When I write in my other genre as my other pen name, I don't really have to write graphic sex scenes. True, they occasionally come up, but it's not a requirement. If it fits, I write it, but in my romance stories, it's expected since I don't write the sweet stuff. (My mind's too dirty to write the sweet stuff. ;) My books are erotic romance, so there must be sex and the steamier the better it seems, if the comments readers make are any indication.
In my current release, Blood Avenged, there's a scene where I walked a very fine line with Vasilije and Sasa. He's learned of something she's done and has come to kill her. He's a vampire, and unlike other sweeter, twinkly vampires, Vasilije will kill. The fact that he has feelings for Sasa is immaterial. She's crossed him. But she affects him in a way that no other woman has for centuries, so his desire to exact his revenge is met by another desire.
The scene is gritty--and one I was worried wouldn't work for some readers. And it's a long scene, taking up an entire chapter from his point of view and then moving into her point of view for an entire chapter. I generally don't use up that much space with foreplay and the act of sex, but this was different. In many ways, those two chapters show Vasilije more clearly than any others in the book.
I bring this up because while I love those two chapters for their emotion and dark grittiness, I wasn't sure readers would, and it was only on the repeated advice of my editor that I didn't touch those pages and left them as I originally intended. A few reviewers have commented that they didn't like the scene (but in truth, they didn't like Vasilije, overall. I think that says more about their taste in men than the book itself, though.), but in a recent review, the reviewer mentioned the scene as one of her favorites. She seemed to misunderstand other parts of the book, but I was pleased she saw the scene for what it was.
Sex can be a difficult thing to write sometimes, especially if your characters aren't working with you or you're working against them and their natures. The sex scenes in Blood Avenged weren't difficult because I knew exactly what kind of characters Vasilije and Sasa were and I wasn't afraid to let them be who they are. I knew there was a chance that readers wouldn't want them to act like they did, but that was a chance as an author I needed to take to make the story what I wanted it to be.
5 comments:
I love your work and the more erotic the better. You have a talent to take your scenes right to the edge and leave me, for one wanting more. Great post
Your readers are going to love the majority of your sex scenes between your characters so keep them going. We'll always come across a reviewer or two who reads outside of the main genre they enjoy, hence the reason for a not so bright review. We read them but continue writing what our readers want. Keep on giving them the best you've got!
I totally can't wait to read this now lol. I think as long as you stay true and sincere, and not "cheese it up" there are going to be people who absolutely love it. Of course theres probably always going to be naysayers, but they aren't your target audience anyway :)
Wow, that blurb was enough for me! I can't imagine what the book will do to me! Thanks so much!
Lmackesy at gmail dot com
@Liz and Lauren. This book was the best ever. It has become one of my favorite books. The scene had to be written the way it was. If you understood the book, and understood the kind of man Vasilije was and what he went through you would agree. The scene was filled with so many emotions the characters were feeling it made total sense. And totally hot by the way. Another series to read, Stolen Destiny and Destiny Redeemed. Very different than other paranormal books. Great story and great writing.
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