Confession: I love porn for women...aka trashy romance novels

[TZ]

THe juicier the better...I have to restrain myself from buying them. I have found recently some really nice crossover fantasy stuff too ...This author in particular I LOVE..http://books.google.com/books?id=Nj_LO5cLjnEC&dq=jacqueline+carey&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=J-IOmoy2Yq&sig=bTM-jqJMywLfg0q1TJ9v-tcC_no&hl=en&ei=1MrkSZYF3d-dB4Gk9KkJ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3

Okay--Come on my female lounge lizards..CONFESS..Who is with me? :hi:

[Dr. Strange]

1. Well...

I certainly like the cover!

[TZ]

2. You might really like the novels

They are VERRRY well written..The heroine is a spy trained as a S+M type prostitute in a old world Europe type of premise...Pretty spicy stuff...

[redqueen]

3. I just like the sex parts.

Screw the rest.

That said, I don't buy them... but if there's one laying around, I might flip through it to try to find the good parts.

[BeachBaby]

5. +1.

If the first sentence of Chapter One doesn't start off with someone ripping someone else's clothes off, it gets tossed in the trashcan.

[TZ]

7. No wonder you and Pi Guy get along great...

He can't control those urges either..:hide:

[BeachBaby]

11. Birds of a feather and all that.

That's us! :rofl:

[redqueen]

9. They should come with an index.

That'd be handy.

[BeachBaby]

13. Absofuckinlutely.

Chapter One: Nothing but small talk at a company Christmas party. *yawn*

Chapter Two: She kicks it up a notch with flirtation. *yawn*

Chapter Three: He takes her hand to guide her to the dance floor. *yawn*

Chapter Four: He whispers in her ear, his desire to get a hotel room. *still not good enough - she may say no*

Chapter Five: They run across the street to the hotel. *okay - maybe I'll start reading now*

Chapter Six: She declares that they shouldn't be doing this, for whatever reason. *jeez - you're killing my mood!*

Chapter Seven: He declares that she shouldn't deny the desire they each have for the other. *HELL-O!*

Chapter Eight: They both surrender to their lust. *Ding-ding-ding*

[redqueen]

14. I was thinkin more like...

Oral, p.69
Outdoors, p.25

That kinda thing...

[BeachBaby]

16. Whatever gets the job done, I always say.

:hide: :rofl:

[flvegan]

22. Jesus, how did I miss this BB/redqueen exchange??!!!

whooooooo!

[TZ]

6. Oh you will like this then

I was driving in the car with my sister to Ohio (a 8hr trip) and she was reading a romance novel that she was really getting into..In return for her doing all the driving...I read the book to her..That was VERY interesting when we got to the sex stuff! :rofl:

[redqueen]

10. Hahaha...

I hope you said it all just as it should sound. :D

[TZ]

19. Yep.

I'm sure Dr. Strange would've been proud...:rofl:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

23. I just buy erotica, totally bypasses the boring shit

[redqueen]

43. I make my own up with my friend.

:7

[backtoblue]

4. Guilty

I can't help but to "sneek" in on a fictional love affair. It's me compensating for the lack of my own steamy romance.

[Debi]

8. Yep

:blush:

Historical romances are my 'brain candy' or 'mind popcorn' Mr. Debi tells me to read him 'the good parts' :evilgrin:

[CreekDog]

12. ...and Rush

i rest my case. :P :rofl:

[TZ]

20. Dude!

If someone wrote a trashy romance novel with Geddy Lee as the main character...:loveya: :swoon:

[Dr. Strange]

21. How about Geddy Lee as a warden in a women's prison?

Oh baby, this practically writes itself!

[TZ]

38. Sooo I can I look forward to a bodice ripping version of tales of WTFuckery soon!

:rofl:

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. I enjoy reading them. Writing them is much harder, though. :^(

[LynzM]

17. I'll fess up to that...

Have you read the Outlander series? Those were fun...

[Patiod]

41. They are the only ones I've really enjoyed

A tiny, quiet, mousey little librarian recommended them to me when I was looking for something for a long, rainy winter weekend. Never quite looked at her the same way again

[LynzM]

44. LOL

Sounds about right... it's always the quiet ones, eh? ;)

[blueraven95]

18. I like the well-written stuff

but like any genre, there is a little bit of good writing and the rest is dreck.

[Missy Vixen]

33. I'd be curious to know whom you're reading

>there is a little bit of good writing and the rest is dreck.<

Just out of curiosity, when was the last time you picked up a romance novel? They're vastly different now than they were in the '70's and '80's. It's tough to get published, and it's even harder to stay published.

I write romantic comedy. I don't have to do anywhere near the amount of research that historical romance authors undertake to write. Here's an example of a few of the authors I either know or are familiar with in the industry...

Jennifer Crusie: Writes romantic comedy and paranormals. Former prof at Ohio State. Currently working on her doctorate.
Bob Mayer: Collaborates with Jennifer Crusie. Former Green Beret. Was a bestselling author in his own right before working with Jennifer.
Julia Quinn: Writes Regency-period historicals. Graduated from Harvard. Dropped out of med school at Yale when her first two books went to auction.
Susan Wiggs: Writes women's fiction. Graduated from Harvard. Former math teacher.
Jane Porter: Writes women's fiction. Has a Master's from UCLA; former English teacher.

I haven't met a romance author yet (and we live in an area of the country that they are thick on the ground,) that fits the stereotypical housewife looking to earn a little extra money. They're accomplished, engaging women (and a few guys,) that take their craft seriously. They also fought like hell to get and remain published.

[blueraven95]

40. I actually know quite a few romance authors -

there are some authors in my family, so I've met some. :)

I agree with you that the industry has changed a lot since the 70s and 80s, but I don't think that necessarily means that the writing is better (or worse), just different. By "dreck," I mean that every genre has its stars (who aren't necessarily famous), who are legitimately talented, and then the other group of stars, who are famous because they have excellent managers, and then there are a lot of mediocre writers. I didn't mean to imply that I thought this was indicative of the romance or women's fiction (a label I despise, but at least it's better than "chick-lit") genres specifically. I apologize if I did.

As for the authors you mentioned, I have really enjoyed the Cruise-Mayer collaborations...I think they are a lot of fun. I've read some Julia Quinn, but not much. I can't remember if I enjoyed her or not. I'm not sure if I've ever read any of the other two, although I've heard of them.

I have to say, my pet peeve in romance writing is the tendency to create strong, independent, interesting female characters, and then ruin them when they fall for the macho guy. In the last third of the book they are suddenly simpering, submissive, and boring...I can't stand it, and that's when I swear off authors. In this day and age, in contemporary romance, there is no reason for a woman to have to give up her life goals for a man. She can, and should, be able to have both. (And I HATE it when the woman's only goal is to get married - that's even worse.)

[Missy Vixen]

47. They're fun, aren't they?

As Patiod mentioned, I go to Romance Writers of America's national conference each year, and there are a ton of romance authors living in the Seattle area.

>I have to say, my pet peeve in romance writing is the tendency to create strong, independent, interesting female characters, and then ruin them when they fall for the macho guy.<

Okay. Here's the thing. Most women aren't reading the book for the heroine, believe it or not. They want to fall in love with the hero. If they don't fall in love with the hero, they won't like your book. I know it's weird. ;-) The vast majority of romance novels feature alpha males because women love them. Anne Stuart's books, though, feature what we'd all call a "gamma" male. They sell like hotcakes, but she's the only one that seems to be able to pull this off.

Here's a few authors and books you might enjoy reading. Specifically, it's all about the kickass heroine who doesn't fall apart when Mr. Right emerges onto the scene...

Loretta Chase, "Lord of Scoundrels"
"Ice" series ("Black Ice", "Cold As Ice", etcetera,) Anne Stuart (hell, just read anything of Anne Stuart's)
"Just One of the Guys", Kristan Higgins (it's a contemporary, but I think you'll like the heroine.)
Anything by Jennifer Crusie. Her latest book features a 48-year-old heroine, for instance.
Suzanne Enoch

If you want light and funny, pick up any of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. She writes Regencies. My favorite is "The Viscount Who Loved Me". I just love her writing and her characters.

I don't read paranormals, but most of the people I know that read them are crazy for Christine Feehan and Sherrilyn Kenyon's books.

For those who want to read blistering hot sex scenes, you can't miss the following...

Anna Campbell "Untouched" ("Claiming the Courtesan" isn't bad, either.)
Megan Hart "Dirty", "Broken" (just buy them ALL)

I will do some thinking about others that write really great sex scenes. :woohoo:

[blueraven95]

51. Now that you mention the book titles

I have read Anne Stuart and I have liked many of her novels. I think her latest was her best.

I know women tend to read for the man, not the woman. I think it's because they are looking for something they often don't have in real life. I don't mean that readers are unhappy, lonely people...I mean that even those people in the best relationships still might miss the thrill of first falling in love, or are aware that their partners aren't perfect and sometimes wish they were. I don't have a problem with a macho guy, I just want the woman to continue being an equal. That's all. I'll check out the other authors you suggest.

One book I adored was "Austenland" by Shannon Hale. She's known more for her young adult novels - "The Goose Girl" is one of the better retellings of a fairy tale that I've ever seen, and "Austenland" was her first novel for adults. It has such an interesting, gentle, while still modern touch; I find it exquisite.

[Patiod]

42. JulieRB, is that you?

JulieRB, who was a DU moderator at one point, and who has the same avatar as you, is also a romance author, and goes to conventions and such.

Same avatar, same hobbies, never see you two in the same place at the same time....hmmmm

[Missy Vixen]

46. Yes, it be me

How are you doing, hot stuff? I miss you.

:hug:

[Patiod]

49. What's with the new handle?

And why isn't your avatar that Seahawks guy with the nice guns?

[Missy Vixen]

52. I wanted to be a woman of mystery.

;-)

I tried to upload an avatar of Mr. Nice Guns, but so far, it's not working. Aaargh!

This is what I get for having lust in my heart. :woohoo:

[applegrove]

24. Twenty years ago I went through a summer where I read bodice rippers. Like many reading phases

it passed.

[madinmaryland]

25. Dammit TZ, that's not fair!

:grr:

[FloridaJudy]

26. It's Viagra for women

I love that stuff! It has to be well-written, though - I'm that much of a snob. I like the Jacqueline Carey and Diana Gabaldon novels, and Anais Nin is wonderful. Laurell K. Hamilton used to be good, but her latest stuff is Ewwwwww! I'm not all that aroused by three and four ways with werewolves and vampires. Just give me a hunky but sensitive hero and a hot-blooded woman.

[Missy Vixen]

34. Try Anne Stuart

She doesn't typically write paranormals (which it sounds like you've been reading,) but her heroes are to die for.

If you'd like, I'll ask my paranormal reading or author friends for a few recommendations. ;-)

[TZ]

39. I would like that.

I'm going on a trip where I'll be alone alot and I'd really like some good stuff to keep me occupied .....

[RevolutionaryActs]

27. *cough* yes...

Especially ones with Highlanders. Mmmmmm. :rofl:

[elfrangel]

30. I've just discovered those....

Highlanders....mmmmm....Yummy!!!!! :9

[sasquatch]

53. Are you Scottish?

[Lex]

28. It's so telling that women prefer to read their pr0n & men like to look at it.

At least generally speaking.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

36. I like both

But the funny thing is, I hate watching 99% of lesbian porn. The stuff for men features fake lesbians and usually sucks, and a lot of the "for women by women" sucks for different reasons, like being too "loving" and too much body hair.

Straight porn and gay male porn is way better.

[FloridaJudy]

45. I've tried to watch porn

But it always looks so strenuous. Instead of being turned on, I get to pondering 'How long can she do that without coming up for air?' or 'Damn. He's gonna throw his back out any minute now...'

I find it difficult to watch sports as well, but I always thought it was just me.

(edited because spell check doesn't catch every typo)

[elfrangel]

29. Ummmm.....so there with you!!!!

I love...Love...LOVE romance novels. My fave author is Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb


Hubby hates that I have them all over the place. LOL.....he threatens to burn them at regular intervals. :D

[Missy Vixen]

48. I've met Nora Roberts

I remain the only romance author who's never read one of her books. ;-)

She's charming. We all see her once a year at the RWA national conference; she has a ton of people around her, but she will sign autographs and pose for pictures as long as people are waiting to talk with her. Even other authors turn into fangirls when she shows up. I can't believe how patient and gracious she is. She's also a great spokesperson for our industry. ;-)

If you've ever been to www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com, (blog that reviews romance novels, etcetera,) she has been known to show up there and comment on some of the topics under discussion.

[elfrangel]

50. Wow....

I am so jealous!!!! LOL

I will so have to go check out that site. Sounds like a fabulous place for me! Thanks for the tip.

[zingaro]

31. I don't like trashy romance novels but

I can quickly become a drooling whore for literotica.com

They have some great short stories :)

[Missy Vixen]

32. I write them

If you'd like recommendations, I'm happy to provide some. :woohoo: I can also divulge which parts of the book are most likely to have sex scenes, so you can skip the narrative and go straight to the "good" stuff.

Did you know that, according to a survey by Psychology Today, women who read romance novels have 74% more sex than women who don't? ;-)

[6000eliot]

35. For a very interesting academic take on romance novels

read Janice Radway's Reading the Romance.

[Betty88]

37. I love trashy internet fan fiction

yes Xena ok I said it and I simply cant live without the Captain and 7 of Nine. If your into lesbian ff check this site out the story is very very long, http://users.eastlink.ca/~ginadartt/J7fanfic.html#JBStories.