Erotic Romance Versus Porn

We were talking a bit about this yesterday, so I thought I'd discuss it a bit more!

A friend of mine who read one of my books, once accused me of writing porn, which rather took me aback - my books are the milder end of Erotic Romance and I was more used to editors advising me to heat things up! On the other hand, they are pretty graphic, and the sex is pretty important to the story, and besides,my friend wasn't used to reading this kind of romance.

But it did get me thinking: am I writing porn? If I am, should it matter? And if I'm not, what makes it not porn?

Well, any kind of writing has its skills and so long as I was doing it well, it shouldn't matter. Only it does matter to me. Because I never intended to write about sex, except as an expression of feeling. I wanted to write about relationships, because in real life or in books, those are what fascinate me - my husband calls me  "relationship bore" in retaliation for me calling him chess bore or computer bore :). And for me, it's more fun when the relationships themselves build as part of a wider story, even when they're a central part of it.

No one can deny that good erotic romance is arousing. To show the feelings of the characters, it has to be. And that side of it is fun too, for both readers and writers. Let's face it, it's an important part of llife and growing relationships! But it isn't porn. It isn't even erotica - it's romance with benefits :).

So that's my view. What do you think?

Marie

Welcome Sloane Taylor!

Today I'm delighted to welcome my old friend Sloane Taylor to the party. If you like a bit of humour with your hot, sexy heroes, Sloane's your woman :). Welcome, Sloane!

Time to Say Goodbye

Authors write great prose we remember long after the book has been set on a shelf. Songwriters express the trauma with meaningful lyrics we hum for months, even years. Saying goodbye is a constant in our lives. Sometimes the end is coupled with sadness and pain. Other times it’s a euphoric feeling because the stress is gone.

It’s inevitable there will be such a moment for us all and it seems to happen when least expected. Lovers part, friendships fade, our children move on, and family members leave us. Yet we hang on, not wanting to let go

Is it easier when you cut the tie? It is for me.

CZECH MATE was my tenth book and the hardest to let go. My heart still aches for less than handsome, but hot as hell, Dragan with his deep hidden secrets as he oversees his 5-Star hotel in Prague. Of course, Chicagoan Lacey and her sassy mouth have a special place in my heart. We worked hard to overcome the low-priced hooker image she conveyed. It almost killed me when we had to give up her hot pink feather boa. She doesn’t know this, but I’ve kept it as a souvenir and love to tease Studs with it. That boa is little something I need to remember my girl and her antics. How I miss Dragan and Lacey with all their conflict and tension while they dealt with a sexual attraction neither could deny over their five day sex fest.

But do they ever think of me? Do they care that I miss them? Want them to at least acknowledge I was once a part of their lives? Probably not now that they’re out into the world, out amongst readers who laugh, cry, and savor their most intimate sexual details as their story unfolds. I am forgotten, deleted from their minds faster than a used condom.

Of the fourteen books I’ve written and had published, not one of my babies, my children I slaved to create and satisfy, ever thanked me.

But I really can’t complain. Other characters have paid attention to me and my hard work. Recently, I receive an email from a nice lady who said God had sent me to her to teach her better sex techniques. Hmm, but maybe I’m confusing her with the Foreign Princess who emailed that her royal family had perished and she needed my help. All I had to do was give her my bank account number along with a few other pertinent facts and she would deposit thousands of dollars in my account so she could safely come to America. Of course she would split the funds with me for making it all possible.

What could I say to these two people I couldn’t say to the sexy characters who stole my heart and favorite positions? For once it was easy. Goodbye!

Sloane Taylor

Sweet as Honey…Hotter than Hell

www.sloanetaylor.com

CZECH MATE by SLOANE TAYLOR

Life isn't easy for aspiring interior designer Lacey Blake when she finds herself stranded in Prague dressed like a dolled up hooker for her fetish minded, soon to be ex, boyfriend.  The cash-strapped American traveler, boasting a feather boa and stilettos that would make a dominatrix cry, is saved by an intriguing offer proposed by a staid giant in a sleek Armani suit.  It doesn’t take long to convince herself there’s nothing like a sex-fest to get the most out of a free vacation.

Dragan Petrovic is determined his 5-star hotel will retain its unblemished reputation and no prostitute will kickoff her career in his lobby.  But one look into her eyes and he knows there is more to her than a micro mini and a push up bra.  The urge to protect her drives him to madness when he suggests an unusual scheme that stirs up deep desires and alters their lives forever. 

Lacey is hot and ready for action when she accepts Dragon’s offer, and to relieve the sexual tension between them, takes the matter in hand…

EXCERPT:

...Lacey lifted out a teetering stack of silky looking items. Lingerie? A light blue bra encased with what must be rhinestones slid to the floor, quickly followed by the matching lacey bikini panties.

“What are these?” Dragan knelt next to her, blood pounding through his veins as he captured the delicate cloth in his hands.

“My undies.” She continued to rummage, spilling more silken items onto the carpet.

He lifted an eyebrow. “Uncomfortable?”

“Surprisingly, no.” She giggled, her creamy skin taking on a rosy glow as she dipped her head lower to the suitcase. “Damn it, where is it?”

A vision of her dressed only in the intimate garments and those sexy high heels strapped to her ankles flooded his mind, sending jolts of electricity south.

His stiff cock, which seemed to be its normal posture in her presence, swelled larger as she walked toward him, its throbbing head anxious to be deep inside her, wrapped in her wet heat. The tips of her hard nipples shoved against the silky fabric of her bra, their outline a beacon to his aching member. His fingers itched to caress the soft mounds, rising over the miniscule rhinestone-studded cups, and tongue her hard nipples. He could almost feel the erotic sensation when he released them, mounted her and slid his cock between their firm flesh.

She stepped closer, drawing his attention lower to her shapely hips. Mesmerized, he watched them sway, the movement seductive, sensual, compelling him to taste her.

The clear gems sprinkled across her sheer panties twinkled in the dim light. He licked his dry lips. The burning desire to kiss the lacey vee at the apex of her thighs, suckle her clit through the thin material and graze a finger along her folds brought sweat to his brow.

She slid the bra straps down her shoulders. His heart thudded, banging against his ribcage. He stood…

“Earth to Vic. Come in, Vic.” A hand shook his shoulder, returning him to the present. “Um, you might want to let go, big time.”

He glanced down at his hands, wadding her undergarments into a knot. Kersati. Fuck, what the hell could he say to her and not appear to be an old lecher? “I apologize. My mind must have taken a short vacation.”

She laughed. “Yeah, right. Don’t even think I’ll buy that one, big guy.”

Dragan pursed his lips, not sure how to determine the best way to measure Lacey’s shapely body without appearing to molest her, especially after making a fool of himself over her delicate underwear. He did not trust himself to hold back, and not wrap her in his arms and kiss her until she begged him to make love to her.

Kersati, how the hell could he have become so affected by this young woman in a matter of an hour? He looked at her, his hands fisted tight at his sides.

“Do you have a tape measure?”

He shook his head, not trusting the right words to travel past his lips.

A grin spread across her face and carried to her bright hazel eyes, eyes that seemed to see deep into his soul.

“Then how do you plan to do this? String? Belt?” Her voice echoed the humor radiating from her face. “Silk scarves?”

He looked at his raised hands, the fingers spread wide as if he were testing melons in the market. Disgusted by his absurd action, he jammed them into his trouser pockets.

“It’s not going to happen if you don’t make it happen.” She reached for his wrists. When he dug them deeper into his pockets, she laughed. Kersati, his balls were drawn so tight they hurt...

BUY LINK  http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/CzechMate.html

(A few words from Sloane about her books and her contest!)

Hi Marie,

Thanks for having me out today. It’s a pleasure to be here and meet your friends.

For those of you who don't know me, I’m a sensual woman who believes humor and 

My stories are set in Europe where the men are all male and the North American women they encounter are both feminine and strong. As a true romantic, my women bring more than lust to their men’s lives.

I was born and raised in Chicago. Studly, my non-husband and mate for life, and I split our time between a home in Illinois and a weekend cottage on the back roads of Indiana…or you can catch up with me as I travel though Europe, researching new material.

You can learn more about me and my work on my website http://sloanetaylor.com/ . I also invite you to join my Facebook fan page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sloane-Taylor/130811866964428 .

Now let's have a little fun today with two easy contests.

The question is how many books do I currently have published? You can find the answer on this blog. The prize is a download of FRENCH TART.

For the second contest, please tell me how hot you like your books. Do you want to be titillated, have your thighs squeezed tight, or somewhere in between? This prize is a download of FINNISH FANTASIES.

Good luck and thank you for playing!

Sloane

Sloane's contest will close at midnight tonight, and her winner will be announced tomorrow morning on this thread.

A Devilish Fantasy...

When I began writing romance - about seven years ago now! - it wasn't really erotic. More, romance with a little heat. Gradually, the heat turned up, although my stories are probably still the milder end of the erotica spectrum! Most of what I write is fantasy of one kind or another, so when one of my epublishers (Changeling Press) sent out a call for erotic stories to heat up a cold winter, I had this naughty fantasy about a woman who fell asleep on a sunny beach, and whose erotic dream didn't stop when she woke up :).

Here's a tiny excerpt to set it up:


ESCAPE: Devilish Fantasy
By Marie Treanor
Available Now from Changeling Press

When Fiona wishes for someone wicked to liven up her dull holiday in the sun, she hardly expects to wake up on the beach making love with an actual devil, complete with horns and forked tail…





Fiona wasn’t pleased to wake up. She’d been having a very pleasant, highly erotic dream and it was not a good time to leave it. On the other hand, as the distant sounds and smells of the beach intruded into her slowly surfacing consciousness, she realized she felt refreshed by her nap in the sun, and ready to face the challenge of her shitty, dull little life.

She stretched luxuriously in the warmth of the sun, and for the first time became aware of a constricting weight pinning her down. The weight moved, causing exquisite sexual tingles inside her body. Physical tingles.
Skin lay on hers, from breast to thigh. Outside her body and in.

In?

Her eyes flew open. She stared into the dark hazel eyes of a man. A very handsome man with tangled black hair and distinctive upward-sloping eyebrows.

Shock held her paralyzed. She was having sex with a total stranger, and she should have been well freaked out. She was. Yet somehow she couldn’t summon up any outrage, never mind fear. Because he felt so good inside her.

But this wasn’t right!

“Who the devil are you?” she blurted at last.

“Got it in one,” said her lover with a wink...




:) Marie

Welcome Anne Rainey!

It's time to welcome our first guest of honour to the party - the very exciting Anne Rainey! Anne and I share an editor at Samhain Publishing, but she's also published with Ellora's Cave, Red Sage and Kensington. I'm delighted to have her with us today - welcome, Anne!

Anne Rainey’s Wild Life

<takes a sip of white zinfandel>

So, the life of an erotic romance author is pretty straight forward. To start with we all have the beauty of a goddess and the sex drive of a teenage boy. We can type as fast as any sixteen year old girl with a cell phone and we have the winning smile of a Hollywood starlet.

What are we doing when we aren’t writing? To begin with we keep a stable of beautiful men whose only concern is our happiness. Our men are hand picked. They go through a rigorous interview process, which includes running an obstacle course while naked. They must know each and every way to pleasure a woman. Failing this last task will get you tied to a wall and flogged.

<pours a bit more wine>

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Living in erotic bliss, having our every demand met must be pretty great, right? Well, we aren’t a greedy lot, of course. Why do you think we put pen to paper? We spread our happiness in the only way we know how—through our wicked stories. Ah, there are so many delicious men in our stables and so little time to give them all stories of their own.

<giggles> “Jonas, stop kissing my neck! It tickles.”

Really, Jonas Phoenix is such a sweetie, but he’s absolutely insatiable! You should have seen how happy he was after he read his story, Pleasure Bound. Or, more specifically chapter thirteen of Pleasure Bound. He thanked me in the most delicious way possible.

<releases a contented sigh>

Um, where was I? Oh, yea, my wild life of sex, stable boys, wine and chocolate. So, there you have it. The truth at last. I shop at Victoria’s Secret, own a stable of sexy, muscular men. I have bubble baths every single night. I eat only the finest chocolate money can buy. Yep, all true. My exotic life is one big party. 

<winks at Jonas>

Lord have mercy that man has great hands. Why, just last night he gave me a full body massage. Left me positively panting, let me tell ya.

Um, anyone here buying this load of crap? No? Okay, the truth is that erotic romance authors are moms, wives and daughters. We have dirty dishes, piles of laundry and errands to run. A good day is meeting our word count AND getting the dinner on the table on time.

The thing is, writing naughty stories does tend to be a blast. I love every second of it! I love reading them too. Some of my keepers: Wicked Pleasures by Lora Leigh, One Dark Night by Jaid Black, and Standing in the Shadows by Shannon McKenna—to name just a few.

Now, what are some of your favorite erotic romance stories?  

Also, here’s the blurb for Pleasure Bound, which releases October 25^th! (and yes, Jonas Phoenix is quite wickedly delicious. That part of my story is true, hehe)

Pre-order here:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Blurb:

When Desire Burns This Hot...
With his sexy smile and rock-hard body, P.I. Jonas Phoenix is used to having women flock to his bed. But these days there's only one woman Jonas wants-and she won't give him the time of day.

The Only Choice...
Deanna Harrison knows she can't fight her attraction to Jonas forever, but she's looking for more than a fling. So Jonas issues Deanna a challenge: give him one weekend at his Miami beach house to win her over. No strings attached. No limitations.

Is Surrender...
Once in Miami, the sexual tension erupts as Deanna finally lets go-and lets Jonas pleasure her in ways she's only dreamed of. But while their bond grows stronger, danger lurks close by-and it could be deadly for them both...

Note:  Pleasure Bound is connected to So Sensitive. You can read the prologue and first chapter of So Sensitive here: http://annerainey.com/bookshelf/so-sensitive

Adult Excerpt from Pleasure Bound:

Jonas tore himself out of his thoughts and sprinted toward the front door. His entire body went from zero to sixty as he glanced through the peephole. It seemed to take a shitload of time to unlock the door and get it open. When he did, Jonas nearly swallowed his tongue at the sight that greeted him.

Deanna stood in the hallway wearing a short black dress and a pair of the sexiest black pumps he’d ever seen on a woman. Attractive didn’t begin to describe her. Long legs, silky dark hair spilling down over her shoulders, and curves in all the right places. His hands itched to reach out and touch.

“Deanna,” he said by way of greeting.

She planted one hand on her hip and clutched a small black purse in the other. “Are you going to let me in or what?”

Jonas grinned at her sullen expression and stepped back to give her room to enter. After she was inside, he shut and locked the door. Deanna looked around the room; no doubt the interior designer in her was hard at work measuring up his furnishings. He, on the other hand, was busy measuring her up. Such a sweet ass. 

What he’d love to do to that delicious body part alone. Yum.

“Uh, I told you I needed a decorator, so don’t complain if it’s not up to par.”

She turned, halting his little fantasy. “It’s not so bad.”

“It’s ugly as hell and we both know it.”

Their gazes clashed. “I didn’t come here to talk about your couch.”

Jonas moved closer, noticing the way her spine stiffened. “I was hoping not,” he murmured. “And?”

“I’ll come to Miami with you.”

She said it so fast; Jonas had to take a second before the full meaning of her words hit him. “Be sure, Deanna. Be damn sure.”

She nodded and placed her palms against his chest. “I am. I’m through denying myself.”

He kept his hands at his sides and willed himself to stay calm. “I won’t hurt you, kitten. I’m not Gary.”

“I know you aren’t, but I’m not the fling type of woman, Jonas. I don’t do casual sex.”

“Good,” he growled. “There’s nothing casual about what I feel for you.”

Jonas wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, needing to feel her curves and valleys; then he tasted her as if he had all night. He licked her lips, and they parted for him. He thrust his tongue in and fucked her hot mouth. Her soft, pliable flesh against his hard body made him crazy with need. She was a drug to him. At that moment, Jonas knew he would do anything, say anything, to be inside of her sweet heat. The idea that she had so much control over him pissed him off.

Jonas lifted his head and stared down at her closed eyes and flushed face. He took in the scoop neckline of her dress and the tops of her heaving mounds of flesh that were exposed. Christ, what he wouldn’t give to tug the material a few inches south, to see her tits all plump and soft and ready to be suckled. He ached to wrap his lips around her nipples and nibble on them with his teeth. Bending his knees, Jonas lifted her into his arms and strode toward the couch.

Her eyes shot open when he sat her down in the center. He saw realization dawn in their pretty depths. “W-what are you doing?”

“Giving you a taste of what you’ll get in Miami.”

 “Jonas, please.”

He wasn’t certain whether she was pleading for him to continue or let her get up and leave. Jonas bent down and kissed her again, tasting her sweetness. He lifted an inch and asked, “Please what, Deanna?”

She buried her fingers in his hair and tugged him forward. “Please kiss me again.”

“Mmm, my pleasure, kitten.” He tilted her head back, forcing her to look at him as he covered her mouth with his. She let out a little whimper. “You’ve been driving me crazy,” he whispered between kisses. “I’ve been a pain in the ass all week because I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” He kissed his way over her chin and lower. When his lips found the jumpy vein in her neck, he licked and sucked. Deanna’s fingers tightened, 

pulling almost painfully at his hair. “Soon I’m going to kiss every inch of you. I’m going to fill you up.” Jonas went to his knees in front of her and took hold of the hem of her dress. “Until then, until Miami, there’s this…”

“Jonas, what are you doing to me?” she asked in a voice gone husky with her arousal.

“I’ve been dying to taste you,” he answered. Deanna’s eyes rounded and fire sparked to life in their brown 

depths. “Lift up a little for me. Prove to me that you want this.”

When she quickly complied, Jonas’s dick hardened. He slipped her dress upward a few inches, not quite exposing her panties. The satin of her lightly tanned skin beckoned him. Lowering his head, Jonas kissed a little mole high on her inner thigh. “Jesus, you have the sexiest legs I’ve ever seen.” When he pushed the dress up to her waist, exposing a black, silky thong, Jonas’s dick wept with joy. “Goddamn, that’s hot.”

She started to protest, and he could see the way her cheeks bloomed pink at his erotic words. He didn’t know how experienced Deanna was, but he suspected she was way too innocent for the likes of him. Not that it mattered, because he wasn’t going anywhere.

Jonas fingered the leg band of the thong and hummed his approval. “Did you wear this for me, Deanna?” She licked her lips and stayed silent. Her gaze ate him up, though. If she only knew what that look was doing to his self-control, she’d get up and run.

Not willing to give her too much time to rethink her decision, Jonas tugged the little black scrap of material to one side, baring her pussy for the first time…

Today, Anne is giving away a print copy of her newest release at Kensington, So Sensitive, AND an ebook of the winner's choice! To enter the draw, answer her question above: What are some of your favorite erotic romance stories? Or comment on her post in some other way. The contest will close at midnight tonight and the winner will be announced tomorrow on this thread.

Welcome to the Erotic Romance Party!

Ice buckets at the ready - this is going to be one steamy party :). If you're a fan of erotic romance, this is the place to be over the next week. If you haven't yet discovered the genre, the party will be a great place to dip your toe in, and discover what erotic romance is all about.

In a little while, we'll be joined by the wonderful Anne Rainey. On Tuesday, Sloane Taylor drops in, on Wenesday Desiree Holt, Thursday, Angela Knight and on Friday, Lila Munro.

Like today's romance in general, Erotic Romance covers all the sub-genres: contemporary, paranormal, historical, fantasy, suspense etc. And like all romance it focuses on the relationship of the main protagonists and ends happily ever after - or at least happy for now. Erotic romance only differs in the more graphic detail - and possibly the quantity! - of the love scenes.

And of course, it pushes the boundaries of what consitutes a relationship, covering just about all you can think of from a "straight" couple, to menage a trois - or quatre, cinque, six or whatever :). The main characters can be heterosexual, gay, bi, lesbian. The sex is imaginative and hot, and it can include elements of BDSM, voyeurism, and fetish. However, no matter how far the boundaries are pushed, the basics remain - everything takes place between consenting adults and is as much an expression of love and romance as the kisses of old style romances.

So what does Erotic Romance mean to you? And why do you think it's so popular with today's readers?

Marie

Erotic Romance Party Guests!

Our next party really heats things up! It's on the theme of Erotic Romance, and runs from Monday 22nd August to Friday 26th. And we have some fabulous guests lined up, writers guaranteed to make your toes curl with their own unique brands of steamy romance.

I'm thrilled to announce that joining us for the Erotic Romance party will be: Desiree Holt, Angela Knight, Lila Munro, Anne Rainey and Sloane Taylor. Don't miss it!

Marie

Calling Winner Angie!

We're still waiting for winner Angie Kline Brown, who won Meljean Brook's prize, Wild and Steamy, to make contact! 


Angie, to collect your prize, please go to Meljean's website and fill in the form: http://meljeanbrook.com/giveaways, and she'll send you the book and the trading cards that you won at the Steampunk Party.


If anyone reading this knows Angie, could you please give her a nudge? Thank you!


Marie