Romance courting erotica

Erotic Romance, Erotica and or Romantica, no matter what you label it or how you define it, you can't argue that it is a hot market right now. HOT is an understatement, it has exploded and just about every publisher is coming out with a line or buying books to fit this market. It has been talked about, blogged about, printed in newspapers, made a talk show or two and now even has its own idiot's Guide. Since this is Avon Red Week, figured we would start with... WHAT THE HELL is erotic romance, erotica and/or romantica. In the interest of time (raining! make the rain go away!) we will retro post... because as I said, this has been blogged about before *g*. BUT first... Avon Red Where do you see this fitting? I think/thought it was Erotic Romance but the site at Harper (not updated and rather on the eh side of websites , sez I) says: In today's marketplace, Erotica is one of the fastest-growing segments of women's fiction. Avon Red is committed to providing the best, most sophisticated erotic fiction available in the industry, written by the most talented authors. With our striking cover designs and steamy narratives, Avon Red is in a class by itself. Erotica... is that a lack of understanding in the difference or could Avon be taking the opposite (and much better) approach of Aphordisia and marketing its books as erotica and allowing for a HEA or not. I could not find submissions guidelines for Avon Red but there was this note on Karen Fox's site: May Chen oversees the Avon Red (erotica) lines. They will put out one book a month in trade size starting September 2006. This is very hot but emotional sex. It can be historical, contemporary, time-travel, paranormal, urban fantasy, and short story or full length. She recommends you query her first. Send the query to (go look it up). If she requests you to snail mail the manuscript, be sure to include a copy of her email. Follow up with her if you haven't heard anything in a month. Maybe one of the Avon Red Authors will chime in and let us know if these are HEA only or not. Fever isn't such a new scene First Posted February 10, 2006: Helenkay blogged For Further Confusion regarding the March Romantic Times trying to, as Alison Kent sez: Define Eroticism . I happen to agree there is no right or wrong. But as I sit here trying to assign sensuality rating, the question is running through my head. I have read books recently that are called hot, hot baby but seem very mild to me. I am missing something? LOL or just too jaded and on romantic erotica overload ;). 1. How do you define erotic vs erotic romance in your personal reading or reviews? 2. Do you have any personal examples of authors you feel fit the two? 3. Where do you feel romantica fits in between erotic vs erotic romance? 4. Is the sensuality rating something you even pay attention to before you read a novel? Or do you look after? Do you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing? 5. If you do look at the ratings before - you are looking for hotter stories? Or are you looking for the sweeter ones? 6. If you write, is the level or page amount focused on sex something you even think of when you plot out a story (if you outline) or do you just 'let the characters lead?'? 7. Do you think we are flooding the market with too many hotter books? Or are you happy to see so many new erotica lines? 8. Where does BRAVA fit in with erotic vs erotic romance? lots of questions... and I have more! readers and/or authors answers as many as you want or not ;) ETA: Cindy's answers [note: beta blogger is being goofy if you have issues posting use the option 'other' and type in your name... if you use anon, make sure you type your name in the post]

EBUZZ: Her Wildest Dreams By Shiloh Walker

Timid and shy, in her wildest dreams, Allie never imagined Alex would look at her with anything more than friendship and maybe a little pity in his eyes. One horrible night Allie is attacked and Alex comes rushing to her rescue. He wonders if he is really needed when he finds a little hellcat fighting off her attacker. Much later that night, Alex holds that little hellcat in his arms. Months later, he runs into Allie again and he barely recognizes her. She's no longer the shy little wallflower she had once been. Problem is... she doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with him. Allie's about to find out that Alex is the only man guaranteed to make her wildest dreams come true. I have said it before, shiloh has hell of a lot of books. And the nifty thing is she writes a little of everything. hmmm well she needs to write some historicals... Would you Like to Know More Genre: Contemporary Grade: B Sensuality: Burning Jane Meter: 50/50 The Good: I really enjoy Shiloh's contemporary voice. She can take some very common category like situations and sex them up, in a good way. And her characters have a very real feel to them. The reader enjoys the time spent getting to know them. When Allie decides to change her life and herself, she works at it. No really, she doesn't just take off her glasses and put on a red dress and two days later becomes HAWT. When she decides to change, she changes. Allie decides what she doesn't like about herself. Then amazingly enough she does something about it. Allie goes after what she wants to tries to create the happiness she knows she deserves. When Alex pulls his head out of his ass, he has to figure out how to lead, follow or get the fuck out of her way. The Bad: The brother is an asshole. I hate that crap when it is ok to do whatever, to whoever but HEY not my sister. Cuz she is pure and crap... that could just be me. The Verdict:Did I mention I like it when a rake falls hard? Again this is a friends to lovers story, done well, with great characters. If you have only tried Shiloh's paranormals or haven't tired her because you don't read paranormals, I highly suggest trying this one out or Her Best Friends Lover Next Hunting the Hunter You can find shiloh here and here. And you can buy the book here.

Beverly Havlir EBUZZ: Miss October By Madison Hayes

Bolt Hardin is many things, and comforting ain't one of them. He's too hard-edged, too big, too brutal... and too damn sexy for Tavia's own good. Balancing caution with a frustrating dose of sexual attraction, Tavia takes the rugged stranger home with her. After all, she won't be alone with him. Not when she has a houseful of construction workers underfoot and a boyfriend coming for dinner. She's cool, calm and in control-until Bolt sets his sights on gaining what he wants. And what he wants is Tavia, laid out and spread for his pleasure. And then there's his own special method of nailing a woman to the floor. With nothing more than a sexy saunter and a low-slung pair of jeans, Bolt worms his way into Tavia's heart. Lucky for her... Tavia's heart is exactly what Bolt's after. Beverly Havlir, author of Irresistible (read!) should really update her website and tell us what she has coming out next. ::waiting:: oh ok, at least come tell us, or better yet send it to me *g* Beverly Havlir's Buzz Tavia doesn't think she's gorgeous, being on the voluptuous side, and she's pragmatic enough to know that men are after her money. Until one hot, dry day, Bolt Hardin comes into her life and shakes up everything she’s ever believed in. Ah, Bolt. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a man's man. I love a man who's unapologetically masculine and swaggers with the unshakable confidence of someone sure of his sex appeal. Bolt is all that and more. There were a couple of times when I wanted to hit him over the head for being a chauvinist, but in the next second, he was melting my heart with his sweetness, which was all the more potent and effective because it was so not like him to be sweet. I love books that engage my emotions. I want to love and empathize with the hero and heroine, but I also want to see displays of human nature, a dash of realism. He made Tavia mad, made her cry, but he also made her feel good about herself. I felt all those emotions right along with her. And in so doing, fell a little in love with Bolt myself. He's certainly no pansy ass hero. He knows what he wants and he's not afraid to go after it! And does he ever! The sex scenes are simply scorching, nearly melting my poor laptop's hard drive. *g* Miss October is a fun, sexy, engrossing, though short read. If anything, I wish Miss Hayes would have made it longer. I wanted to read more. That’s how much I liked it. You can find Madison Hayes here and purchase Miss October here. Thanks for the Buzz, Beverly!