Let me start by saying, I published my first romance over
twenty years ago. Back then, you couldn’t use profanity, most love scenes were
off camera, or dealt with very carefully and always between married
heterosexual couples.
There was no ménage à trois, no same-sex romp between the
sheets, no multi-cultural romance, and heaven help you if you tried to sneak in
a little S&M. You were promptly branded a writer of pure smut and likely
banned from submitting to certain publishers.
Slowly but surely the reins began to loosen. First, it was
Silhouette Intimate Moments and a very few Harlequin Presents. With their
titillating success, the other big NY publishers brought out their own lines
that pushed the boundaries, allowed on-screen love scenes and even the risqué
oral sex. Oh my!
Gone were the days of cock teasing, of using euphemisms in
place of the real thing. Now, not only did the hero and heroine openly declare
their utmost desires, they acted on them. Sure, there were still the purists,
those that believed in preserving our chastity. And, bless them, the publishers
maintained those sweet lines that still sell very well today.
However, the biggest surge in sales has come in the steamier
lines. Even Harlequin, the one last major hold out in publishing erotic
romance, has finally seen the light and begun their own line complete with
language and all the other aspects once considered strictly off limits.
The sexual revolution began in contemporary romances,
presumably where the author felt more comfortable expressing their more lurid
instincts. Slowly, though, it moved backward in time finally challenging the
historical moors. I actually began my erotic journey in historical, first with The Muse
and then with my award-winning novella, The
Mysterious Mrs. Pennybaker. Both are set in the Roaring Twenties...a time
when everything we now see as normal was considered risqué but still took
place. In abundance.
In The Muse, Nancy Fraser brings her
characters to life, weaves a believable ménage, and the sensual eroticism is
brilliantly written. When I wanted more, I acknowledged Ms. Fraser wrote a
fantastic story! ~ Top 100 Amazon Reviewer
For The Mysterious Mrs. Pennybaker, two men
are always better than one. I loved the descriptions and the feeling of
actually being in the Roaring 20's. ~ Cutting Muse Blog Review
I write erotic romance and I love it. The idea of creating
something so sensual, so graphic, appeals to me. Not because I’m a dirty old
lady or a pervert, but because there is something primal about two (or three)
people expressing their utmost desires together. One of my favorite challenges
came when I was tasked with turning the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, The Devil’s
Sooty Brother, into an erotic romance. The end result, Do
You Want Me, not only tackles the fairy tale but also the Irish Mob, a
soldier’s code of ethics, some extremely hot sex, and the formerly taboo
multiple partners.
Do You Want Me is a great
read that kept me going from start to finish. It was a real page turner that I
just did not want to put down. ~ Long and Short Reviews
There are still avenues I haven’t tried and may never. Not
because I’m a prude (obviously), but because it’s not an area that interests
me. My measuring stick for what I’ll attempt to write is based on what I like
to read. However, like most measuring devices, the stick can be moved.
If you’d have told me two years ago that I’d write a sci-fi erotic romance, I’d have adamantly shook my head and said “no way”. Yet, this
past summer, Decadent Publishing released The Vessel, and wow has it
been a fun ride! The book contains a map of war-ravaged North America and features a
by-the-book military hero and a wise-cracking, alien princess heroine.
Like my other military-hero book, Do You Want Me, The Vessel is written entirely from the hero's point-of-view. This was something new for me. However, because I personally consider the military man the ultimate alpha hero, I endeavored to tell the stories as I felt they would see it.
The Vessel is a must-read for fans of erotica and science fiction alike. I can’t recommend it highly enough! – Long and Short Reviews
Still the question looms (even for those of us who believe
the steamer, the better), is there such a thing as too hot?
As a multi-published author, I have worked with a half dozen
different publishers and currently actively write for four. Here’s what I
believe is and will always remain taboo:
Parent/Child Incest – Sibling incest has become less of a
taboo as long as there’s a non-related third party involved.
Pedophilia – The one taboo that will never, and should
never, be lifted.
Bestiality – A gray area with shifter romances, but still
nobody should be doing it with the family dog!
Other than the recognized no-nos mentioned above, pretty
much anything goes in today’s erotic romance. And that possibility excites me. I’m looking forward to my next erotic
historical challenge...a story of sibling rivalry set in ancient Rome. Think of
all the possibilities!
What do you still consider to be out of bounds? What is your
favorite kinky fix? Inquiring minds want to know!
Until next month, stay healthy, stay happy, stay well read!
Nancy
