Too Much Sex?

When I was in my early teens, I read Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. But when I started imagining Nancy in love with the Hardy Boys, I knew it was time for a change. No kidding. And that's when I discovered the lovely world of romance books. Like most other readers, I grew up reading series romance. Over the years, their appeal began to pall. I wanted more. More details, more sex. Don't lead up to the bedroom and shut the door in my face. I've been with you through all the preliminary stuff. Let me in on the good stuff, too. Right? This is about the time I discovered Ellora's Cave. Pretty soon, I finished a manuscript and turned it in. Hallelujah, they got back to me within a couple of weeks and wanted it! That was Abduction of Emma. The rest, as you know, is history.

I came across a pretty interesting discussion the other day in one of the lists I belong to. The topic was about sex and having to put too much of it in a book. What snagged my attention was the fact that some bemoaned the fact that they were being asked to add more sex to their finished stories. I guess I'm fortunate enough that I've never been asked to do that. What that says about me, I don't know. You tell me. *g*

When I write, I don't consciously tell myself that I have to put a certain number of sex scenes in it. To me, if I do that, it will come across as forced. It disturbs the natural flow of the story and will seem out of place. I can't insert a sex scene in the middle of a chapter for the sake of it. But having said that, I also have to keep it mind that I am writing an erotic romance. The plot, while it can involve other elements (paranormal, suspense, vampire or what-have-you) has to revolve around romance and the development of it and of course, sex (which comes naturally with romance, IMO).

I've heard some people grouse that you can't have sex every ten pages. True, you can't. But what sex the story does have, it's got to work. You have to delve deep in the reader's emotions. Make them feel every sensation the characters feel. Add sensory details. What's the heroine feeling, smelling, touching? What does the room look like? The atmosphere? Even if it's a short sex scene (like some romantic suspense I've read lately. I found myself turning the pages and gasping when there wasn't anymore), you've got to ramp up the heat. Turn it up a couple of notches and make it satisfying.

If you're having to add more sex to a finished book, maybe it's not erotic romance, you know? Maybe it's conventional romance that's being spiced up to be erotic.