ol’ contemporaries such as written in the early to late nineties (or some rare current authors like SEP or Stef Ann Holm) and historicals. A vampire, furry wolf or psychic heroine are a sure turn off for me and have been for quite some time.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
HelenKay: Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson, just released from Dorchester. Probably I should be suggesting a book from my own publisher, and there are some good ones (Michelle Pillow, King of the Unblessed, if you’re going to go shopping at Samhain).
Katie: You know, sad to say, I’ve also seen the numbers proof that readers like and will buy the formula menage (or more) over others. Readers seem to like their heroes to have unbelievable characteristics and do and say unbelievable things. Maybe it’s the fantasy aspect of it?
We released what I think was an absolutely wonderful, and non-formulaic menage. It got fabulous reviews. The sales numbers? Not as great. Why? It was outside the norm menage. Two women and a man, though it has a 1:1 HEA. Women told me (because I asked) that they didn’t want another woman horning in on their fantasy menage. They wanted to hear about one woman and two men. Two men devoted to her every need. Two men who are amazing in every way. Actually, I had an RtB post planned about this, because I also read an interesting article that somehow played into this. I’ll have to dig that info up and see if I can’t write that article.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Angela, could it be you are talking about Michèle de Lully’s 1st publication with you? I reviewed that one when it came out and I ADORED it. You know, the special magic about this one was that it was the first erotic romance story, ever, that made me see the eroticism in f/f scenes. I originally only requested this one for review because I love the music of the French composer Jean Baptiste Lully LOL. The plot was rather tongue-in-cheek and reminded me strongly of a humorous take on your average “The Spanish Playboy’s Pregnant Virgin Mistress” Harlequin Presents release.
Even though the big numbers still indicate that stereotypical formulaic stories are the key to good money (which is important, no question) I observe more and more in my circle of reading buddies and friends that we are all getting discontent with the average erotic stories publishers are popping out (no matter if e-publisher or NY btw.). I recently also discovered that I find a love scene from the famous Karen Rose much more erotic and stimulating than the ones from a well-established NY published erotic romance author. And it was not the online time that happened.
October 18th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Actually, no. Lisa’s Gift by Mackenzie McKade.
Michelle’s book is pure erotica, in my opinion and always struck me as so totally a man’s wet dream, lol.
I’ve had authors query me about “different’ menage settings and I am always open to those (as Lisa’s Gift is evidence of). But, yes, sometimes we also have to do what brings in the almighty dollar as well
October 18th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
What Katie said re: Emmay Holly’s MENAGE. That book set the bar, and I haven’t read a thing yet to measure up. Most threesome’s I have read have one man watching or touching while another man does the deed. There’s very little taking advantage of all available orifices simultaneously, if you get my drift. There was another Black Lace book that I thought also got it right, and now I’m going to blank on the author. It’s quite an older title, tho.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
LOL, I don’t know this one. A man’s wet dream, hmm? Well I guess that could be true, the average fantasy being two blond bimbos going at each others. Pure erotica it isn’t, IMO. Erotica, for me, does have an open ending without a permanent relationship (in whatever form) and love. As soon as I have a loving couple or trio in the ending, forming a relationship with more permanent character I see it as an erotic romance. Anyway, that’s a never ending discussion and will probably never be solved. I usually try to avoid plain erotica (still remember those horrible Black Lace books with gratuitous boinking sessions). For me the Lully book was a humorous take on a number of best-selling clichés and I marked it down as erotic romance in my excel spreadsheet.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Oh my, Alison, you remember me of another good ménage story I completely forgot about. And it’s even a Black Lace title. It was Mandy Dickinson’s Out of Bounds - a very unusual and bohemian ménage with a realistic flair and wonderfully drawn characters. Unfortunately I read it in German, the first time around which was simply horrible because they cut out a lot of scenes. But I got my hand on an English print copy. YEAH.
And you are right. Emma Holly set the bar, and for me not only in the ménage department. Her erotic romances are some of the few (well next to the Lisa Marie Rice’s books) that made it on my keeper shelf.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Really, Alison? You’ve been reading some awfully watered down menages then, because most of what I read is a true threesome–three at once. Or foursome. Making full use of all orifices (yes I know what you mean, lol).
Some authors who I can think of off the top of my head that have written three or more like this include Lorelei James, Jaci Burton, Maya Banks, Annmarie McKenna, Bianca D’Arc, Marie Harte, Eve Vaughn, Mackenzie McKade, Lora Leigh, Cheyenne McCray, and so many others, I could go all night! (please note, for all of these authors I’m referring to their epublished work specifically).
October 18th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
Well, I haven’t read much of anything erotic in awhile because of what Nicole mentioned, the tension. In fact, the book I blogged about today, CATCH OF THE DAY, has absolutely no explicit sex and has more steam than anything I’ve read in ages. My heart was pounding so hard I could barely breathe waiting for Maggie and Malone to get together!
October 18th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Maybe it’s just your B&N because I don’t see all these erotica and paranormals in mine! Sometimes if you go into the fiction section you can find quite a few really good romances. I don’t know how they decide fiction vs romance but alot of times I find some good contemporaries there. I’m new to paranormal so I am not sick of it at all. Yet. LOL
October 18th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
There go my plans to write a menage in ‘08!
I’ve heard they get high click-throughs on the new eRedSage website.
Angela, your comment about going all night nearly made me post a tawdry comment, but I’m holding myself back.
Kate
October 18th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
lol, had to look back to see exactly what I said, but in looking at it, it so deserved a smirk or two
October 20th, 2007 at 3:45 am
Hi, I dropped by your blog because Anitra, one of the American Title IV finalists said you had mentioned Sylvia day’s blog about us all. However, I sure got more than I bargained for with this fascinating conversation. I’ve been doing my best to write the passion, the sexual tension leading up to an erotic encounter — not just the boinking however creatively accomplished. Nothing against menage either, but it’s not my preference to write — so I don’t. However, the consequence has been, as I see now, that the stories I’ve submitted are considered not erotic enough. Not a complaint, just a greater understanding of the market and what’s selling. But then, being a rebel, I write what turns me on in how a woman and man relate to each other romantically and erotically. Congratulations HelenKay on all your wonderful writing success. I’ve only had the opportunity to read an excerpt of ‘Mouth’ and loved it.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Hi Savanna! Congratulations on being an American Title finalist. That is an amazing accomplishment.
I’ve heard the “not erotic enough” complaint from other folks trying to get published. You’re right - you need to write what you write. There are lines/imprints that are sexy and hot without being erotic - Kensington Brava (my imprint), Harlequin Blaze - as well as all levels of heat in other imprints from Avon and Berkley and others. You don’t have to write more erotic. While I think erotic romance is here to stay, I do believe the inevitable will happen. The market will oversaturate (I think it has), publishers will drop some authors and numbers and there will be a more realistic number of titles on the shelves. At the end of that, we should have better erotic romance books available to us. Rather than ride that wave, go with what you write and wow the publishers into buying you and your style.
Angela - Thanks for the recommendation on LORD OF THE FADING LANDS. I’ve seen this one talked about quite a bit lately. Frankly, without the recommendations from you and some others, I would have skipped it. It’s not my usual thing. But, I want to see what everyone is talking about
October 21st, 2007 at 7:34 am
Amen. I think I read too much of the menage stuff early on, and though I continue to read it, I find it’s mostly the same. The lack of sexual tension and romance is so dull.
I’ve purchased Lord of the Fading Land due to a good friend’s rec, and now I cannot wait to read it.
June 23rd, 2008 at 1:43 am
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