Lisette Kristensen's Blog, page 11

Facade unveiled, where does she go from here?

When I first wrote Unveiling Facade, I had intended to follow along the lines of Laura Antoniou’s, The Marketplace series.  Well good intentions that they may be that really didn’t happen. In reality, it turned out to be more like a reprise of “Eyes Wide Shut” from a woman’s perspective.   The one thing I had not intended on was for it to have a sequel.

That has changed, and all due to you the reader.  When the first reviews and emails came in, I was stunned to the constant theme of “can’t wait to see what happens.” It never dawned on me that I wrote a cliff hangar as one reader told me.  I will also admit,  I resisted the notion of continuing Jocelyn’s adventures into the dark side of BDSM.  There were other stories bouncing around in my head. Like a sexy Pirate story linked to a heathen voodoo sorceress who curses him. Or something sexually sinister back in the time of Le Belle Epoch days in Victorian Paris.

In the end, the readers won, and I am happy that you all insisted I continue her exploits. To that end, I have finished the first draft and it came out to be around 24,000 words, a novella, instead of a short story. Revisions and edits will begin and if all goes well I should have it ready by end of April.

The question I get asked is what will happen? I answer it this way, Jocelyn is flawed by her own anxieties due to her past. She never quite feels good enough about herself and it defeats her at the worse times.  What I am attempting to do in the sequel, is to show how her decent into the dark world of BDSM, becomes her salvation.  The goal, is to dig deeper into her psyche through interaction with others and personal reflection. Don’t worry you deviants out there, there will be plenty of torrid lust and some scintillating BDSM scenes.

One final comment, the post I made on Sunday about the line we walk in writing BDSM stories had a big impact on my own writing. A philosophical epiphany of sorts, and that reflection will be part of the revision process. I want you, the reader, to feel her exploration into a different part of her world and to see how it affects her and how she can overcome her flaws.

Enough about me. In other news, this Thursday, we will have an interview, by a good friend of mine, Kristin Daniels.  She has released her book, Seven Nights. One hot menage story, but has twist and turns and told with real emotions.

Other reviews coming: July Cumming, Piper Presely, Angora Shade, Ava Stewart and Casey Cane. I have my own interviews coming up at other sites, and when thet come out I will share them here as well.

That’s it for now, and see you Thursday with Kristin Daniels.

When does BDSM become abuse, or does it?

Previously I had written how 50 Shades of Grey had been a boon to Erotica writers and especially it’s sub genre, BDSM. I had implied in that post it was a double edged sword,  I spoke about the plethora of content in general not what that content contained.

Yesterday, over at BDSM Book Reviews, they held a FB party, and during the day the topic of abuse arose in the context of BDSM. Not that anyone had put a label on the BDSM genre as a disguise for abuse. A concern had been raised due to the advent of author’s entering the genre, that their knowledge or interest in the BDSM world might be lacking.

The perception has become to a degree, since 50 Shades, that it had become too easy for new writers to create unrealistic situations where a submissive becomes nothing more than a punching bag in the name of BDSM.  I can’t quantify that perception but it makes sense and logical that people would try to cash in on the phenomena, without thinking of the ramifications .

That got me thinking on how I look at my writing and how I look at story lines that percolate in my mind. I admit, I’m one that will go to the darker recess of what a person can accept and/or tolerate.  If asked, I will say my interest is with the pain/pleasure dynamic.  I’m fascinated in the whole cycle when a person, mentally and physically, crashes through the barriers of pain and falls into that abyss of pleasure.

In writing Unveiling Facade, my goal was not merely to show BDSM in action, which it did, but to go into the soul of the heroine.  I wanted to show you, the reader, a journey or exploration if you will, of a person finding that dark corner in her soul.  To the point that the dark corner is her salvation. Not that she discovers she is a pain-slut for the sake of it, but that it gives her freedom, to overcome/deal with her flaws.

Currently, I am finishing the first draft of the sequel.  What I realized in writing it is how much of a responsibility we  have to the genre to get it right. Judith Anderson in this past weeks interview speaks to getting it right. I agree, it’s easy to crank out trash, but who is done the greatest disservice? You the reader (also to us author’s for we read too).

Please understand this is not a rant on anyone writer(s) but more or less a reminder to all of us that put words to paper, that we owe it to all of us to walk that line with respect to not only the craft of writing but to the world of BDSM.

I would be interested in your thoughts on this topic, so don’t be bashful, crack that whip.

Golden Flogger Nominee, Judith Anderson Interview

Today we have a special guest, Judith Anderson. Judith is a Golden Flogger nominee  for her Anthology, “Pretty When You Cry”

In your bio you mention being in the BDSM lifestyle for a time. When was it you decided to write about BDSM, anything in particular trigger it?

I’ve always been a writer and so always wrote about things I was involved with at the time. When I got involved with the local BDSM community, I wanted to write about BDSM as a person actually involved in the lifestyle and its customs, as opposed to a FSOG type of arrangement.

Nadja’s Choice is not your first work. Tell us a little bit about your other works.

“Pretty When You Cry” was my first release. I self-published it on Amazon in  February of 2015. It slowly gained some traction and eventually got over 40 5-star reviews and sold a few hundred copies.  It ended up getting nominated by the BDSM Writers Con for a Golden Flogger award in the ‘Anthology’ category. Its a collection of BDSM Erotica short stories I wrote from 2006 – 2015.

I noticed you had self published before, what motivated you to go the more traditional route with Nadja’s Choice?

PWYC got me a lot of exposure through the help of my PA, Lindsey Courtney and my wonderful street team, Judi’s Jewels. Maren Smith is a Blushing Books author and a friend who helped  me proof and get PWYC ready to self-publish. She introduced me to Tabitha Black, another Blushing author, who said in the wake of FSOG, Blushing was getting deluged with BDSM manuscripts by people who had no idea what they were talking about, they were just trying to cash in on the craze. She encouraged me to write a BDSM romance. That was the start of “Nadja’s Choice”.

What was the creative force behind you writing Nadja’s Choice?

At the time, I was getting tired of the fact that whenever I saw BDSM on popular media, like TV, there was a chalk outline on the floor. Or the sadist was a deranged villain. I just wanted to tell a love story about two individuals that just happened to have BDSM in it.

In reading the book I noticed two unique features, the first is Jack doesn’t come off like the typical hot alpha male we read today. Was that a conscience decision or just happen?

I understand that most romance has elements of fantasy, so the hero is usually unbelievably handsome and hot and the heroine is a ravishing beauty. I believe that my characters are attractive people, but perhaps not the obvious kind.

The second thing, and it was more obvious is that the heroine, is a full figured woman. Can you share what motivated you to go in that direction?

Being in the BDSM lifestyle, you come across all shapes of people and most heroines in romance novels are usually skinny things, which isn’t inherently bad, but I just don’t think its representative of people in the lifestyle or really society at large. So I wrote a novel that’s perhaps a little more on the realistic side. Although there is BDSM activity in the novel, its not discipline. No one’s being taught a lesson or being corrected. Its just about people who love to spank people who love to be spanked.

If there was anything you could change in Nadja’s Choice what would it be?

There’s a part of the novel in the last quarter where things fall apart for Jack and Nadja that I feel I may have skimped on a little. I still think the novel as a whole is effective, but I think I could have made the situation more dire and grim. The worse things seem, then the ending is just that much happier.

What is the biggest thing that people THINK they know about your genre, that isn’t so?

I guess there’s a concept that its violent or abusive and its not. All the activity in “Nadja’s Choice” is consensual. It was kinda tricky to make pre-scene negotiation ‘sexy’, but I think I pulled it off okay. :)

What author or author’s have had the greatest influence on your writing?

Douglas Adams (“The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy”) for his humor and ability to play with words and Lawrence Block, a well-respected and honored author in the Mystery genre with over 50 books to his credit.

Last question, what can we expect in the future from Judith Anderson?

My second novel has just been accepted by Blushing Books. Its the first in a series about an exciting new character, Kimber Cassidy. She’s a beautiful plus-size amateur sleuth in her mid-20’s, if Rebel Wilson and Albert Einstein had a love child, it would be Kimber Cassidy. She sexy, smart, brash and bold and I think people are just gonna love her!

You can get your copy of Nadja Choice here.

Judith, thank you for taking the time to join us today and sharing your insights to your writing and your views on the BDSM lifestyle.  To you the reader, all of Judith Anderson’s links are below:

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/authorjudithanderson
Judith Anderson FB Fan Page : https://www.facebook.com/Judith-Anderson-Author-703982799706360/
Blog : judithanderson.blogspot.com
Twitter : @Jandersonspank
Email : judithandersonauthor@gmail.com
Amazon Author page : amazon.com/author/judithandersonauthor

 

Golden Flogger and Friday night BDSM FB party

It’s been a busy week in the BDSM world for writers and readers. On March 31st, BDSM Writers Con kicks off a weekend of fun events  in Everett, Washington. The big part of this is the Golden Flogger Awards. Here are the nominees , and as you will see there is quite a variety of classifications.

You will also notice the wide range of sub genres nominated.  What is shows while many of the nominees are not classified as BDSM by Amazon they all hold elements of the BDSM lifestyle. It also makes for a great reading list. If you are in the Everett area you should go take a look.  On the link is a calendar of events, the next one will be in New York in August of this year.

As a follow up to the Golden Flogger Awards, this Thursday, we will have one of the nominees dropping in. Judith Anderson, who is nominated in the Anthology group for her book, Pretty When You Cry, will be doing an interview.  Don’t miss it for Judith brings a unique perspective to the BDSM genre.

I would be interested in any readers here having read any of the nominees. If so, please leave a comment on which ones you thought captured a true BDSM feel.

On Friday, I will be one of the hostess at a BDSM party on Facebook.  It is being held by BDSM Book Reviews. I will be on at 11 p.m. and you can find it here.  If never done one so it should be a fun experience and encourage all of you to join in. If you are there during my time, please say hello.

Speaking of Facebook, you can find my page at Midnight Dream, you will find this blog and any interesting tweet post there as well.

I have received some mails of late asking when the follow up to Unveiling Facade will be ready. The update is of now, I am almost finished writing it. I will need most of April to revise and edit. If life goes smoothly I am expecting to do a launch in late April/Early May. Part 2 will be novella in length for Jocelyn finds herself in many interesting and twisted situations.

 

 

BDSM – Thank you 50 Shades, maybe.

We have to give credit where credit is due, if it hadn’t been for the series put out be E. L. James, the BDSM genre might still be playing second fiddle in the Erotica genre.  This is not to say, that 50 Shades of Grey should be looked at as the bible of BDSM exploration. Nor did it bring to light the true essence of sexual seeking-sensations that is the bedrock of all BDSM writing (or real time play).

What it did do, is to make erotica more mainstream, it allowed writers that toiled in the areas of historical, contemporary and even chick-lit to add in more elements of sexual risk.  It also threw open the doors to explore other genres that would never even been spoken about in any blog or household.

So while many of us, look down our nose at 50 Shades from a purist point of view, the truth is our genre has exploded. While in some regards that helps us as writers in that genre, it has a downside too. With the ease of self publishing, the thirst by small publishing houses the genre is overwhelmed in titles. Today at Amazon, in my category of Erotica/BDSM there are 7400 offerings on Kindle. That is staggering!

Good writers and thier stories get lost in this backwash of titles.  For instance, Laura Antoniou, The Market Place Series, ranks 3093 in the BDSM genre, and by most it is considered a classic in BDSM literature.  How do you the reader, or we (writers of erotica enjoy reading it too) find those books that are true to the genre? That touch on the BDSM doctrine of sexual seeking-sensations?

Is there a place  where like minded readers and writers  of the genre can share what they have discovered? Social media outlets like Twiiter or Facebook are not viable really, they are used more for promotion purposes. Is BingBing.com or Google+ the right medium?

While we can appreciate what James’s 50 Shades of Grey has done for the genre, I believe it is time for the more refined writers and readers (was going to say hardcore) of the BDSM genre to take it back. Not in an elitist manner, but for those of us that want to enjoy those senses that has made the genre a wonderful dark place.

What suggestions do you have? Share them!

(I want to thank all of you for participating in Nora Blackwell’s interview. At noon MST we will be drawing the winner of her giveaways. So hot that “like” button on her interview.)

 

 

 

 

 

Belts, floggers and hot biscuits

Today is special for we have with us Nora Blackwell, the author of “Butter My Biscuit.” It’s a collection of torrid hot BDSM short stories.  We appreciate her taking the time out of her schedule to answer our questions. Nora has been generous enough to offer a giveaway, a $20 Amazon Gift Card and a surprise gift. The details how to win are further along in the article.

1.There is no doubt the title of your book, “Butter my Biscuit” is cute but also brings a naughty smile to most of us. How did you come up with the title?

Actually, my daughter suggested it. First, I am about as southern a girl as you can get. Second, I had originally chosen a different title that had to do with starting a Model T (because you crank start it), but after reading the stories to help with editing (YES, my daughter read my book) and also having trouble finding a suitable cover to go with the title, she suggested this title as an alternate, based on a story in the book, and it stuck.

2.In reading the stories, there is strong BDSM overtones. You are a sweet Alabama girl, where or when did the BDSM interest start?

OH. Well, I was a very young newlywed and one night during a moment of intimacy, my husband swatted me. It wasn’t hard, or even painful, but I was shocked. He’d never hit me in ANY way before that, but then it turned into something else and I figured out that it had excited me. It took years, though, before I figured out there wasn’t something “wrong” with me for liking the fact that he did that – or how to explain to him that I wanted him to do it again. This is one of those things where I have to say thank you for the internet, because I was awake late one night and we’d just gotten our first computer and I stumbled on a whole world I had never known existed. It was sort of all over from there.

3.I also noticed, the men are totally alpha. Strong dominant types. Do I presume you to be 100% Crimson Tide submissive? Better yet, how did you see yourself in those scenes?

In truth, more than one of those stories is based on an actual experience. No, I’m not going to tell you which ones. So, how did I see myself in those scenes? Nearly all of them I could easily see myself in although I might have reacted differently in one or two. Yes, the men are totally alpha. It’s what I’m drawn to, and always have been, I suppose. Even in stories that involve a female dominant, the men are, on the surface, very much alpha males. You’d never know if you saw them in a normal setting that they bow at a woman’s feet and submit. And while my mind does have a very creative dominant streak, I believe I have a submissive heart.

Butter your Biscuit @ Amazon

4.One of the stories involved a belt. Belt scenes are so psychological. Where did that emanate from?

That’s probably the hardest one for me to answer. I attribute that to the “little girl” in me that sometimes still needs to be disciplined. I hope when I say that the readers will understand it has nothing to do with age play. I do not engage in age play that even remotely involves pretending to be a child. It’s more like the rebellious young woman needing to be put back in her place. Having the belt used instead of a crop or cane or flogger, for me, makes things more personal, more intimate. In my own mind I can, and have, detracted a part of me from a scene involving a crop or flogger – as if I’m watching instead of participating – if things get harder to bear, but when that belt is licking my back side, there’s no way for me to pull away from that. Whoever is swinging that belt OWNS all of me at that moment. For those familiar with BDSM, they will understand when I say when the belt is involved, I almost instantly drop into “subspace” like someone dropping a stone into water. There’s only one thing that makes me drop faster, and that’s a “need to know” basis. Ha.

5.To follow up on the Belt play, you gave us a taste of some breath play. You don’t see it much in erotica writing, did that happen by accident or was it in your mind day one?

First let me say I hope everyone who purchases the book reads and heeds my warnings about edge play and embarking on things they are unfamiliar with. Breath play is a very dangerous thing if you don’t know what you are doing – probably the most dangerous thing you can do with or to someone else as far as edge play is concerned. NEVER trust someone else with your life. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Trust that little voice in your head, or gut, that starts screaming “Danger”. It knows what it’s talking about! I highly discourage breath play with someone you aren’t deeply intimate with and trust very much. I struggled with whether to even include the story for fear of someone reading it and then doing something irresponsible. But then I began to think about the number of couples out there who are curious about things like this, and something few want to write about in such an intimate setting for fear of “what might happen”. It isn’t a story to be taken lightly, or giving permission for someone to go do something stupid. But it is one more reminder that BDSM and edge play can be done responsibly and safely, and in a loving manner. So I included it as well as my disclaimer, and the links for information, and my warning here. Now, all of that being said, I’m not really sure of the date, but some time ago, once again during an intimate moment with my husband his hand found its way around my neck. Not in a choking sort of way. More like he was holding my head back, but I distinctly remember how my body reacted and I think I pushed myself against his hand. I’m pretty sure I startled him, but then when he realized how turned on I became, then it became interesting. We’ve discussed it. And we are very careful about what we do and what each of us was and was not comfortable with. There are very specific limits to what will never be done. In the proper setting, with safety always in mind, it can be very erotic for some. For me, definitely.

Here are the details to win the Amazon gift card and the surprise gift is to simply tap the like button. The drawing will be held on Sunday, March 13th Noon MST.  The winner will posted here on Tuesday the 15th. Good luck!

6.You did throw us a curve on The Flogger story. You portray Will as this quasi sadist but then you showed him in a softer light, a giver. Was that a challenge to show a man is such a light?

Yes it was, and no it wasn’t.

I will freely admit this story is one of the “true story” kind of deals. My husband is neither sadist or Master by many “BDSM community” standards. When I first revealed to him my interest and needs it was tough. But he was willing to explore some things and try new things, and that was important. I think this story was an important one for me to write because so many have this mind set that a Master or Dominant has to be a “hard ass” – that they don’t have these feelings or fears or worries, and it is exactly the opposite.

 

7.The last story which read more like flash fiction was about a Domme. Will we see more of that in future stories? Meaning Dommes.

It is possible. I enjoyed exploring that side of things and I am just as curious as the rest of you to see where it might lead. Who knows, I might blossom into Mistress Nora before it is over. ~said with a devilish grin~

8.You have another work on the market called, “Educating Karyn. Can you tell us about it?

“Educating Karyn” is actually a chapter from another book that isn’t yet finished. I had actually started that book first, but the story took a different turn than I had originally planned for Karyn. That happens, sometimes. You have a story in your mind, but then a character begins to develop and takes on a different life. Karyn threw me for a loop, and her story isn’t finished yet, but we are getting there.

9.What else are you working on presently?

I am currently working on completing Karyn’s story, from “Educating Karyn” and I’m also working on another story line that is loosely based on a true story. This second line is very different from Karyn’s story and “Butter My Biscuit”.

10.Last question, tell the readers what you like to read? And what genre really flips your trigger?

I’ve been a voracious reader most of my life, and when I got so busy I couldn’t sit down with a book I turned to audio books, and still rely on them a lot while traveling and commuting to that job that pays the bills. I don’t have any one genre that I stick to. I’m all over the place. I am and always have been a sci-fi and fantasy girl, but also love a good historical romance and a really good spy thriller. I’ve read nearly everything both Anne Rice and Laurell K. Hamilton have written. I love the Meredith Gentry stories and prefer them over Anita Blake (but I do like Anita!). Let’s see… LOTR, of course, and the Hobbit were favorites from early in high school. I’ve read the entire “Wheel of Time” series twice (once through audio books). I tried to do one of those lists on FaceBook or one of the social media sites of every book I’ve ever written and the list just became ridiculous! There were enough books listed there to start two libraries! Hm…. Erotica, of course, is a favored one. These days I tend to gravitate toward darker erotica. I love a good mystery and I love being frightened.

We are big fans of dark erotica too.  Nora, again thank you for taking the time to visit and share so much of your creative insights.

Don’t forget to hit the like button to be entered in the drawing for the Amazon card and the surprise gift.

 

 

Romance & Erotica , a dark road travelled

When I started writing , I had this desire to be a Romance writer. Not in the same vein as Nora Roberts but someone that might craft a nice home at Harlequin.  Now don’t roll your eyes at Harlequin, they were the 800# gorilla when it came to the romance genre. I liked the fact they had structure to their writers guidelines, the books were not long and I am a sucker for a happy ending.

The problem I faced  when I started to write something to their guidelines, my characters were off rutting around all over the place. Toss in an ass paddling and maybe a menage, and I was done for, no way Harlequin would touch it. Not even there “steamy” imprint would come close. So there I sat, bummed and lost.  In looking inwardly, I realized I am a smut peddler, simple as that.

That was the easy part, then the problem became what do I do with these filthy stories? Back in the mid 2000’s the erotica genre was still the poor step child to the romance world. Yes it had a following but the Romance giants still dominated the market. Today? That has all changed. In doing some research, I discovered that today,  the romance market would die without erotica wagging its tail.

Here are some recent statistics (2014/2015):

Contemporary Romance has 14 identified categories.

Erotica has 19 categories.

Historical Romance (which is my favorite) holds 17 separate genres. Now on a side note, there is nothing better than a hot steamy erotic Historical Romance.  If you are in the market for a hot read in the genre, check out Natasha Blackthorne’s Wild, Wicked and Wanton Series.  The four book set is a steal at 99 cents.

Those are broad base numbers and by themselves tell us nothing, but per the RWA (Romance Writers of America) looked at by popularity, Erotic Romance came in at 42%, right behind Contemporary   Romance (by 2%) and ahead of Historical Romance, by 9%.

This clearly shows us that Erotica and its Romantic sub genre’s have a commanding place in the Romantic writers world. But that is not all, there is one more statistic that seals the deal. Per Amazon, the most books (print) sold in the Romantic genre is … wait for it …. EROTICA.  It holds a 39% market share.  Interestingly enough Amazon doesn’t show Erotica as a sub genre in ebook data. That tells us erotica has infiltrated every Romance genre now.

Where does that leave the Erotica writer today? Some might think in the drivers seat, but sadly it’s not that easy. With success comes saturation and many believe we are in that cycle today.  So for us smut peddlers we have to work harder, smarter and still we are not assured anything.

Oh sure we could fall for the old “write from your heart, not to the market” but even that adage is slowly sinking into the setting sun. Which brings me to the final point. Long ago I was given sage advice by a publisher, “The riches are in the niches.”

Simple. Find a sub genre in the Erotica group, dive into it and write to its market. Be that proverbial star on a smaller planet, than a wannabe sometimes success in a bigger world. Our genre of Erotica is not the life blood of Romance and our oyster has now opened.

Dark Erotica, what is it?

Dark Erotica. The words conjure up a wide variety of images, but what really is it? Can we define?  As writers and readers of erotica, would we know it if we read it? Is there such a genre?

The first challenge we face is defining Dark Erotica. When you research the subject there are no cut and dried definitions. One thing is certain, there are several views what Dark Erotica is, but in the end, we will have to borrow from Justice Potter Stewart when he ruled on pornography, “I know it when I see it.”

I am fine with that, that concept of knowing it when I see it opens the doors for such diversity for this particular genre. Yes, for me it is genre, but with no determined book shelve slot. It can be anywhere in a library, lurking ominously, waiting for our fertile imaginations to be dragged into it’s murky depths.

In doing some research, and it wasn’t lengthy by any stretch, I have come up with two types of writing where Dark Erotica fits. Horror (add in Supernatural) and Kink.

Let’s start with Horror.  Currently we see Dark Erotica showing up in Vampires, Shapeshifter’s and  the like. It makes sense and a natural extension of the horror genre. We can thank several authors for this:  Charlaine Harris with True Blood, Laurell Hamilton writing her Anita Blake series and you can add in Twilight and others like it. But it doesn’t end there, I can argue that the likes of Brian Keene (two time Bran Stoker winner) dabbles in Dark Erotica. His book The Hollow, is about an evil satyr that seduces the women of the  village.  It’s not explicit but the undertones are erotic and he creates a darkness within humans provocatively. Some would say V.C. Andrews weaves dark erotica in some her books.

We can agree, horror writers can certainly bring in all the elements of erotica to create a delicious story that can titillate all the senses.

Now to kink.  I’d venture to say this is what most erotica readers and writers think of first. Stories that go far beyond the imagination of what society would deem normal or dare say acceptable.  Dark erotica extends far beyond the bedroom and in some cases the dungeon. Again here, with kink, we have to go back to the, “know it when I see it.”

He is a short list of what some might consider Dark Erotica themes

Asphyxiation: Breath control to maximize orgasm.
Rape: Individual or gang.
Torture: This goes past BDSM, some find Nazi torture to be the ticket.
Fetish: Latex. rubber.
Kidnap and mind control.

I am sure I am missing some or they maybe others our there that are subset of them.  The point is Dark Erotica’s intent is to stimulate a part of us that lies deep dark within our souls.  We all have that drawer (some bigger than others) that when unlocked brings out something that disturbs us but thrills us at the same time. Some fear it, others are mesmerized by it and of course some ache for it.

In the end, Dark Erotica plays to humans two greatest attributes, fear and lust. A writer that ties those two elements together no matter the story, has achieved Dark Erotica.

 

 

Whatever happened to Romantica?

Several years ago when I first started writing, I knew erotica was my wheelhouse. It’s my comfort zone in writing. I also enjoyed romance  books, Historical/Regency is where I migrated to in that genre. During that time, back in the 2005-2008 era, Romantica took off. That blend of romance with some hot and steamy sex.  The genre flew off the charts and a lot of new authors flooded the market.

Some of my favorites and still are, Kristin Daniels and Jess Michaels. Both have different styles but  they captured that genre fully. Other names from back then, Maya Banks, Sylvia Day and a sprinkling of others. Time flies as they say, and recently I got thinking whatever happened to Romantica? I don’t see titles or # for it speeding past my twitter feed. Amazon and other providers have  have almost no “search” criteria for it.

I googled it and found Goodreads has a lineup of supposed Romantica books and I was stunned to see Fifty Shades of Grey listed. Please, really? It barely classifies as erotica and an insult to the BDSM authors everywhere. I admit I bailed at page 30 on Book One for it was so sophomoric. However, I did seek counsel for those masochist that read all three books (I think there are three books) and not one said it was romantic, erotic nor even close to BDSM.

Then I asked them about Sylvia Day and Maya Banks. Stares and blinks. Not saying these fine authors don’t write to the genre, but my friends looked at them as more romantic with a splash of erotica. So what happened? Where did that wonderful marriage of romance and gnarly sex go?

Is it really a dead genre or has it gotten overwhelmed by all the newer hotter smuttier genres today? What are your thoughts on Romantica?

If you are interested in Jess Michaels Historcial Romantica try Everything Forbidden