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 3rd 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?
Buy links:
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?
****
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 31st.
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.
****
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.
STALKING LINKS:
****
Many
thanks to Zara, for letting me ramble on today J
