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How Do You Like Your Sex?

As readers, any of us usually know exactly what we like in a novel. Some of us want thrills, some comedy, some horror, some gentle romance . . . and then some of us want sex. Plain and simple. No holds barred.

As writers of sexually oriented material, how do we satisfy such a reading audience? We can't do it all, especially not in one book.

To build a fan base, it's always a good thing to become easily identified with content that a similar audience will like, again and again and again. These days, there are quite a lot of choices. Let's look at the differences.

Gentle Romance:

You know the ones sex is never indicated outright. In fact, it's never even indicated. It's all roses and sunsets and, maybe, just maybe, chaste kisses. And even the kisses are rarely ever described.

"He held her hand and stared into her eyes. They saw forever. Their . . . faces moved . . . closer. . . ."

Some authors that exemplify this genre: Louisa May Alcott, Barbara Cartland, Mary Higgins Clark.

Romance:

These books do tell you about the character's sex lives. They show those lives to you. The writers know you want details. These are the books with a melodramatic cover a man and a woman in an impossible pose, limbs closely intertwined, but fully clothed. Everything's very definitely in its own place, even though it's all touching. There is mention of "heaving breasts," and "his power," but most often somewhere in between a PG-13' and a soft R' rating.

"She knew he was going to touch her. She wanted it. She closed her eyes as his strong fingers stroked her neck and slipped into the bodice of her dress. . . ."

Writers in this genre include: Nora Roberts, Diane Chamberlain, and Jayne Ann Krentz aka Amanda Quick.

Spicy:

You'll get a strong dose of sexual interaction from these books. You'll also find a well-woven romantic theme. The stories take the romance novel idea one step farther, and treat a sexual relationship as a very natural, healthy and required part of the story. I separate these between historical and contemporaries, and for purposes of this piece, will use the "spicy" category for predominantly contemporary romances, only because the next, "bodice rippers," are almost always historical.
You'll find these books written by, among others: Nora Roberts, Janelle Taylor, Jo-Ann Power, Patricia Gaffney.

Bodice Rippers:

Oh boy. These books take PG-13' and go for a ride . . . but only to a point. You've seen them on the shelves and,

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