Doris O'Connor on different genres, and wearing different hats!

So, what's the big deal about genre? 

I'm curious to see your answers on this. Really, I am. You see, as a reader my tastes vary, and what I read depends as much on my mood of the day, as it does on which one of my favourite authors has a new release, or which new author has caught my eye.

I have a favourite genre of course. That would be BDSM, either contemporary or paranormal, but I will read literally anything, as long as it is Romance, and it has a good story. If you don’t hook me within the first few pages, chapters, I will not continue reading. My time is precious, and I will not waste it on a book that I don't enjoy. Now, to be fair, this doesn’t happen too often. I'm a fairly discerning judge of the blurb/excerpt, and I will not buy a book that doesn't appeal to me in some way.

You won't find me naming and shaming books I didn't like either. That's not my style, and, after all it's all personal choice. Someone else will no doubt love a book I hate. That's just the way the cookie crumbles, to knick one of my favourite movie lines.

*grins*

Does it matter to me, if the author switches from contemporary to paranormal or sci-fi? From m/f to m/f/m, m/m, or even f/f? Nope it doesn't—not one little bit. Love is love and a good story is a good story in my opinion, and usually you can judge by the cover, blurb, category, genre, etc. what sort of a book you are going to get.

Why then do so many authors adopt different pen names for different genres? I can fully understand a different pen name if you're writing YA, or children's books and Erotic Romance, for instance. You don't want your innocent young readers to stumble upon something that you have written with your adult hat on. Though, one could argue, in this day and age they are bound to find you anyway, but that's another issue.

But if you're writing erotic anyway, do you need a different pen name for each genre?

I ask, because I write both, contemporary and paranormal, and I write across several sub genres in that. I do not have a pen name. I couldn't cope with the different hats. I have enough to do trying to juggle all the usual plates of mother, wife, writer, friend, reader to name but a few.

I can barely keep the names of my kids straight in my head, let alone add another name for myself and the whole creating a different persona, online presence that goes with that. I admire those that can and do. I know several writers who juggle several different personas and kudos to them. I could never do it.

You see, I have a very unpredictable muse, and she has been known to change her mind halfway through a story as to whether this one is contemp or para. I've gotten used to her ADHD tendencies now. They used to do my head in when I first started writing.

Personally, I think it keeps my writing fresh. I would bore myself if I didn't push into new directions and jiggled things up a bit and for the most part my readers seem to like it—I think—hope.

*looks worried*

Feel free to correct me if not. I promise to only cry quietly into my coffee cup.

*smiles*

Seriously though, I would love your thoughts on this. Opinions between authors seem to be divided. I sometimes wonder whether I'm the only one not writing under a pen name, for instance. I know I'm not. I can think of a few off the top of my head, but we do seem to be in the minority.

It's probably one of those things that there is no right or wrong answer to. Each author will have to do what they deem right for them, their personal circumstances, and their readership.

I seem to be doing okay with my approach so far…

This month sees two new releases from me.

The Billionaire's Unwanted Virgin released May 3^rd and is a contemporary erotic romance.

Blurb: 

Lay back and think of England, she could do this. It was only sex, after all. Auctioning off her virginity was the easy part—going through with it not so easy.  When Alice realizes who has acquired her, keeping her emotions out of the deal seems an impossible task.

Self-made billionaire Lakota, Lance Kemnay has no time for women, let alone one, who would sell her virginity to the highest bidder. Ever practical, however, he sees in Alice a solution to his immediate need for a wife. The emotions she stirs in him are just lust, and lust can be dealt with. As they connect emotionally and physically, his resolve to keep his heart aloof is tested beyond limits.

Can he trust his tender feelings, or has he been taken for a fool by the one woman he thought he could trust?

(For a hot excerpt click here.)

Buy links:

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/the-billionaires-unwanted-virgin-by-doris-oconnor/

http://www.bookstrand.com/the-billionaires-unwanted-virgin-mf

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thebillionaire039sunwantedvirgin-1189225-147.html

http://www.amazon.com/The-Billionaires-Unwanted-Virgin-ebook/dp/B00CMTKDSG

May 31st will see the release of Under Orders. This is a paranormal Romance On The Go Story (short stories designed to be read when you're in a hurry and still need your romance fix)

Blurb: 

Who ever heard of being ordered to wear vibrating panties to a business meeting? The visiting CEO may be sex-on-legs-gorgeous, but Anna knows a sexual harassment case when she sees it. No one is going to order her to entertain Jonathan Symmonds—no one but her own body it seems.

Jonathan proves a hard man to resist. When he reveals his secret identity, this daughter of a slayer ought to be running for the hills not play submissive to his dark side.

Will passion and a shared past be enough to keep them together, or is their bond doomed to end at the stake?

      

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Like I said, unpredictable muse. This story started as a flash on my blog and kept niggling until I expanded on it. In fact, it started off as a contemporary and then my hero announced he was in fact a vampire—a living, breathing, evolved vampire.

Yeah, that got my attention too, especially as the heroine is the daughter of a slayer. Delicious conflict, right there.

I leave you with a little excerpt from Under Orders. Don't forget to let me know what you think about authors writing in different genres. I'm giving away a copy of either book to one lucky commenter, winner's choice. I'll pick the winner on May 31^st.

Excerpt:

Clearly it had been way too long since Anna had last gotten laid if her body could respond to a complete stranger in this fashion of reckless abandonment.

He turned his attention back to the room, and Anna released the breath she’d been holding. Brian glared at her, and that uneasy feeling in her stomach returned. She squared her shoulders and stared him down, before Jonathan’s hand on her thigh pulled her attention back to him.

“I would like to thank Anna for her diligent attention to detail in drawing up these reports.” He shifted his hand higher during those few words, until he reached the top of her stocking. Digging one finger underneath he caressed the soft skin of her inner thigh, and Anna forced herself not to squirm and give the game away. “She has been most thorough, and the results will show once and for all who is responsible for this current … mishap.”

He smiled briefly, and looked toward Brian. The older man shrank in his seat. His Adam’s apple bobbed wildly as though he could barely hold onto his saliva. Beads of sweat broke out on his ruddy complexion, and Anna was half expecting the pencil he clutched to splinter under the strain of his white knuckled grip.

“I also feel the need to make it clear that Anna acted under direct orders from myself and her immediate superior.” He nodded toward Anna’s boss, and Leonard Peterson shifted to stand behind Brian, his expression as grave as she’d ever seen it.

“No one here should have any reason to hold the findings of this report against Anna.” Again he paused, and his penetrating gaze swept around the room until he seemed satisfied that he had everyone’s undivided attention. At the same time he shifted his hand higher up the inside of her thigh, until his knuckles brushed against the damp fabric covering her slit. Anna bit her lip to stop herself from moaning. The feather light touch seared her core, and her internal muscles clenched in need. The fabric grew wetter, and he was bound to notice. She risked a peek at his profile, and the slight elevation to his bottom lip told her that he knew exactly how turned on she was.

He took a deep breath and brushed his forefinger against her clit, pressing down just enough to make the little nubbin tingle in anticipation. That smirk of his deepened, when she couldn’t help her involuntary jump in response.

“Likewise no one in this room has anything to fear from these findings, unless they have not been acting in the company’s best interests. If you have indeed been mishandling funds then now would be a prudent time to own up to this fact.”

Again he paused, and Anna held her breath. He looked every inch the ruthless and dangerous business man he was reported to be. His harsh features had drawn tight, his high cheek bones accentuated under the artificial lighting that filled the room, despite the blaring sun outside the windows overlooking London’s skyline. He held himself perfectly still, the muscles bulging in tension under the light summer suit he wore. Only his finger moved in slow, measured circles, designed to drive Anna to the brink of insanity. She grasped hold of her armrests again, and coughed to hide her moan as that finger slipped under the elastic of her underwear and teased her entrance.

“I-I—” Brian shot out of his chair and looked as though he would have made a run for it, had Leonard not grabbed him by the suit lapels and pinned him against the wall. The door burst open, and two burly security guards took over and dragged Brian from the room. Anna was barely aware of the ensuing commotion, because Jonathan chose that moment to thrust two fingers knuckle deep inside her channel. Her pussy walls tightened around the digits, and Anna shut her eyes against the rising sensation deep within. There was something so deliciously naughty about the CEO finger-fucking her under the table.

The barely functioning rational side of her brain urged her to scream, to do something. He was taking liberties with her body that he had no right to take, but the other horny as hell part of her told that side to shut the fuck up, even as Jonathan added his thumb to her clit, pushing her closer and closer to release.

“Leonard, get Anna a glass of water. She is looking a little flushed.”

Her eyes flew open at the amused words, and she knew her cheeks must be as red as the roses in the vase across the room, when her boss stepped close enough to her to see exactly what was happening under the table. Jonathan did not release her. If anything he stepped up his assault, curling his fingers in such a way that he massaged her sweet spot deep inside.

Leonard cleared his throat repeatedly, and the water splashed over the side of the glass he was pouring for Anna, masking the wet sounds of Jonathan’s fingers thrusting in and out of her sopping cunt. She would leave a visible stain on her skirt and chair at this rate, but Anna could no more stop herself from climbing towards bliss than she could stop breathing. She dug her fingers into the arms of her chair and bit her lip so hard she drew blood, as her orgasm hit her with the full force of a speeding train. Irrespective of where she was, or perhaps because of it, waves of pleasure crashed over her, as her body shook in delicious aftershocks. Jonathan did not withdraw his fingers until the last of her shudders stopped, and when she opened her eyes it was to find the room empty, bar the three of them.

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Author Bio:

Glutton for punishment would be a good description for Doris... at least that's what she hears on an almost daily basis when people find out that she has a brood of nine children, ranging from adult to toddler and lives happily in a far too small house, cluttered with children, pets, dust bunnies, and one very understanding and supportive husband. Domestic goddess she is not.

There is always something better to do after all, like working on the latest manuscript and trying not to scare the locals even more than usual by talking out loud to the voices in her head. Her characters tend to be pretty insistent to get their stories told, and you will find Doris burning the midnight oil on a regular basis. Only time to get any peace and quiet and besides, sleep is for wimps.

She likes to spin sensual, sassy, and sexy tales involving alpha heroes to die for, and heroines who give as good as they get. From contemporary to paranormal, BDSM to F/F, and Ménage, haunting love stories are guaranteed.

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Many thanks to Zara, for letting me ramble on today J