Amey Zeigler's Blog
February 22, 2025
What does clean mean?
Clean and Wholesome was a category designated on Amazon. The term clean came from them and those of us who write “no-spice” romance wanted a way to better communicate what was in our books and better meet readers’ expectations.
“Clean” can mean a whole lot of things, but let’s start with this. I don’t feel it is the opposite of dirty--or imply that intimacy is dirty. I see the definition as more of “free from” like I had a clean performance, free from mistakes.
I went to a conference once where a very popular author said that talking about sex on page through metaphor was considered clean. I want to say this, no one in the clean author community that I’ve talked to agreed with that statement. Most clean authors will say no sex on page--not even in metaphor.
But even if we say clean doesn’t have sex on page, there is still a large variation from a chaste kiss to implied sex through closed-door. So what can you expect from a clean author?
First, let’s define a few words:
Closed door/fade to black: heavily implied that something happened while the characters were off screen. Nothing is described. Characters wake up in a different locale. We stole this term from movies when the couple may close the door on the camera or there may be kissing, but the camera fades to black and closes out the scene before it gets too steamy. A lot of movies use this technique, even in the PG-13 range. Amey Zeigler books that fall into this category: The Swiss Mishap, Baker’s Dozen. They are clean from sex but there is some steam PG-13 stuff going on.
Sweet: This term can be confusing as many spicy authors use this to denote that the tone of the book is uplifting, not to mean a lack of sex. But many in the clean and wholesome community use the term sweet to mean that you’ll find Hallmark level intimacy--that is to say, not much.
The Writing Gals came up with a Level rating that most in the Clean Author community have adopted.
Without further ado...
Level 1:
Hand holding/affectionate touching
Compliments/confessing love
Low-description kissing
Tender embraces or cuddling
Blushing and sighing
Non-descriptive discussions of sex
Established relationships
Fade-to-black even if married
Any sexual encounters from the past only referred to in passing, not described in detail or realized on the page.
A lot of the Proper Romance Series from Shadow Mountain Press fall into this category as well as many Christian romances.
Level 2
Touch that signals attraction
No touching in underwear zone (bra and panties)
Long kisses, lightly descriptive
Deeper kissed, tongue implied but not described
Feel warm or flushed
Grasping, deep sighs, light growls and groans
Thinking or speaking of desire in non-descriptive ways
Fade to black for established relationship after a scene that matches this level
Most of my books fall here. I like steamy kisses, but not so steamy that I need to get an ice pack or anything. My YA will never move to a level 3 because I don’t feel like encouraging kids to have sex is a positive thing for our kids. If I’d feel creepy if a 35 year-old man read this to my 12 year old daughter, I feel like it shouldn’t be in my book.
Level 3
Hand moving, still not on bra/panties or boxer zone (under shirt, along the thighs)
French kissing with a bit of tongue described
Make out sessions that still adhere to guidelines
Feel hot and sweaty
Heavier gasping, groaning and deep growls, panty
More frantic and lose some control
Male shirt may come off, but nothing else
Legs may straddle waist but no mention of arousal
If they lie down together use little description of the contact (ie descriptive body part references even in metaphor.)
May happen in bedroom on or a bed but should be interrupted or end with fade to black. Focus is on emotion not the body parts or physical arousal
Fade-to-black with still happen with married couples even at the end of the book when the romance reaches its highest point.
The Swiss Mishap and Baker’s Dozen live here. This is as high as my comfort range goes. I will never write above this. I feel like this is in the PG-13 range if this were rated by the MPAA. If it would be R-rated if made into a movie, it is not clean.
If it has description of sex on the page, even in metaphor, it is not considered clean.
What is your comfort level of reading romance?
“Clean” can mean a whole lot of things, but let’s start with this. I don’t feel it is the opposite of dirty--or imply that intimacy is dirty. I see the definition as more of “free from” like I had a clean performance, free from mistakes.
I went to a conference once where a very popular author said that talking about sex on page through metaphor was considered clean. I want to say this, no one in the clean author community that I’ve talked to agreed with that statement. Most clean authors will say no sex on page--not even in metaphor.
But even if we say clean doesn’t have sex on page, there is still a large variation from a chaste kiss to implied sex through closed-door. So what can you expect from a clean author?
First, let’s define a few words:
Closed door/fade to black: heavily implied that something happened while the characters were off screen. Nothing is described. Characters wake up in a different locale. We stole this term from movies when the couple may close the door on the camera or there may be kissing, but the camera fades to black and closes out the scene before it gets too steamy. A lot of movies use this technique, even in the PG-13 range. Amey Zeigler books that fall into this category: The Swiss Mishap, Baker’s Dozen. They are clean from sex but there is some steam PG-13 stuff going on.
Sweet: This term can be confusing as many spicy authors use this to denote that the tone of the book is uplifting, not to mean a lack of sex. But many in the clean and wholesome community use the term sweet to mean that you’ll find Hallmark level intimacy--that is to say, not much.
The Writing Gals came up with a Level rating that most in the Clean Author community have adopted.
Without further ado...
Level 1:
Hand holding/affectionate touching
Compliments/confessing love
Low-description kissing
Tender embraces or cuddling
Blushing and sighing
Non-descriptive discussions of sex
Established relationships
Fade-to-black even if married
Any sexual encounters from the past only referred to in passing, not described in detail or realized on the page.
A lot of the Proper Romance Series from Shadow Mountain Press fall into this category as well as many Christian romances.
Level 2
Touch that signals attraction
No touching in underwear zone (bra and panties)
Long kisses, lightly descriptive
Deeper kissed, tongue implied but not described
Feel warm or flushed
Grasping, deep sighs, light growls and groans
Thinking or speaking of desire in non-descriptive ways
Fade to black for established relationship after a scene that matches this level
Most of my books fall here. I like steamy kisses, but not so steamy that I need to get an ice pack or anything. My YA will never move to a level 3 because I don’t feel like encouraging kids to have sex is a positive thing for our kids. If I’d feel creepy if a 35 year-old man read this to my 12 year old daughter, I feel like it shouldn’t be in my book.
Level 3
Hand moving, still not on bra/panties or boxer zone (under shirt, along the thighs)
French kissing with a bit of tongue described
Make out sessions that still adhere to guidelines
Feel hot and sweaty
Heavier gasping, groaning and deep growls, panty
More frantic and lose some control
Male shirt may come off, but nothing else
Legs may straddle waist but no mention of arousal
If they lie down together use little description of the contact (ie descriptive body part references even in metaphor.)
May happen in bedroom on or a bed but should be interrupted or end with fade to black. Focus is on emotion not the body parts or physical arousal
Fade-to-black with still happen with married couples even at the end of the book when the romance reaches its highest point.
The Swiss Mishap and Baker’s Dozen live here. This is as high as my comfort range goes. I will never write above this. I feel like this is in the PG-13 range if this were rated by the MPAA. If it would be R-rated if made into a movie, it is not clean.
If it has description of sex on the page, even in metaphor, it is not considered clean.
What is your comfort level of reading romance?
August 29, 2024
Summer Sugar Creek Book is done
Seasons of Sugar Creek Summer edition is done! I saw the preliminary cover and it looks amazing! Thanks to Hillary Sperry for the gorgeous cover. Cover reveal coming soon!
Still plugging away at my Backerkit for Weave of A Thousand Lies. My crowdfunding campaign starts Sept. 5th! Mark you calendars!
Still plugging away at my Backerkit for Weave of A Thousand Lies. My crowdfunding campaign starts Sept. 5th! Mark you calendars!
July 31, 2024
New Pen Name!
Hello!
If you want to, head over to A. E. Zeigler and follow the author. My Young Adult fantasy is coming out in September. If you'd like to follow my Backerkit campaign for details on my launch go here
I am publishing paperbacks, cloth hardbound and case laminate with color pages. I hope that we can get enough support to unlock cool things like foiled covers and jackets! Join me and help me reach my goal of reaching $500!
Read what reviewers are calling a "marriage of Mistborn and Outlander."
If you want to, head over to A. E. Zeigler and follow the author. My Young Adult fantasy is coming out in September. If you'd like to follow my Backerkit campaign for details on my launch go here
I am publishing paperbacks, cloth hardbound and case laminate with color pages. I hope that we can get enough support to unlock cool things like foiled covers and jackets! Join me and help me reach my goal of reaching $500!
Read what reviewers are calling a "marriage of Mistborn and Outlander."
March 6, 2024
Fake Fiancee is done this week
Hello!
I'm almost finished with the fake fiancee book. The first of three attempts. This is also the first time I took a plot trope and made a story out of it. It's fun. I'm super excited to share this. It has baseball, friends-to-more, and crazy family.
tagline: the dating is fake, the feelings are real.
Dobson has had a crush on Kay ever since he's started working at the marketing firm, but he's never admitted it, even to himself. Still smarting from his last long-term relationship, he can't bring himself to admit to his family that he's no longer in a committed relationship. Desperate for their approval, he makes a deal with Kay for her to pretend to be his girlfriend.
Kay needs the promotion to help pay the ever-rising cost of living in San Francisco. When her boss offers her an opportunity to get ahead, she takes it. But she'll need extra help. When Dobson approaches her with a deal, she can't pass it up. He'll help her finish the demanding workload in exchange to come home with him to his dying grandma's birthday and pretend to be his girlfriend.
Sounds easy, right? Until they both start catching feelings, and the grandma expects a hospital bedside wedding, Kay must decide what's the most important thing to her.
I'm almost finished with the fake fiancee book. The first of three attempts. This is also the first time I took a plot trope and made a story out of it. It's fun. I'm super excited to share this. It has baseball, friends-to-more, and crazy family.
tagline: the dating is fake, the feelings are real.
Dobson has had a crush on Kay ever since he's started working at the marketing firm, but he's never admitted it, even to himself. Still smarting from his last long-term relationship, he can't bring himself to admit to his family that he's no longer in a committed relationship. Desperate for their approval, he makes a deal with Kay for her to pretend to be his girlfriend.
Kay needs the promotion to help pay the ever-rising cost of living in San Francisco. When her boss offers her an opportunity to get ahead, she takes it. But she'll need extra help. When Dobson approaches her with a deal, she can't pass it up. He'll help her finish the demanding workload in exchange to come home with him to his dying grandma's birthday and pretend to be his girlfriend.
Sounds easy, right? Until they both start catching feelings, and the grandma expects a hospital bedside wedding, Kay must decide what's the most important thing to her.
January 23, 2024
My Shopify Store is Up and Running
I've been toying with the idea of selling direct for years now. I love being able to give more to my readers. This is a way I can do signed author copies of my books, deliver merch, and have special coupons and offers for loyal customers. It's been a steep learning curve. I'm not good at computers and integrating different apps. But I have overcome lots of obstacles, cried a lot, said a lot of swears and prayers. And it's up and running! I will be adding merchandise, new books there as I continue to write. Up for 2024:
Billionaires Don't Date Fake Fiancées
The Cookie Platter
More Seasons of Sugar Creek books.
Hopefully start my YA fantasy pen name and bring even more epic books to you.
What have you been reading this year? Light and funny? I feel like life is already so crazy, we need laughter and lightness. Good luck this year in reaching your goals.
Billionaires Don't Date Fake Fiancées
The Cookie Platter
More Seasons of Sugar Creek books.
Hopefully start my YA fantasy pen name and bring even more epic books to you.
What have you been reading this year? Light and funny? I feel like life is already so crazy, we need laughter and lightness. Good luck this year in reaching your goals.
July 9, 2023
Summer of 2023
Hello!
Summer is heating up here where I am at, which is good because that means all I want to do is sit inside all day in the AC and write instead of doing outdoorsy things.
I've been wildly productive and I've been working on a few things this summer:
Sin and Sinister (paranormal vampire and werewolves mystery series set in Monte Carlo) is finally done. I had struggled with the ending and put it down to work on more pressing things. My Alpha readers are looking it over for plot holes and other major revisions I might need. More plotting for this series is ongoing!
Seasons of Sugar Creek First Kisses. This is the backstory of Roland and Debra and how they had their first kiss Homecoming evening in 1972. It's been fun to write a retro piece. It's almost finished probably at the 80% mark.
The Autumn Fallout is 100% done with the first draft. I'll be sending that to my Alpha readers this week for major plot/character suggestions. I should be finished by August. I'm also plotting the next Seasons of Sugar Creek Summer edition. Still working on a title: The Beach Bargain maybe?
My Secret Billionaire Landlord is back from the editors and I'm waiting for the cover designer to find the best couple. That should be out on my website first this fall before heading to Amazon later.
Audio! I have almost finished recording A White Christmas Lie! I'll do some quick edits and get it up on my website as a bundle.
Next in audio: I think I might do all my novellas--August Blues and Swiss Mistletoe and Macarons because they are fast. I also need to finish Editing The Swiss Mishap audio. I might just take a week and do that! I'll post them up on my website as soon as I can!
2024: Looking ahead, I'm planning a series (finally) that I think I'll enjoy writing about firefighters. I still need to figure out where I'm going to set my fictional town and what size, but I have some great ideas.
Also for 2024: Late Bloomer and Wing Girl will be a duology with some cross-over characters.
Baker's Dozen 3: Mark of the Beast is looooong overdue! It's been in the back of my mind stewing. Those always take me a long time to write. I've got some research I need to do. A trip to Rome might be needed!
Of course, all of this is dependent on outside events as well.
What are you most excited about coming ahead?
Summer is heating up here where I am at, which is good because that means all I want to do is sit inside all day in the AC and write instead of doing outdoorsy things.
I've been wildly productive and I've been working on a few things this summer:
Sin and Sinister (paranormal vampire and werewolves mystery series set in Monte Carlo) is finally done. I had struggled with the ending and put it down to work on more pressing things. My Alpha readers are looking it over for plot holes and other major revisions I might need. More plotting for this series is ongoing!
Seasons of Sugar Creek First Kisses. This is the backstory of Roland and Debra and how they had their first kiss Homecoming evening in 1972. It's been fun to write a retro piece. It's almost finished probably at the 80% mark.
The Autumn Fallout is 100% done with the first draft. I'll be sending that to my Alpha readers this week for major plot/character suggestions. I should be finished by August. I'm also plotting the next Seasons of Sugar Creek Summer edition. Still working on a title: The Beach Bargain maybe?
My Secret Billionaire Landlord is back from the editors and I'm waiting for the cover designer to find the best couple. That should be out on my website first this fall before heading to Amazon later.
Audio! I have almost finished recording A White Christmas Lie! I'll do some quick edits and get it up on my website as a bundle.
Next in audio: I think I might do all my novellas--August Blues and Swiss Mistletoe and Macarons because they are fast. I also need to finish Editing The Swiss Mishap audio. I might just take a week and do that! I'll post them up on my website as soon as I can!
2024: Looking ahead, I'm planning a series (finally) that I think I'll enjoy writing about firefighters. I still need to figure out where I'm going to set my fictional town and what size, but I have some great ideas.
Also for 2024: Late Bloomer and Wing Girl will be a duology with some cross-over characters.
Baker's Dozen 3: Mark of the Beast is looooong overdue! It's been in the back of my mind stewing. Those always take me a long time to write. I've got some research I need to do. A trip to Rome might be needed!
Of course, all of this is dependent on outside events as well.
What are you most excited about coming ahead?
April 11, 2023
Billionaires Don't Go to Camp
Billioniares Don't Go to Camp released at the end of March and it's being well-received! It's a fun book about a tech billionaire who thinks he can get his way if he just pays enough money and Clara, who follows the rules and wants to see justice served.
She catches him speeding through a school zone and posts it to social media.
He tries to pay her off.
She rejects his charm and his generous take-down money.
What will happen with the judge order him to work 120 hours at her struggling camp?
I wanted to write a fun, moving story about someone who has integrity and won't be bought off. I love Clara and I love Elliott. They both get the wrong impression of each other in this enemies to lovers, forced proximity, clean billionaire romance. Enjoy!
She catches him speeding through a school zone and posts it to social media.
He tries to pay her off.
She rejects his charm and his generous take-down money.
What will happen with the judge order him to work 120 hours at her struggling camp?
I wanted to write a fun, moving story about someone who has integrity and won't be bought off. I love Clara and I love Elliott. They both get the wrong impression of each other in this enemies to lovers, forced proximity, clean billionaire romance. Enjoy!
November 2, 2022
A White Christmas Lie is LIVE
Everyone knows Poverlys and Laurents don't mix.
Coco and Deb Poverly are doing fine. Just don’t ask about the money, the bills, or the new shop threatening Deb’s bakery. Coco will do anything to help her great-aunt, even trade places with a wedding guest for extra cash. Dressed as an heiress, Coco falls for the charm and good looks of none other than Preston Laurent, Sugar Creek’s most eligible bachelor. But he’s a Laurent. No matter how hot he looks in a tux, they can't be together.
He has everything except someone to share it with.
Preston Laurent is the son of a wealthy diplomat. Meeting a down-to-earth heiress at a wedding could be the start of finding the love he's searching for--until his ideal woman turns out to be the penniless Coco Poverly. Their romance would tear his world apart. Preston must decide what he wants most. If he admits feelings for a Poverly, his grandfather will cut him off. But if he says nothing, he loses her.
He would have done anything for Debra.
Fifty years ago, Roland Laurent was in love with the wrong girl from the wrong family. After a failed elopement, he knew he shouldn't have sacrificed for a life with a Poverly. When his grandson Preston sets his sights on Coco, Roland warns him against the hurt Debra caused decades ago, hoping to save him pain.
Deb’s lost love shaped her heart and life.
She never married and never forgave Roland for not returning to Sugar Creek. But now he's back in town, and just as good looking as ever. But her pride won't let her explain what happened half a century ago. How can she watch Coco and Preston's relationship fail after the generations of bad blood between their families?
Coco and Preston defy their relatives to find healing for the misunderstandings that have plagued their families for over a hundred years, allowing everyone a chance to find peace and move on from pain that has nothing to do with them and everything to do with what's keeping them apart.
Coco and Deb Poverly are doing fine. Just don’t ask about the money, the bills, or the new shop threatening Deb’s bakery. Coco will do anything to help her great-aunt, even trade places with a wedding guest for extra cash. Dressed as an heiress, Coco falls for the charm and good looks of none other than Preston Laurent, Sugar Creek’s most eligible bachelor. But he’s a Laurent. No matter how hot he looks in a tux, they can't be together.
He has everything except someone to share it with.
Preston Laurent is the son of a wealthy diplomat. Meeting a down-to-earth heiress at a wedding could be the start of finding the love he's searching for--until his ideal woman turns out to be the penniless Coco Poverly. Their romance would tear his world apart. Preston must decide what he wants most. If he admits feelings for a Poverly, his grandfather will cut him off. But if he says nothing, he loses her.
He would have done anything for Debra.
Fifty years ago, Roland Laurent was in love with the wrong girl from the wrong family. After a failed elopement, he knew he shouldn't have sacrificed for a life with a Poverly. When his grandson Preston sets his sights on Coco, Roland warns him against the hurt Debra caused decades ago, hoping to save him pain.
Deb’s lost love shaped her heart and life.
She never married and never forgave Roland for not returning to Sugar Creek. But now he's back in town, and just as good looking as ever. But her pride won't let her explain what happened half a century ago. How can she watch Coco and Preston's relationship fail after the generations of bad blood between their families?
Coco and Preston defy their relatives to find healing for the misunderstandings that have plagued their families for over a hundred years, allowing everyone a chance to find peace and move on from pain that has nothing to do with them and everything to do with what's keeping them apart.
June 29, 2022
Christmas in July Book Boxes
Hello! I have a special announcement just in time for Christmas in July! I've teamed up with five other sweet romance authors to create a series called The Seasons of Sugar Creek. We founded a fictional town in Vermont with all the small town feels and created events for each holiday season. This year we're doing Christmas and to celebrate, we're making these book boxes available on Kickstarter for July ONLY!
What you get!
All the tastes, the sounds, the smells and experiences of Sugar Creek with 4-6 handpicked, Sugar Creek-inspired holiday gifts carefully selected and curated, two special edition, author signed HARDCOVER sweet romances/women's fiction, and a collectable Sugar Creek ornament all valued over $100 in each of the three collectible boxes. These will be delivered to your door (US residents only) in December. You can order one for yourself or for your book-loving friends. Who would you give one to? I'll probably send one to my mom and my mother-in-law.
How to get?
Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing fundraising platform. You pledge on your desired item and only pay WHEN the campaign makes their goals. So even if you're not interested, please share with those you think would love these great surprises.
Click here to sign up for a Kickstarter account. Our campaign runs for a limited time: July 1st-30th
Experience Sugar Creek this Christmas season!
What you get!
All the tastes, the sounds, the smells and experiences of Sugar Creek with 4-6 handpicked, Sugar Creek-inspired holiday gifts carefully selected and curated, two special edition, author signed HARDCOVER sweet romances/women's fiction, and a collectable Sugar Creek ornament all valued over $100 in each of the three collectible boxes. These will be delivered to your door (US residents only) in December. You can order one for yourself or for your book-loving friends. Who would you give one to? I'll probably send one to my mom and my mother-in-law.
How to get?
Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing fundraising platform. You pledge on your desired item and only pay WHEN the campaign makes their goals. So even if you're not interested, please share with those you think would love these great surprises.
Click here to sign up for a Kickstarter account. Our campaign runs for a limited time: July 1st-30th
Experience Sugar Creek this Christmas season!
June 12, 2022
The Casserole Dish is a RONE finalist!
Hello dear friends!
I found out this week that The Casserole Dish made it into the final rounds of the prestigious RONE awards. I am so humbled that this book has touched so many hearts. It was written with so much heart for a love of a neighborhood and from a simple reminder to be the bigger person and be the first to forgive and allow other people into your life. I'm glad this message resonated with the people at InD'tale magazines who run the awards, but also readers. Although it's a romance, it's also about a women's journey after her divorce. It's filled with hope and love. I'm so pleased that this book made it this far. It's such an incredible honor!
I found out this week that The Casserole Dish made it into the final rounds of the prestigious RONE awards. I am so humbled that this book has touched so many hearts. It was written with so much heart for a love of a neighborhood and from a simple reminder to be the bigger person and be the first to forgive and allow other people into your life. I'm glad this message resonated with the people at InD'tale magazines who run the awards, but also readers. Although it's a romance, it's also about a women's journey after her divorce. It's filled with hope and love. I'm so pleased that this book made it this far. It's such an incredible honor!
