Guest Blog + Giveaway: Ann Mayburn

Only Perverts Read Erotic Romance

I have a few real life friends that I talk to on Facebook in a private group that we’ll call ‘The Secret Society of Smut Loving Sluts’. These are women that I dragged, kicking and screaming, into reading erotic romance and women who-gasp of horror- ended up loving it. Now I’m sure some of you out there have embraced erotic romance with open arms and would gleefully share your latest steamy read with your grandmother. On the other hand, I’m sure there are those of you out there that would die a thousand deaths of embarrassment if anyone ever found out that you so much even peeked at the cover of one of these sexy books.

That’s ok! Seriously, not everyone is going to be interested in the heat level of erotic romance just like not everyone is going to be interested in a very sweet romance where the most the main characters ever do is kiss with their eyes closed and no tongue. ;) But I’ve found that there is a lot of confusion as to what erotic romance actually is and I know that a lot of people are missing out on some great books that they would really enjoy because they think erotic romance is the same thing as sleazy porn.

It isn’t.

Originally I wanted to write urban fantasy and romance. As I wrote my first book, ‘Blessed’, I found myself giving much attention to the sex and the sexual relationship as the rest of the story. I’d always hated behind the door sex scenes. I mean, let’s be honest, even when it’s ‘just sex’ there are a myriad of emotions and growth that go on. I believe each sexual encounter changes a relationship, it is impossible to be that physically close and not have it effect you somehow. So, when my beta readers read ‘Blessed’ they all commented on how steamy it was and how they felt like it was erotic romance(I don’t, Blessed is sensual on my personal erotica scale) and they really enjoyed my sex scenes and the tension I built.

I always write what I want, how I want and for me accepting the label of erotica lets me explore so many fascinating ideas and relationships that I would never be able to do under the mantle of a traditional romance. I guess that’s what erotica is to me as an author, freedom.

Let me try and break it down for you in an example. I’ll do the same short scene in sweet romance, bodice ripper romance, and erotic romance.

Sweet

Jane gazed up into Jack’s face as he looked out over their land, pride suffusing the hard angles of his mouth. He looked down at her and love, pure and simple, surged through her. As the sunset over the home where their children would someday laugh and play he kissed her and she held him close. Her man, her life, her husband.

Bodice Ripper

Jane gazed up into Jack’s face as he looked out over their land, pride suffusing the hard angles of his mouth. He looked down at her and love, pure and simple, surged through her. As the sunset over the home where their children would someday laugh and play. Her body flushed and grew needy as his eyes grew darkened with passion. His lips brushed over her own and she opened to him like a rose unfurling it’s petals to the sun, moaning deep in her throat as he turned the kiss demanding. His manhood pressed into her skirts and the area between her legs grew damp with want. She held him close, her man, her life, her husband.


Erotic Romance

Jane gazed up into Jack’s face as he looked out over their land, pride suffusing the hard angles of his mouth. He looked down at her and love, pure and simple, surged through her. As the sunset over the home where their children would someday laugh and play. She smiled up at him as he held her close, one clever hand inching its way up her ribcage to gently cup her breast. Her heart beat harder as his gaze turned intense, the look on his face alone hardening her nipples into aching nubs. He ran lazy circles around her breast, never quite touching where she wanted, where she needed him to. She tried to grab his hand and make him touch her, but he easily dodged her grasp and instead drew her in for a kiss. Their lips met and she opened for him, groaning into his mouth as his tongue stroked against hers. He shifted so one of his firm thighs was between her legs and he pressed up, all that hard muscle rubbing against her clit trapped behind her jeans. She stiffened as he slowly rocked her along his thigh and delighted in the way that her arousal always drove him crazy. When she cupped his erection through his pants he muttered an oath under his breath and swept her up into his arms, carrying her back to their home. She pressed her cheek against his chest and thanked God for sending him to her.

Of course this was just the roughest example of the difference between the genres, but I hope it gives you an idea of what I’m talking about. Erotic romance is no different from regular romance except instead of the story fading to black once the main characters close the bedroom door to have sex, we go right through that door with them and the sexual act has as much emotion and detail as the other parts of the story. Simple as that.

I hope I’ve intrigued you enough to give erotic romance a try, and to sweeten the deal I’ll be giving away a book of your choice from my backlist to one lucky commenter. :)

Visit Ann's website to see what books on her backlist.

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