Blushing Beauty

Here’s a fun story:

If you didn’t already know, I worked as an author for a few years writing women’s fantasy fiction. If you don’t know what that is, it’s been lovingly referred to as ‘soft porn for horny housewives’.

This was not something I set out to do. I was offered the opportunity after a publisher read something else I wrote and thought I might be good at it. Turns out, he was right.

I’m certainly not an expert at explaining explicit situations in detail. In fact, that was the hardest part ;-). I just have a pretty active imagination, a knack for story telling, and find it extremely easy to have conversations with different characters in my head including funny, sexy banter that easily  transfer onto to paper. I can do that all day. If you’ve ever read the genre, you know that the act of sex is only a small part of the entire story even though it happens a few times throughout.

Those sexual scenarios though? Super awkward. Truth be told. When I would write those parts I would sit in a corner (I always went to a local coffee shop to write) and make sure no one could see me. My face would be bright red. I was embarrassed to even write it. The rest of the book- no problem, but that was a struggle.

Writing about sex and foreplay is very different than just doing it. It’s very unnatural. It’s not like whispering dirty thoughts into your lover’s ear. Imagine having to verbalize every move you made out loud like a play by play of what was going on. THAT’S what it’s like writing romance. Try it. It’s super uncomfortable.

Aaaannnndd after a few books you really have to make sure it’s still interesting. You can’t keep repeating the same moves and using the same lingo. That would be super boring. Just like if you had the same partner for a long time and never changed anything you were doing. Booorrrriinnngg.

During a somewhat recent Q&A, I was asked to read a passage out loud from one of my own books and I almost fucking died of embarrassment. I was asked how I could be so shy when I was the one who wrote it. Whole different ball game, bro. Sex is typically a private act. When I write it, it’s in my head. When you read it, it’s in yours. It’s private and intimate, even if it’s just part of a story. Reading it out loud is not something I want to do for an audience. I couldn’t even finish.

Then add in that in the real world. I don’t do most things like most people. I really have to think about the logistics and make sure they make sense when I’m describing each part in detail. Can your leg actually bend like that? Would that be able to go in there if I was positioned like that? Does your mouth open that wide? Just kidding, but you see my point here.

Writing is my absolute favorite thing to do. Writing fantasy romance is not actually my first choice but it’s still so much fun. Who doesn’t love a predictably happy ever after with some steamy, sex? Well, a lot of people, but it’s never a bad idea to take a break from reality sometimes :-)

#fantasy #romance #author #sex #love #happilyeverafter

*photo of me holding my first hard copy release