The shock of Erotica?
As part of first month of Erotica titles on Entice, author Susan Swann explains how falling into the genre was something of an accident . . .
I discovered my talent for writing erotic novels by accident. While trying to write romantic fiction (four unfinished novels) which I thought might be an easy way to get a first novel published (it wasn’t) a feature in a Sunday paper came to my notice. A leading publisher was looking for authors with a fresh approach to the erotic genre. It was worth a try. I got to work, sent off three chapters and an outline and was amazed to get a phone call from the editor. The novel was commissioned and a new career, in a most unexpected writing direction, was born.
My delight in having my first book published was soon tempered by the reactions from friends and family. I told them that the book was intense, sensual and explicit and they might find it shocking. ‘Oh, no,’ I was assured, ‘we’re broadminded. Nothing shocks us.’ Fast forward a few hours and I was on the phone to a lot of very shocked people! But they had been unable to put the book down and they all wanted to know when the next one was being published.
Things were rather different in the public library where I worked at the time. The chief librarian, annoyed at being phoned by the press, tore a strip off me and told me I was to keep my writing separate to my library work. I think things would have been different if I’d been writing gardening books. There was an incident when one of the library delivery drivers pinned up a double page, full-colour spread from a newspaper supplement on the staff notice board. It had a huge, tongue-in-cheek photo of me dressed for the part in historical costume, complete with a corset sitting in my home office. (just for the record I’m more likely to be wearing a tracksuit when I’m at my computer) My library boss was furious and insisted the offending feature was removed! I always think this was an opportunity missed to promote the library and boost reading numbers as my erotic novels have gone on to sell in huge numbers. I’m very proud that many of them have stayed in print and are now available as e-books, so they can reach an even wider audience.
I think the secret to my success has been that I look on the books as novels first and erotic novels second, meaning that they are character led, with proper plots and interesting, unusual even unlikely settings. The erotic content comes from the tension between well-rounded characters. There has to be a sense of cause and effect. I’ve never considered that you can ‘just chuck in a bit of sex, here and there’ to liven up a limp story. (pun intended) You always have to respect your reader as they’ll soon work out if you’re not serious about your writing.
Quote from my husband (slave) about my erotic novel writing. “You were always a closet perv.” Thanks darling! I prefer to think my overactive imagination is my most useful feature.
Favourite watchwords. You never know what you can do until you try.
