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Opening The Bedroom Door
What would lead an author to writing erotic romance? For me, all it required was a bit of frustration. I got sick and tired of having the bedroom door shut in my face while reading romances. How frustrating. As the story builds, you are drawn into the hero and heroine’s lives. You share in their struggles and triumphs, sadness and joy, along with the building attraction. The author draws you into the sexual tension, shows you how hot they are becoming for each other.
Then it happens, the moment you’ve been waiting for. Their sitting on the living room couch and start kissing, touching, getting hot and heavy. This time they aren’t interrupted by the doorbell or pulled apart in another way. It’s going to happen, their relationship is making a natural progression and they are going to have sex. Woohoo!
You’re brought along as they move toward the bedroom, pulling off each others clothes, stoking the flame. They’re almost there. The hero kicks open the door and pulls the heroine into the bedroom. Its finally gonna happen. Yay!
Then the hero kicks the door closed in your face, the scene fades to black, and the good part is hidden from your view. Next thing you know they are having breakfast or have gone off to start their days separately.
Arrrruuuugggghhhhh!
The author has taken you almost to the point of satisfaction then left you frustrated and hanging. You’ve been included in everything else the couple has shared, but the sex is private. Why? This is not the 50’s with a society that doesn’t require married couples on TV to have separate beds. We’ve gotten past that. Heck, watch a few music videos or soap operas. More often than not the door is left wide open.
Okay, maybe not everyone wants to know what happens. Not everyone is curious or longing to share the explicit details of the h/h coming together. Different strokes for different folks. My curious, aroused mind wanted to know. Thank goodness for erotic romance. The first one I read was somewhat mild, but totally blew my mind when I was given graphic details of how the h/h touched and excited each other.
I became an addict, devouring every hot, steamy book I could find. It didn’t take long for me to realize these were the kinds of stories I wanted to write. I wanted to remove the door from its hinges, turn on the light, push boundaries, experiment with the taboo, and unleash my imagination. My stories follow not only the character’s lives, but share in the natural progression into love and yes…sex.
To the first authors who were brave enough to leave the door open, thank you for letting us in!
What do you think? Do you like the bedroom door opened or closed?
Nicole Austin
Sizzling Erotic Romance
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I agree. I don’t like the door closing and missing that time of intimacy.
I like the bedroom door open.
It’s part of the story, part of the relationship. I feel as if I’m missing something if the door is slammed in my face.
Now, some authors still limit the time spent in the bedroom, and that’s okay. Depends on the story. As long as the door isn’t shut tight in my face I’m okay with it.
I like the door opened to hot steamy sex and new experiences. I also like the more mild and less graphic scenes, too. I like it all when it lends to the story, but there has to be a story!
I try to keep the door open, but sometimes the scenes are hard to write (for me at least). For some reason, they have books on everything else, but not how to write scenes with the door open…...lol My husband says I am getting better though.
“I wanted to remove the door from its hinges” LOL – I think you’ve done a bit of that hun :)
IMO – If we’re along for the ride for everything else, why shouldn’t we be there when the characters get it on – or should that be off? :)
As long as the sex scene contributes to the story, throw open that door
Heidi B.
I used to skim through romance novels for the “good parts” and they were rather mild in comparison to what we have available today. I like a middle ground, I think. Sometimes I like to leave the couple in peace, and the fade to black is okay. Depends on the story. There are times when a perfectly good story is ruined by a perfectly bad love scene, you know? But when done well, ooooh ahhhhh!
I agree that it really depends on the story and obviously the characters. I’ve read both types and have enjoyed both. I really like the sexual tension and build up, but if the door closes, I’m totally ok with that. After all, there is always imagination. :)
I can go either way with it. I’m not really big on romances or erotica, but when it gets to a scene, yeah, I kinda wanna know what happens.
And I agree with lyn. If the door is closed, I always have my own imagination to play out the sexy events.
Much Love Always,
Rose Marie Wolf
www.rosemariewolf.com
Oh definitely keep that door open! Closed door sex I can almost tolerate if I’m expecting it. But when you get these watered down sex scenes that are more flowery than Martha Stewart’s garden…well, then that makes me just gag a bit. If fact, I’ll skip the sex. It’s not worth the thirty seconds it would take me to read. :)
I love erotic romance that still has a strong plot. Where it’s a really good book, but the sex just happens to be sizzling.
If the scenes are tastefully done and artfully woven into the overall plot, not slap me down, borderline porn…it’s all good.
Having an over active imagination I like when I can fill in some of the gaps with m’dirty mind…lol. The brain is the ultimate sex organ.
Like a good thriller, I’d rather not be shocked by non-stop gore. It’s more frightening when you have to imagine what happened next.
As long as rape is not written as foreplay I enjoy the bedroom door open. But I greatly prefer strong minded females. My favorite is the Five-Minute Marriage by Joan Aiken.