Kay Jaybee's Blog, page 109

The Collector- Ebook OUT NOW

I am delighted to announce that my very first solo book, The Collector, is now available to buy for the Kindle!

First published by Austin & Macauley in August 2008 (where does the time go!?), The Collector is part novel, part anthology.

Dispelling the myth that only dominant whip wielding women write and enjoy erotica, the Collector records a wide variety of sexual encounters whilst she travels the country.

Harvesting her stories against a backdrop of coffee shops, restaurants and bus rides, the Collector takes the reader through every arena of the erotic experience, from lust, submission and dominance, to voyeurism and beyond.

When her sources run dry, the Collector isn't afraid to carry out some in-depth, personal, research of her own…

The Collector records a young woman's travels around the UK as she embarks upon a quest to discover and record exciting erotic stories.

From meeting a woman who is more than a little attached to her car, to a couple with an imaginative use for liquorice, to a dark and dangerous medieval fantasy, the tales of sexual adventure the collector gathers grow steadily hotter…

Check out this great review of The Collector-

Reviewed by Jordan LaRousse, erotic writer and editor and co-owner of  Oysters and Chocolate

Was it you who was sitting at that coffee shop with your best friend, sharing the details of your dirty escapades? Were you telling the story about the time your employer found you polishing his floor in only your panties? Or was it the story about how your boss likes to eat candy from out of your pussy? Or were you telling her about the night you were tied up in a dungeon and made to watch your boyfriend fuck your best friend?

Did you happen to notice the nondescript woman in the corner? Yes the petite one, with chestnut hair, the one scribbling in her notebook. I don't suppose you would have recognized her anyway—few know her face. It was Kay Jaybee the erotic writer, a collector of sorts.

As it turns out she heard every word you said and has included your story in her voyeuristic book The Collector (Austin MacCauley 2008) which has finally made its way into print after two years from concept to publication.

The book is an entertaining and provocative glance into the sex-lives of an eclectic selection people, each with a kinky tale to tell.

From the truly bizarre—"Sweets" (p. 35) is a tale of a submissive whose dominant partner insists on stuffing her pussy with licorice before getting her off.

To the super sexy—"New Territory" (p. 15) is the story of how the collector herself takes one of her subjects home, having her way with him with barely a word exchanged.

To the truly intense—"Tequila" (p. 69) tells the story of a woman who is gang-raped, then rescued from the gutter and eagerly fucked by the barman who witnessed the whole scene.

In total there are twenty short stories, each a unique sexual exploration. Although each story is delightfully different from the next, the underlying concept remains the same; Kay Jaybee gets her fingers deep into the sex lives of strangers, acquaintances and friends, most often from her favorite perch in the coffeehouse. There is no need to peep into your neighbor's bedroom windows now, just open the book and find out what's going on in the pants of those around you.

Kay Jaybee writes in her epilogue "If I have learnt anything from putting together this collection, it's that you cannot tell what someone is into by just looking at them."

Just as understated as its author, the cover of The Collector lends no suspicion of anything untoward or erotic – you could be reading a chapbook of love poetry for all anyone would know. Enjoy this book in your favorite coffeehouse and no one will be the wiser.

The Collector is now available in both paperback, and as a Kindle download from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

 

Author Profile – Janine Ashbless

We have reached the fourth day in my series of author profiles featuring the photography of David Woolfall. Today I am thrilled to welcome, the reknown author, Janine Ashbless.

Over to you Janine…

Janine Ashbless – Photo by David Woolfall

I still don't believe this is real, you know: me, being a writer. Being "Janine Ashbless." Having my darkest sexual fantasies read by strangers. In my mind's eye I'm still a shy, introverted, conventional girl with her nose in a book. I've been praised to the skies and I've been reviled with real vitriol, and both still astonish me. 

I started writing erotica because there was no one out there producing what I wanted to read – which was, basically, like Angela Carter only a lot dirtier. I've been writing it for over a decade now. I've six books in print and three more on the way, and I'm amazed and delighted to find that there still seems to be no end to exploring the strange and filthy niches of my imagination.

I've had other jobs in computing, forestry, education. But I was never happy until I started writing.

Janine Ashbless - Photo by David Woodfall

My proudest moment? Causing the editor of Black Lace Books to wail "It's got to have a human head!" across a party at London Book Week. Honestly, all I wanted to do was write a Minotaur story. Harmless, surely?

There are a lot of trees in my books. Trees and deep woods; old wild places where people go to get lost, to be stalked by wolves or to search out a sleeping princess. Most of my writing is inspired by myth and folklore and fairytale. I feel that the themes you find in those stories – fear and courage, maturation and loss, the search for identity or for the sublime, the seizing or giving up of power – are the themes of sexuality too.

Janine Ashbless - Photo by David Woolfall

Many thanks to Janine for stopping by today to share her beautiful photos and wise words.

To find out more about Janine and her work, please visit her excellent web site.

This blog concludes by Author Profiles for the time being- thanks to all who have taken part this week, Lucy Felthouse, Lily Harlem, KD Grace, and of course Janine Ashbless.

I must also give a very special thank you to David Woolfall, for all his amazing photographs

xxx

 

Author Profile – KD Grace

It's day three of my author profile blog featuring the stunning photography of David Woolfall.

Today I welcome the incredible KD Grace- writer supreme and (I am proud to say) a very dear friend. Over to you KD!!

KD Grace - Photo by David Woolfall

I've been writing erotica for four years now. At the moment I have three novels out, plus I've had a lot of short stories published. I didn't start out writing erotica, and it was never my plan to write romance either. But I'm a romantic to the core so it was inevitable I guess. And since I always enjoyed writing the love scenes and the sex scenes in whatever I was writing at the time, when the erotica market opened up, it seemed like a logical step to take. One day I sent in an erotic short story to Scarlet Magazine, now sadly defunct, and they took it. Then they took another one. Then Black Lace started taking my stories. Not long after that I sold my first novel to Xcite Books.

In the beginning I thought writing erotica would be something I'd just do for awhile then I'd get bored with it and move on. That most definitely hasn't happened. I started writing erotica for the experience and stayed because it was more of a challenge that I would have ever imagined, and it was so much fun. I've never met a more supportive group of people than erotica writers, and I've never met a more interesting, more varied, more together group of people than my writing friends. There's a real sense of community. I guess it's possible I got lucky, but if that's the case, then I'm very pleased for it.

When I sold my first erotic romance novel, The Initiation of Ms Holly, to Xcite Books, my editor told me that no one ever wrote erotica to get rich, that people who wrote erotica were making a statement. Though making a statement was never my plan, there's now no doubt in my mind that the world would be a better place if people were more comfortable with their own sexuality. I doubt that there's any other part of our humanity that's been more twisted, abused and exploited by religion and commercialism than our sexuality, and with erotica and erotic romance, specifically, becoming more and more mainstream all the time, I think there's a real opportunity for those of us who write erotica to heal some of the damage and to open the doors to a more enlightened, more human view of sex.  

KD Grace - Photo by David Woolfall

I've never been embarrassed to tell pe ople what I do, and neither is my husband. In fact, he tells people I use him for research. He's been my number one fan and supporter from the beginning, and that's made the whole journey all the more fun. Plus it's been good to have someone who loves me hold my hand whenever I find myself outside my comfort zone.

I've never had any reason to hide what I do. In fact I've had some fascinating conversations with people when they find out. I write under a pseudonym because I'm an introvert, a very private person, and I like a bit of separation between the person who lives inside my head and the person who has to get out there and promote and sell books. I would use a pseudonym even if I wrote children's books. K D Grace is the face for the novels and the stories. The other me is not for public consumption. Her life is private.

I walk my stories. I get most of my inspiration when I'm on long walks. My husband and I just walked the Wainwright Coast to Coast from St Bee's Head on the Irish Sea to Robin Hood's Bay on the North Sea. After two weeks and 192 miles, I came home and wrote my brains out. It was really nice to do something that didn't involve my feet.

I love being outside, and when I'm not walking, I'm working in the veg garden. Every year our back garden has a little less lawn and a little more veg. I love getting my hands in the earth, and I love watching something grow from a tiny seed to produce amazing food for us to eat and share. It's like writing in a lot of ways — starting from the seed of an idea and growing into a whole other world.

Though the sex part of erotica is fun to write, it's not the sex I'm obsessed with. I'm obsessed with the story. I'm never more myself than when I'm in the middle of a story, writing fast and furiously, and it's all unfolding in my head in ways I hadn't foreseen. There was a time when I had nightmares about running out of things to write, when I feared that after I finished the story I was working on there'd be no more. Now it's hard to imagine ever even getting the ones lined up in my head all written down. It's nice to be so self-entertaining, though.  

Many thanks to KD for joining me today – don't forget to check out her excellent blog, and discover all the details of her work on her web site.

Garden Time! – Photo by David Woolfall

Author profile – Lily Harlem

Today I am delighted to welcome Lily Harlem to my site, in a continuation of my series of erotica author profiles, featuring the photographs of David Woolfall.

Over to you Lily-

Who are you and where do we find your blog/website?

I'm Lily Harlem, I'm an award winning author of contemporary erotic romance, and you can find my website at www.lilyharlem.com and my blog at http://www.lilyharlem.blogspot.com

Lily Harlem - Photo by David Woolfall

When and why did you start writing erotica?

I started writing erotic romance a little over three years ago. I'd just finished a creative writing course at the local university and my teacher sparked my interest in the genre by having something of his own published. I wanted to read it but he told me to get my head around some of the classics first – Anaïs Nin, Pauline Réage – so as not to be shocked by his naughty story!

Far from being shocked I was completely fascinated, not only that, hooked. But it was some months before I tackled writing erotica myself. It took a competition (LoveHoney's Award for Erotic Fiction 2009) to force my head down and type. The entry requirement was for something sharp and sassy that would get them hot under the collar.

I remember writing my entry, Madam President, on a warm Sunday afternoon, the birds singing and a light breeze shifting the curtains at my window. After checking for typos I hit send and fanned my flushed cheeks! Phew! Who would have thought sex in the oval office between a female US president and the British PM could be so hot?!!

I never expected to hear from LoveHoney, this was after all my very first attempt at writing erotic romance. But several weeks later I received a call telling me I'd won first place. I was elated, beyond surprised and squirming with pride.

How have you and your writing developed in that time?

After winning the competition I had a boost in confidence as well as several stories accepted for publication in anthologies – Stable Manners in Best Women's Erotica 2010, The Champagne Whore in Maxim Jakubowski's Sex in the City, Making Shapes in Orgasmic. I also came second in another competition with a story called A Devilish Incantation, and became involved with Coming Together, a charitable publisher—all stories donated by the authors and profits going to good causes.

This was all a steep learning curve in not just honing my writing skills but also in editing and marketing.

I then signed contracts with UK publishers, Total-E-Bound and Xcite. Both of whom are great to work with. But my biggie was Ellora's Cave, the US giant of erotic romance. I sent them a story called Mattress Music after I spotted a call for submissions that required erotica with a musical theme. They loved it, and my new editor emailed, "Do you have anything else we can read? We'd love to consider it." Did I have anything else? No. But six weeks later I did. I rattled out Shared, a ménage a trois novel set in Cardiff and to my delight within hours of sending it to Ellora's Cave, I was signing a contract for my first full length novel.

What next?

Two biggies at the moment. I have a free read at Ellora's Cave called Stockholm Seduction about a girl and a hunky kidnapper. Readers were very vocal about it being too short (well, it is free!) and that it should have been a first chapter or a prologue and they wanted to know more about him and more about her and what happened next, and, and, and…!!!! So, wanting to please, I got my head around the characters again and tapped out the full length novel, Stockholm Surrender. I'm expecting a release date in April 2012 and I hope it hits the spot with my readers.

My other exciting project comes to fruition on the 2nd of April 2012. It's my first co-author and will be released from Total-E-Bound. I wrote it with the insanely talented Natalie Dae. It was a privilege, a learning experience and an enormous amount of fun to write with her. That Filthy Book gets its name from the working title we gave it, because at times we shocked ourselves at just how rude it was. It is about a married couple on a journey of sexual discovery. Reminding themselves what it was that first made them fall in love and lust with one another all those years ago. It's graphic and certainly on the edge, and Karen and Jacob travel way beyond the boundaries they ever thought they would.

What is your favourite story to date?

Its not one book, it's a series called Hot Ice which is published by Ellora's Cave. Each novel follows a member of the Vipers hockey team as he finds true love (yep, I am a romantic and I do like my HEA's). The books are fine as stand-alone reads but if read in order the main character of each sequential book is introduced.

Why did I write this series? Well, because I completely adore hockey, and have a particular thing for the players. They're just so damn big and tough and sexy! So writing these books is endless fun and because they're written in the first person, from the female POV, I really get to indulge in every tiny detail when it comes to the sex scenes. I like my guys to be hot with a capital H and with a sprinkle of kink thrown in too. There are three books available and the next two are awaiting publication, book six is rattling around my head and needs to get out!

Best thing about writing erotica?

Lots of things! Being able to think about sex all day and call it work. Allowing my imagination to run wild and without restraint. Never being bored, because if I'm waiting in a queue or on a long journey, my mind is busy either dreaming up plots and characters or fine tuning details of a story already written. All in all, it's the best job in the world and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Lily x

Many thanks Lily! – Don't forget to check out all Lily's work on her excellent web site.

Lily Harlem - Photo by David Woolfall

Author Profile – Lucy Felthouse

As those of you who read my last blog will know, I recently had some lovely photographs taken by the reknown photographer David Woolfall.

I was not alone in being pictured, and this week I am delighted to be able to share (with David's permission) some pictures of my fellow writers, along with their thoughts about writing erotica- staring with the talented writer and marketing supremo, Lucy Felthouse.

Over to you Lucy-

Lucy Felthouse – Photo by David Woolfall

 I've always written, ever since I was little. From a very young age I'd be scribbling endless stories in notebooks and telling anyone that would listen that when I grew up I was going to be an author. That creative streak has always been there and I think was helped by the fact that my family encouraged me to read, too. As a child I always—and I quote—"had my nose stuck in a book." Some things never change, I guess!

Writing erotica happened quite by mistake. I did a Creative Writing degree at the University of Derby because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do as a career (by this point I knew that I couldn't just sit and write and expect people to throw money at me, unlike my younger self). While I was there one of my fellow students made the suggestion that I should have a go at writing erotica. I laughed it off at first, but then he dared me… so of course I couldn't say no then!

Lucy Felthouse by David Woolfall

I wrote my first piece and showed it to the people who'd been there when I was dared and all were impressed. They encouraged me to write more, and at roughly the same time I decided to do my dissertation on erotic fiction. The erotic writer Mitzi Szereto was working at the University at the time and the Head of Creative Writing suggested I go and chat with her. She gave me a few pointers and told me about some of her books. I immediately raided the University library (which held some of Mitzi's titles) and discovered I enjoyed reading erotica too!

From there, I read and wrote quite a lot of erotica. I discovered the now sadly defunct Scarlet Magazine and submitted a piece there – which was accepted! I was insanely excited about my first publication and it spurred me on to write and submit more. My first publication in a print book was in an Xcite Books anthology back in 2006. Since then I've had several more pieces published by Xcite Books—including a collection of my stories, The Best of Lucy Felthouse, which is available in eBook form—and have also added Cleis Press, Noble Romance, Ravenous Romance and Summerhouse Publishing to my list of publication credits. I've also had pieces appear in magazines and online.

I really enjoy what I do, and it certainly doesn't feel like work (though edits are another matter altogether!). I don't write full time, but it's always in the back of my mind. I get ideas from here, there and everywhere. I spend a lot of time out in the countryside, walking, visiting ancient monuments, mansions, manors and just generally exploring and I get quite a lot of inspiration from the things I see and hear. You'll find lots of monuments, old houses, libraries, and outdoors sex in my writing – and now you know why! People watching is also a great way of getting ideas – sometimes all it takes is a name or a sentence and my imagination turns it into something sexy or romantic and the words spill onto the page.

Contrary to what people who aren't 'in the know' think, us erotic writers (well certainly the ones I know anyway) are just normal people. Granted, we may have our heads in the clouds—or at least our works in progress—a lot of the time, but if you were to see a bunch of us sitting at a table in a pub or restaurant, you wouldn't have a clue what we did. Perhaps if you were sitting close by, you might hear the odd snippets of conversation that would make you wonder what on earth we were talking about, but you wouldn't walk past our table and think 'oh, look at them, they're erotic writers.' We have normal lives, we wear normal clothes and many of us have normal day jobs. We don't walk around in PVC, corsets and thigh length boots, wielding whips (not that we'd be in the wrong if we did!). We're just people with fertile imaginations who happen to write about sex! It's a natural thing and part of life so why on earth shouldn't we get words down on the page that people enjoy reading?

I would say that people's misconceptions are really the only negative thing about being an erotic writer. They get completely the wrong idea about who we are. Yet as far as I'm aware, nobody has accused Stephen King of being a psychotic killer, or J. K. Rowling of being a witch (though she certainly works magic in her writing). So why on earth should it mean that we're all whip-wielding, corset-wearing, chandelier-swinging, wardrobe-jumping sex maniacs?

The positives far outweigh the negatives for me. Since I've started doing this I've met so many fascinating people. There's a real sense of community amongst erotica and erotic romance writers (I write both, as do many others), which I adore. There's no back-biting or jealousy, everyone supports and encourages one another and I'm so happy to say that I can call several writers my friends as well as colleagues. Unfortunately, geography means most of our communication is done via phone, email and social media, but when we get together… let's just say we're generally the noisiest table in the place!

I'm very lucky in that the people close to me support what I do—but then they know me, and know it's just what I do. I enjoy it, I seem to be good at it (at least the acceptances and positive reviews I get seem to indicate this) and most importantly… I've got the bug! The more I write, the more I want to write. Which is probably why this piece is so long…

Information about all Lucy's publications can be found at her personal web site. She is also the owner and manager of the excellent Erotica For All web site.

Many thanks Lucy!!

Lucy Felthouse- Photo by David Woolfall

Media Moments!

It is with a sense of trepidation that I approach the forthcoming weekend.

Now, don't misunderstand me, I love weekends- even though I often work through most of them, I get to play with my kids, have husband time, eat more chocolate, and generally enjoy the 'non-week-day-ness' of it all.

This weekend however, I will be fighting the temptation to wear a big overcoat, a huge hat, and very dark glasses- perhaps with one of those comedy moustaches attached!  For I am to hit the media in a small but scary way- especially scary for someone like me, who has been keeping her 'erotic' career largely secret for so long.

After so many years of writing, and several indecisive months of allowing my photograph to be used (or not used) in association with my work, I decided to take a gamble and go public.  After all, I am proud of my work, and love every second of it- and also if I'm honest,  I hope that the small amount of publicity will help book sales!

So- if you want to have a look in the Independent Magazine this Saturday, and the new The Sun on Sunday's magazine (Fabulous) this weekend, you will see two different articles about myself and some of my writer type friends.

I hope you like what you see! All I ask is that you remember that I write FICTION. You'd be surprised by the number of people I come across that think because I write this stuff I must do this stuff- nope! Does Colin Dexter commit crimes because he writes crime fiction? Does Stephen King spend his evenings haunting places and creeping up on people with axes? Of course not- and by the same token I don't swing from the chandeliers (although maybe I would if I had some!! xx)

The article in the brand new Fabulous Magazine was the result of meeting a lovely journalist and photographer at the UK's first Erotic Bloggers and Writers conference- Eroticon- last weekend. It was an incredible meeting, and a fantastic opportunity to talk publishing, marketing and discuss the trials and tribulations of writing kink with my peers.

The article in this Saturday's Independent Magazine, about ordinary women writing sexy stories, is the result of a meeting I, and many of my colleagues (including Victoria Blisse, Lexie Bay, Rebecca Bond and Elizabeth Coldwell), had last year with one of the UK's best and most respected photographers, Mr David Woolfall. (More details can be found in my earlier blog post.)

If you have never seen David's work, then I can thoroughly recommend a look at his web site- his pictures are truly stunning; and you may just see a few faces that you recognise!

Caught Writing – Photo by David Woolfall

Over the next few days, I will be featuring some of David's other wonderful 'Erotica Authors' photographs on this blog site- so make sure you come by on Monday to see who's pictures are up first!

Another big thank you to David for his kindness in taking this wonderful series of photographs. We all had great fun pretending to be models for the day, and each and every picture is amazing!!

I'm off now to prepare for either a weekend of total indifference from the world at large, a load of happily raised eyebrows, a few unbelieving stares ( I really am the least likely erotica writer ever), or (and let's hope not) pitchfork and flaming torches in the front garden!

Thanks for stopping by!

Kxxxx

 

Outside Sh! - Photograph by David Woolfall

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Eroticon – Zipping By To Say…

Forgive me- this is the world's shortest blog post!

Why? Well, I am drowning in work, but I just had to write a very quick paragraph to say what a blast I had at the UK's first ever erotic writers and bloggers conference, Eroticon, this weekend!!

It was amazing- not simply because the panels and workshops available were so interesting, (see my previous blog for details) but because I finally got to meet some of the people who I have silently hero worshipped ever since I kicked off my secret 'erotica' life six years ago!!

A major thank you to Ruby Kiddell for her hard work in organising it, and to all those on the panels who made it such an interesting day.

Not many of my Saturday's start with  a chat to a (very lovely) journalist from The Sun, and end with watching someone being spanked to orgasm (Lori Smith- you are the bravest woman in the world!!!)

This should be a much LONGER blog- but I am on a deadline here guys- and if you want to read my next novel, I am gonna have to stop blogging and write it!!

See you there next year- (she says hopefully….)

 

Slamming It !

I never forget how lucky I am to spend my spare (spare???) hours writing erotica- but some days, really shout it out LOUD.

Last Friday night for example- Was I cleaning the house? Was I ironing or attending to the vast number of spreadsheets awaiting my 'proper job' attention? Nah- I was heading to London to take part in the More Bang Reading Slam at Sh! Portobello!!

                                                                                          Organised by the one and only KD Grace, with the unstoppable Sarah Berry as her right hand- the reading slam was an aural feast of hot words and spectacles- from stories, poems and semi (yes, only semi!!) stripping- all in a very good cause. All the money raised from entry fees to the event went to support the Sex Advice Association.

Keeping to a strict 5 minutes each (if not- I was on hand to spank the bottoms of those who looked as though they might over run- yes, really!), I kicked off the literary proceedings.

Reading from The Collector

I was swiftly and expertly followed by this group of lovelies, Lexie Bay, Lucy Felthouse, The Dragon King's Daughter, Liz Coldwell, Annie Player, Janine Ashbless, Ernesto Sarezale, Lynn Mann, Meg Phillips (who had her bottom severely spanked for over running- yummy), and finishing up with the Queen of Erotic Romance herself, K D Grace.

A massive thanks must go to KD Grace and Sarah Berry for putting on such an extravaganza, and to Sh, for once again hosting an erotica event with such style!

As if that wasn't enough fun for one weekend,the following night I had the pleasure (after a sumptuous day of simply writing- bliss!!!), of attending the Sh Shop in Hoxton,where KD Grace (yes- the woman is amazing and unstoppable!!) was launching her latest novel, Body Temperature and Rising, the first of a trilogy of paranormal tales.

The packed audience was treated to five snippets from this ultra hot story.

 
 

To add to the evening,we were all treated to some incredible art work.

Three hot new artists (in every sense of the word) had each taken a scene from KD's book, and immortalised it in their own distinctive and original styles.

I have shamelessly pinched the following photographs from Kd Grace's web site so that you can see these stunning works of art. I am also pleased to be able to tell you that they are all for sale- so if you're interested, just shout, and I'll get word to those who need to know!!

Fuschia Ayling's Interpretation of the opening scenes of BTR; Lost on the Fells

  

Jess Pritchard's Interpretation of Refuge from the Storm in a Slate Quarry      

            

 

I think you'll agree, I was very lucky to have such a great weekend! Thanks to everyone who helped to make it so much fun xx

Guest Review with Dick Anson "The Larger Picture"

I am delighted to welcome Dick Anson to my web site today, on the fourth day of his 'The Woman Who Made Me' blog tour!

Dick- it's over to you…

"The Larger Picture"

What's the most popular romance novel of the past 100 years?

People who collect statistics about such things are going to tell you it's Margaret Mitchell's GONE WITH THE WIND, and not many people would disagree.

But why is it so popular? It doesn't even have a romance novel's traditional Happy Ending. Scarlett and Rhett go their separate ways in the final chapter after sharing so much passion, excitement, conflict, and hope. What a downer for readers who've been caught up in their love story for more than a thousand pages.

Well, a big part of GWTW's popularity may be due to the fact that it's love story doesn't take place in some static, isolated, stage-set fairyland that could be anywhere (or nowhere at all, for practical purposes). It's set against the vivid Blood and Thunder background of the American Civil War and its aftermath. The Greatest Calamity in the nation's history. A war that shattered the society of the Old South and impacted the lives of everyone caught up in it—including Scarlett and Rhett. This Larger Picture gives their love story an emotional resonance that makes it seem really important to readers.

The same can be said for several of the classic "Great Novels" of world literature written by acknowledged Literary Giants. Like Leo Tolstoy's WAR AND PEACE, set against the chaotic background of Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia. Boris Pasternak's DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, which takes place during the turmoil of the Russian Revolution and subsequent Civil War. And William Thackeray's VANITY FAIR, playing out during Napoleon's disruptive conquest of much of Europe.

Funny thing, though. Each of these Masterpieces never quite comes off as an effective love story made more compelling by its larger historical setting. Because, for reasons unknown, the Literary Giants who wrote them insisted on filling them with less-than-inspiring main characters.

For example, Tolstoy made his aristocratic lovers total airheads who never had the foggiest notion of the significance of the social chaos they were living through.

Pasternak insisted on carrying his story of love and frustration on the weak shoulders of an "Ashley Wilkes-type" main character.

And how many pages of Becky Sharp's irredeemably self-centered bitchiness can we put up with before wearying of Thackeray's novel?

Only the "amateur novelist" Margaret Mitchell makes it all work for us. By building GWTW around lovers we can't help caring about. No wonder it's so continually popular?

Today's novelists have the same opportunity to add GWTW-style overtones to their love stories. While I wouldn't dare say that my new romance novel THE WOMEN WHO MADE ME (just published by OC Press as an eBook) can touch the greatness that is GWTW, it does have a strong, unique lead character whose love story plays out against the Larger Background of greed-driven Wall Street skullduggery leading to the 2008 Financial Apocalypse. An event that drove America off a cliff into its worst Economic Crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. By setting the nation on a downhill road to pervasive unemployment and an impoverished middle class, devoid of hope.   

Lead character Robert Gardner spends most of the novel telling readers about the two compelling women he loved at different points in his life. First, his beautiful and elegant Aunt Martha, with whom he carries out an impassioned, secret love affair during his late high school and college years. And years later, red-haired Svetlana fromBrooklyn, whose warmth and insights help him come to terms with the corrosive guilt and shame over the terrible things he did during his greed-driven career on Wall Street. 

But there's more to Robert's life than simply pursuing glorious women. When the novel opens, he's serving time in Federal Prison for the "money crimes" he committed as one of Wall Street's richest and most avaricious Corporate Raiders. The kind of Screw-Everybody crimes that were the stock-in-trade for Wall Street Sharks like him.

This is the Larger Background against which Robert tells us about the remarkable women he adored. Adding significant Overtones to what can't be dismissed as "just another entertaining erotic romance novel." Because it's also a novel that can tell us some important things about the World and Ourselves.

This is the secret Margaret Mitchell seemed to know in her bones. And used to write the most popular novel of the last hundred years.

So it turns out that exciting, vividly-told, mass-market love stories can be ideal platforms for getting today's readers up to speed about the major socio-economic problems that threaten America's future. Far more effective than the inevitably learned non-fiction tomes about the current Economic Crisis that have appeared in the last few years. While gushed over at length by "serious literary critics" in intellectual journals like the New York Review of Books, few people actually read them. Because they're written in long, bloodless, academic paragraphs. Devoid of the living, breathing Human Realities that make fiction novels like GONE WITH THE WIND so gripping.

Many thanks to Dick Anson for dropping by today!

If you'd like to buy his new e-novella The Woman Who Made Me, it is available from the OC Press and all other good e-format providers

Eroticon Meet and Greet

Here are my vital statistics for the Eroticon Meet and Greet:

Name: Kay Jaybee

Blog: http://www.kayjaybee.me.uk

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kay_jaybee

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kayjaybeeauthor

Height: 5ft 5

Eyes: Grey/Blue

Hair: brown

Describe yourself in three words: Shy/Workaholic/Happy

What are you looking foward to at Eroticon? Meeting a load of new faces, learning new things and catching up with my erotica world friends.

What's on your Lovehoney wishlist? It's a secret

What song would you add to the Eroticon playlist? Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics

See who else is coming to Eroticon 2012 in the Meet & Greet link up