One a Facebook page, the following question was asked: Wh...
One a Facebook page, the following question was asked: What's the classification for an erotic romance verses a "regular" romance? Due to many many years of reviewing books, with a specific specialization of erotic and FF&P romance, I had the answer.
------------------ Far too many authors seeking to understand EroRom identified the criteria of erotic romance as a set number of sex scenes n the manuscript--greater than three--and/or the the content of the sex scenes. (BDSM maybe?) Yes, those are indicative of EroRom but they are the *result* of EroRom.
Erotic romance includes sex as a primary component of the relationship. Removal of the sexual element would remove the erotic from the romance. The "falling in love" romance element, however, cannot be removed from the manuscript. This HEA continues to be an important part of any of the hybrid romance scene. (Romantic Suspense, Inspirational Romance, etc.)
For erotic, or EC's "romantica," the bedroom door is both wide open and the protagonists both owns his/her sexuality. This primary protagonist may explore and/or enjoy BDSM, prefer multiple partners, or select a singular passionate partner as her path to fulfillment. The *critical* component is that the protagonist is that the protagonist is unashamed of his/her sexuality.
Remember Kinsale's Flowers from the Storm? When the hero caressed the heroine and she protested with a flutter and a gasp and the accusation of "you are so wicked! Wicked!" She did, however, eventually submit to his wickedness. For the greater good, don't 'cha know. *koff* That's the antithesis of erotic romance. (It's also inhumane, if you ask me. That whole demonizing of sexuality it cracked. Cracked .)
In sum: Erotic romance is not the number of sex scenes or the content of the sex scenes, it's the protagonists's ownership of their sexuality which, naturally, brings about intimate face-to-face contact between two people who are attracted to each other. Er, multiple encounters between people sexually attracted to each other. (More on the third Thursday of September.)
------------------ Far too many authors seeking to understand EroRom identified the criteria of erotic romance as a set number of sex scenes n the manuscript--greater than three--and/or the the content of the sex scenes. (BDSM maybe?) Yes, those are indicative of EroRom but they are the *result* of EroRom.
Erotic romance includes sex as a primary component of the relationship. Removal of the sexual element would remove the erotic from the romance. The "falling in love" romance element, however, cannot be removed from the manuscript. This HEA continues to be an important part of any of the hybrid romance scene. (Romantic Suspense, Inspirational Romance, etc.)
For erotic, or EC's "romantica," the bedroom door is both wide open and the protagonists both owns his/her sexuality. This primary protagonist may explore and/or enjoy BDSM, prefer multiple partners, or select a singular passionate partner as her path to fulfillment. The *critical* component is that the protagonist is that the protagonist is unashamed of his/her sexuality.
Remember Kinsale's Flowers from the Storm? When the hero caressed the heroine and she protested with a flutter and a gasp and the accusation of "you are so wicked! Wicked!" She did, however, eventually submit to his wickedness. For the greater good, don't 'cha know. *koff* That's the antithesis of erotic romance. (It's also inhumane, if you ask me. That whole demonizing of sexuality it cracked. Cracked .)
In sum: Erotic romance is not the number of sex scenes or the content of the sex scenes, it's the protagonists's ownership of their sexuality which, naturally, brings about intimate face-to-face contact between two people who are attracted to each other. Er, multiple encounters between people sexually attracted to each other. (More on the third Thursday of September.)
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