If The Shoe Fits

[xakara]

If you've read the intro page to my website you know that I don't easily bestow the title of "erotic" to my work. I write sex and it's open door sex where you get to know exactly what happened, (assuming the main character knows), but I don't know that it qualifies as erotic in the way people usually mean it. 

There's no explicit langauge to be had, which most find a staple of erotica, erotic romance and erotic urban fantasy. I don't use the usual stable of words in daily conversation and so it doesn't come naturally to me and I've felt no need to throw them in. That's not to say I'll never have a character who swears or who has their cruder moments, but it's not what's come out so far. 

So why am I a "red hot" read and erotic romance title at Samhain? Because my story involves m/m and a threesome which auto-classifies it as erotic. This isn't about Samhain, but the industry as a whole. You can't write a poly-romance without the erotic title because it's the warning system to the reader that they're about to get something outside of the mainstream pairing and may wish to brace themselves. In my opinion I don't write anything, "brace-yourself-worthy", but then I have fewer buttons that are much smaller than average and located in odd places that make them more difficult to push. I could simply not see it.

In fact, I'm sure I'd miss it because I only have two big, red, candy-like buttons of my own when it comes to sex. I want everyone of age, and everyone consenting. After that, knock yourself out. Some things I just don't want to read or know about, but I'm happy you're happy with whatever makes your personal freak flag fly highest.

Apparently the thing that puts a snap into my freak flag is Ménage à More. Three people is my default traditional story, others have pairings, I have triads. Four is entertaining, five is challenging; and one scene with nine folks was surprisingly tasteful as I only focused on three of them and left the rest to the imagination. Hey, who snickered in the back? Anyway, apparently multi-partner sex is a kink. Yeah, I know, what's that all about? When was this decided? And where was my memo?

But kink it is and to write it means to write erotic fiction, especially since I'm dealing with non-humans for whom bisexuality is the norm. That means many a same-sex hook up of genitalia to be had which is yet another qualifier of being erotic. (And another kink in my freak flag depending on who you talk to.)

So why am I going on about this now when I've touched on the subject to different degrees throughout the year? Well, some readers are new, (yes Kittens, we've gone from four readers to eight, isn't that faboo?), and haven't heard yet, so it's good to catch them up to speed. But mostly I'm bringing it up because I only recently realized that triads were my default. I mean really, truly, light bulb moment, realized it. 

I wrote an nice little story where boy meets girl and all is well with the world. My editor told me that there wasn't enought conflict for the boy in the story. My instant-didn't even pause-jumped right to it, solution? Throw in the boy's old boyfriend who wants him back and is willing to take the new love interest as bonus prize. Yeah, that was a clue. (And shh, my editor doesn't know yet)

But wait, there's more. I apologize for the friends locked post of the last few days but they were necessary to facilitate a freer ramble. Most of what you non-LJ readers missed was my figuring out what to do with THE FORGIVEN so that I could take a break while still getting acquainted with the world. I started a novella set in the world that had a boy and girl and yay for their HEA. 

But wait, what is this? Who is this extra guy? Where did he come from? How did we get to voyeuristic-hot-naked-waterfall sex?  It just snuck up on me. Or rather it was just so natural I didn't notice it until I was already in the scene. I could list two other instances, but I think you get the idea, there's been epiphanies of just how poly-inclined I am and how much I wish to reflect it in my fiction. It's not a gimmick or a way to fast sales, it's the truth of the stories I have to tell and if I want to tell them in all their glory, it means wearing the mantle of an erotic romance/urban fiction writer.

I'm okay with that. I still don't see any rooster and kitty-cat slang for male and female genitalia in my future, but I can be my own flavor of erotic romance/romantica. And if you need me to explain the rooster/kitty-cat reference you may be too young to be reading this blog. Do your parents know where you are?

Erotic Writer Ramble Done

~X

Comments

[moon-chylde.livejournal.com]

I still don't see any rooster and kitty-cat slang for male and female genitalia in my future

LMAOROFL


Conk....

[sroit.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. If m/m is automatic erotica label...

Well...guess I better raise my hand. ;-)

(Third book...yeah I can't deny it.)

[xakara.livejournal.com]

Every publishing house doesn't make m/m automatically erotic. Some like Samhain have a separate Gay/Lesbian section or a full GBLT section. There is no poly section anywhere.

Poly is automatically erotic because there's no place else to put it. At least at Samhain and a few other places they multi-list you. So I'm a red hot read but I'm also a paranormal read. I'm proud of them for that and every house that does the same.

Personally I don't mind the erotic label itself. What I mind is that the industry doesn't apply it fairly. There needs to be a harder line or a broader spectrum, I don't care which.

~X

[sroit.livejournal.com]

I agree, about applying it fairly. Now, my publisher (so far) hasn't placed any label like that at all. Third book may be steamier, though, so I wonder what they'll think by then. Being Europe, though, maybe it's not as big a deal...?

Anywhoo. I wouldn't mind, either, as long as it's fair, just like you said.