Wow! Hard times for smutty, delicious romance. Last week on Twitter I was venting about a post deriding the genre of erotic romance (I won’t link to it) and this week an author is upset because her wildly successful erotic novel is such “trash.” (I won’t link to her either. I try to avoid the interweb dramz.)
This is nothing new. Smut has always been in the closet, sex has always been icky and base, and romance has always been the genre of silly, uneducated ladies, amirite? So put sex and romance together and you have something really, realllly stupid and horrible. I mean, obviously.
GAH! I’m so tired of the snobs!!!
You guys, I just want to take a moment to assure you that I LOVE the genre of erotic romance. I love writing it, I love reading it, and I think it’s FUCKING AWESOME! I love writing stories about people falling in love while also enjoying avid, complex, and copious explicit sex. I love that you buy my stories and enjoy them. I love that you write to me telling me that my books have re-energized your sex life.
I love making you come. I DO!
Sorry for all the exclamation points. I don’t usually rant on the internet but I wanted all my readers to know that I’ve got your back. I don’t judge you for wanting to read erotic romance, and I’m not going to apologize for wanting to write it. I’m ecstatic that I get to spend my days writing dirty romance books and I’m thrilled that so many people want to read those kind of books. This is a reason to CELEBRATE, not wring our hands and shake our heads about readers’ tastes these days.
I have two pieces of big and exciting career news to share before the end of summer, I hope. I want to yell it out now, because I love you all and I want you to be excited with me, but I’m too superstitious to do so. HA! So I will announce when I can. I also have two books coming up, Waking Kiss in June and Fever Dream in August (Maybe. Don’t hold me to that, lol).
I hope you’ll love them. They’re beautiful and erotic and romantic, and I tried really hard to write a worthy story as well as hot sex.
I’ve also got three fun conferences I’m attending: Authors After Dark in August, and Eroticon and the Indie Romance Convention in October. I’m not doing all this because I want to sell cheap trash to all you losers. I’m doing it because I LOVE MY JOB, I LOVE MY GENRE, and I LOVE ALL OF YOU. I can’t wait to touch and hug and talk to my readers, because you all get me. You get what makes erotic romance a wonderful genre. And hey, everyone knows the biggest seller of the last few years by a MILLION JILLION DEGREES was Fifty Shades of Grey which was…wait for it…erotic and romantic.
So I know I’m not the only one who loves erotic romance. I’m pretty damn sure of it. And I’m pretty damn sure I love all of you for supporting what I write.
Now let’s all do a big group hug, ignore the haters, and go read some romantic, sexy smut!!
I am so totally with you Annabel!! Erotic romance rocks and you help make it so. I suggest a group finger flip to the haters by reading our favourite erotic romantic story tonight!
Go take a look at the authors who are making career defining sales and then take a look at the type of books they are writing. Oh yeah, it’s never been a better time to be a writer or a reader of hot, sexy romantic books. Of course, those type of books have never really gone out of fashion, they just never got much love or respect by the NY literary establishment even when they provided the basis of much of their profit margins.
I read what I love and I make no apologies to anyone. That’s one of the great things about being an adult living in a country that considers censorship one of the REAL dirty words.
I think there are people out there who are only happy putting down others. I think people who read romances and erotic romances tend to read much more than other people, and a great deal of us have high level degrees. We are intelligent women who choose what we like to read and read what we enjoy!
Annabel
Nicely put! I think your stories are fabulous. I wouldn’t let any negative comments derail you from your love of erotic romance, your readers keep coming back for more and I’m sure you have a way of quantifying that your readers have increased. We want more!! I have learned so much from reading these stories especially about the trust the characters have with each other. I am a CPA, a wife, a mother, etc. I look forward to reading your books and transporting to another place for hours. I wonder were you find some of your heroes! Yes I have heard negative comments about Fifty Shades of Grey, I laugh at the comments, E. L James was able to get a population of people to read her books in the millions, she should be awarded for that.
I was at a dinner and was asked what genre I enjoyed reading, I said “Erotic Romance” and a male at the table almost choked! haha, My husband looked the other way. ( what ever) if they were expecting me to say I was reading about the Economy or about Global Warming, nothing personal, but I need to breath and your books give me that.
Can’t wait to read your two new books, I have read all your books, only pending is Lilly Mine and won’t go by this week that I start it. I haven’t read the article about bad mouthing the erotic romance genre, but I can assure you, your readers are the smart ones, we are not embarrassed to say, we love Annabel Joseph’s writing and we love the erotic romance genre.
I don’t know you personally , but I am sure you have many talents, and one of them is writing. I am personally happy you choose to share it with the your readers.
Take care
Nilsa
You’re pretty and pretty awesome.
Anabel, I love your books. Keep them coming!
In no way, shape or form am I embarrassed or ashamed of the genres if the books I choose to read. While not exclusive, erotic romance and dark erotica are in my top picks. Does that mark me as an uneducated sicko? With three college degrees, several published papers, a GPA of 4.7 and an obsessed reader of all things Annabel Joseph and Kitty Thomas (just two of my notable faves,) I shudder to wonder what the REALLY uneducated read. SMH, is the drama necessary? Hell no. If ur that easily offended, make like a monkey and hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Yeah, u know, don’t ask don’t tell LOL
Yep I agree with you and I know the unnamed subjects of which you speak of. I guess womem will never get away from being silly or sex starved for reading romance.
I’m still excited that erotica has exploded the way it has and even though its a long time coming at least it here now at the fore front.
Fever Dreams cover is beautiful too.
Oh, I think I’m your fan too <3
Sing it sister! Most of my fans discovered me through The Ties That Bind Trilogy, my BDSM erotic rtomance and writing that series was one of the highlights of my life. I bring this up because Annabel., you were my heroine and I read a lot of your books along with researching BDSM. But you taught me what this genre was really about and how love could exist. I love all my fans and I will never be embarrassed of any story I have ever written that included and will include “smut”. Here’s to smut writers everywhere who LOVE what we do and will never make EXCUSES for what we do! You rock, sweetie!
Right on. If you write it, own it, or don’t put it out for the world to see. Some will sell, some won’t. Keep moving on, write and read whatever you want. You can’t chase hot genres or topics, it will come through in the writing. That’s why your stories sound so authentic, you really feel it and are 100% behind it.
Good luck with all your upcoming projects!
I LOVE ALL OF YOU! Thanks for your thoughts. I really do love the erotic romance genre, so I’m a little biased.
OW!
If I don’t pluck my eyebrows they look just like those in the first picture… I guess that’s a sign! haha.
I’m sorry if you read a lot of bull abou erotic romance lately, I hope your never think you are less than extremely talented because an asshole’s mean comment or for any reason.
Well, I could defend why I like erotic novels, but since I don’t need nor care why would I? That only think I care for is that the City ballet books come as soon as possible.!!!!!!!!
Let’s not forget to mention that women and romance and erotic novels are keeping much of print media alive!!
I love romance and erotic romance not only because they make me feel good inside but also because they explore some of our deepest emotions and motivations that make us human, i.e. the capacity to love and be loved. I don’t care whether the story is a sweet romance or a sensual or erotic read, it depends what mood I am in or what mood I want to create if you get my drift! I too am sick of the snobs who ridicule my fellow readers and athors of the books I love to read. Like the lady in one of the comments above I do not shy away from telling others what I read if they ask. Maybe the negative comments come from those who feel threatened by how such works can liberate the women and men who read them.
Annabel you’re one of the best romance/erotic authors working. And I know how much you love it and your readers. I don’t think anyone should feel they need to defend their love of the genre. Or their desire to write it. Creative, sexually provocative books are needed and important. That said I wish more authors would consider the quality of their work like you do. But you know my feeling on the quality of some of what’s published…though that’s true of any genre and another issue.
We love you too, Annabel! And we love that you make us come, with a little help from Jeremy, Mephisto, Theo…all your men. *blush blush blush* I can’t wait to hear your big and exciting career news!
Thanks everyone, for your wonderful comments. I don’t put a lot of my feelings out there on the internets but I know you are all in my corner and I appreciate it so much. 🙂
My opinion, not that you asked… I think it all goes along with the shaming of women within the patriarchal hierarchy of our collective societies. That’s a generalization, I know. But damn how powerful we could be if we just owned our sexuality. The romance genre, whether it be erotic, contemporary, or historical, is the best selling in throughout publishing, and has been for some time. And now, the anonymity of ebooks has allowed those once shy, to cross their legs in public to assuage that little woody you as an author gives us. Thank you for that!
I do agree with you! Somewhere along the line women learned that they have to hide or apologize for what they like, or they have to live up to some standard of classiness. Bleh. I am happy to wallow in my smutty romantic feelings, lol.
YES, YES, YES!!!!! And thank you, Annabel. Thank you for writing and giving all of us erotic romance lovers just what we need. I love your books and I love you! Smutty books forever!
Hey, I think that romance and sex are an excellent combination, because especially during sex you’re sometimes ‘forced’ to let the walls around your feelings down, or that happens anyway because your too busy with other things to hold them up… And I think these moments are the ones that make a really interesting story, with lots of real emotions in it! Besides, I think everyone should just read what they like! Although I must confess that I don’t tell my slassmates what I read (not that they ask it), not because I’m ashamed, but sometimes I think telling such preferences make your life unneccesary complicated. Well, this is a lot more than I intended to write, the only thing I have to say now is: Go for it, fellow readers and don’t ever stop!
YAY! ITS FINALLY SUMMER ……. Annabel , I am so proud , I saved your last book and going to finally read it a little tonight then rest this weekend ! … Thank God its summer !!!!!!!! I feel bad for being gone to long , looking forward to your next 2 and re reading all your stuff over summer ! 😉
Yay!! Thanks everyone! Yes, it’s summer…let the smut book reading commence. 🙂