Robin Schone’s Top Five Most Often Asked Questions… with a bonus question *G*
Question: What is the difference between erotica, erotic romance and porn?
Answer: The reader. One man – or woman’s – erotica is another person’s erotic romance is another person’s porn.
Once, when whining to my agent that an author who was being promoted as an “erotic romance” author – and very successfully, too, I might add – didn’t actually “write” erotic romance, my agent replied: “Erotic romance is whatever the publisher says it is.” I have since ceased worrying about such distinctions, and write instead whatever it is I write, whether it be labelled erotica, erotic romance or smut.
Question: Where do you get your ideas?
Answer: History.
I’ve heard that some readers/writers don’t want “reality” to mar their fantasy, but I can’t help it. I simply can’t write if I don’t know the era in which I’m writing. And once having researched, I can’t look away and pretend that Victorian men and women didn’t do the things that they did, indeed, do.
Aside from which, I firmly believe that fact is stranger than fiction, so when writing historical romance, what better place to look for ideas/story lines than in history?
Question: Why has there been so long a delay between your books?
Answer: Kensington Publishing and I were in a legal dispute. Fortunately, we reached a settlement, and are now able to bring you Scandalous Lovers.
Question: What happened to THE MEN AND WOMEN’S CLUB?
Answer:Scandalous Lovers was originally titled THE MEN AND WOMEN’S CLUB. Because it was available for pre-order in 2001 – mind you, it was never published – my publisher felt it would be best to give it a new title and cover, so no one will think it’s an older book being reissued.
Question: Out of all your books, which one is your favorite?
Answer: In the past, I would have answered The Lover hands down, because I thought it was my best written novel.
Aside from which, it introduced Michael and Gabriel, mes deux anges. Need I say more? However, I have to say that Scandalous Lovers truly is my favorite book. At times, Frances and James’s honesty brought tears to my eyes.
She is 49 years old, and so obviously wants to be more than a mother and grandmother. He is a 47 years old criminal barrister; the law was his life, until his wife died and he realized he had never known her, that all his life he had been a stranger to those who were supposed to be the closest to him. But more than a mature love story – as well as an erotic one – Scandalous Lovers is about the choices we make, and the consequences we must bear.
Michael and Gabriel were fantasy; we will never be able to truly share their lives, because they are so outside the realm of our own experience. But Frances and James are real. They confront the very same problems that all of us, at one time or another, must face. The passion they share is the passion that we, too, can experience, if only we dare.
Sybil’s Question: If I recall correctly you have had older h/h in your stories before. The one that I am thinking of is one of the antho’s from Brava.
The reason I ask is one thing I keep hearing is ‘eeewww they’re old’. And honestly the ages stopped me too at first and made me go hmmm. So I was wondering if you wanted to address this? Why you picked to write about older h/h, if you think this will effect sales, if you think this is a niche that is missing from romanceland, if you picked it for a reason or if it just happened?
Robin’s Answer: My heroine in the novella “A Man and A Woman” from the anthology Fascinated was 48 years old; the hero was 53. So no, Frances and James aren’t my first “geriatric” heroine and hero. *smile*
I will be happy to address the age issue, if issue it is. Interestingly, the members in the real Men and Women’s Club were middle-aged. I think what it boils down to is fantasy versus reality, which is something I seem to challenge in every book I write. As I’ve said several times in interviews, I don’t write about sex, I write about people who have sex. And people have sex well into their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond, so why can’t they star in a romance novel?
This is the age of the Baby Boomers: I don’t think Frances and James’s age will hurt my book sales at all. In fact, I’m hoping that it will indeed fill that missing niche. As for those who go, “ewwww. . . .” Number one, I hope they think about their own future, because one day they, too, are going to age, and number two, who knows? Maybe reading Scandalous Lovers will change their ideas about – not only what age is “sexy” – but what exactly is the nature of passion.
**Now it is your turn… I think this is prolly one of the times where I can say ASK ANYTHING… and you will most likely get an answer**
I think your answer about romantica/erotica is spot on. I’m fairly new to erotica, but a few of the books I’ve read in that category…well…I didn’t really see why they were labeled as such. Couldn’t authors such as Karen Marie Moning and Linda Howard be thrown in that category as well? I mean, they write pretty steamy stuff. Or is it the basis of the relationship that’s in question regarding strict romances? I think, as you said, it comes down to reader choice.
As for the age issue, I’ve never really cared for books featuring older heroes/heroines. Not to say I haven’t enjoyed a few novels with older h/h’s, because I have, but I really have to force myself to read them.
This, for me personally, stems from the fact that I’m 27 and my parents are in their mid-40’s. I’m sorry, but I do NOT want to think about my parents having sex. There’s just something very, very wrong with that picture. lol
Naturally, as I age, I like to read about characters closer to my own age. I don’t mind a heroine in her 30’s and actually prefer my heroes in their 30’s and 40’s, but there’s just something squicky (in my mind alone) about someone my parents/grandparents ages.
To be contradictory, however, the few I forced myself to read were fabulous and I don’t regret it for a minute. As long as I don’t think about the similarities between them and my parents that is. 😉
LOL Hi, Holly! Truthfully, I don’t want to picture my mom having sex either, yet I don’t associate a 70 year old heroine to my mom. So I wouldn’t mind at all reading a romance with a 70 year old heroine – because that heroine has nothing to do with my mom – whereas yeah, I confess, it would take me aback somewhat reading about my mom’s sex life.
Thank you for the compliment. I, too, get confused about when, where and why the publisher’s draw the lines. Well, actually, I can see why publishers might prefer not to market certain authors as “erotic,” because once you’re slapped with that label, forget about having your books sell in places like Walmart, Target, Wallgreens, etc.
I don’t have a problem with whatever the ages of the hero and heroine are, it all depends on the skill of the author. ANd I definitely think that Robin is one of the most skilful authors of this genre
Thank you, MD! I appreciate your compliment. Do you have a favorite from one of my books?
Robin
This was a nice intro to your work for me. I hadn’t read any of yours yet but have been seeing your name alot the last couple days. So i’ll defineately be picking one up
Thanks, Liz! Sybil has really gone all out for me today. I’m glad you dropped in. :::I’ve seen a few post smilie faces . . . how does one do that here?:::
I love Awaken My Love. I found it so powerfully and frankly sexual. I fell in love with Charles and I felt so much for Elaine. It was just so original and will always remain as one of my favourite erotic romances. So thank you for writing it.
I can’t wait to read Scandalous Lovers! Your response to what is the difference between erotic romance, porn and erotica was great. Welcome back.
Robin, it looks like you can do smileys here by typing Colon, Dash, Parenthesis. It worked for me
Thank YOU, MD. Readers – even more so than with my other books – either really hate Awaken, My Love, or really like it. Very little inbetween. In another interview, I commented about the fact that when I wrote AML, that to me, the hero was more fantasy than “man,” if that makes sense. I really didn’t get into Charles’s psyche like I did with subsequent heroes.
Thank you, Rebecca! I’m so glad you like my response to the dif between erotica, erotica romance, etc. I’ve been asked that question so many times over the years. At first I tried so hard to draw a line, but I couldn’t and still can’t, because publishers haven’t drawn lines, I don’t think.
Thanks, Seton aka NYC Reader! :::keeping my fingers cross::: Okay, let’s see if this works. . . . 🙂
well, damn… I am swayed. I will be reading Scandalous Lovers. Good to see you back, Ms. Schone.
My favorite books are The Lover and Gabriel’s Woman. I bought them when they first came out because of the beautiful covers and the blurbs on the back.
Thank you, Bam. Didn’t mean to twist your arm into reading Scandalous Lovers . . . but you know what they say: get ’em anyway you can! Seriously, it’s good to be back. I’m glad SL sounds interesting to you. 🙂
Hi Pamela! I’m glad my two angels found their way into your heart. The original covers were beautiful, weren’t they? I understand The Lover is going to be reissued with a new cover. What do you think of the purple passion cover that is now on Gabriel’s Woman?
Robin, I’ll be picking up SCANDALOUS LOVERS, too. Can’t wait! You are among the elite in writing very romantic erotica.
Thank you, EC, for both the compliment and your support. I truly appreciate both!
Hey EC! I was just talking about you *g*. Nice to see ya babe.
Sooo while you are still here Robin and since no one else has asked, I think, what’s next?
That is too funny, Sybil. I was just going to post that since no one else is asking questions, that you might have some. 🙂
I will be doing something totally different late 2007 or early 2008; I’ve polished up a manuscript that I wrote some years ago. The best way I can describe WILD TURKEYS CAN FLY is that it’s a cross between Watership Down by Richard Adams and Animal Farm by George Orwell, with some fowl sex ala Robin Schone. I hope a publisher will be interested, but if not, I think I’ll try my hand at self-publishing.
I don’t get it. As in this and Animal Farm?
::blink::
Will there be talking duckies? Why oh why not a historical?
LOL That’s what my agent says, Sybil. WILD TURKEYS CAN FLY is a political satire. I wrote it before Awaken, My Love, and it has sat here a long time now. Annie, my chicken heroine, wants to fly, and now – before the next election – is the perfect time for her to do so. Sorry, no talking duckies, but there is a humongous turkey who can’t fly due to being fattened up for Thanksgiving. WILD TURKEYS CAN FLY is about domestication, and the debilitating effect it has on even the most insignificant creature. I just love Annie, a domesticated chicken, and her wild grouse. Their courtship and subsequent mating are pretty cool. 🙂
BTW, in nature the only other bird a chicken can productively mate with is a grouse.
I really loved AWAKEN MY LOVE. Great new cover too. This was the first time travel I read where the woman, coming from the future, questioned how to shave her legs, take a hot bath and live without tampons. Not many time travels address those needs. Wonderful book. I’m looking forward to your new one.
What the hell?
robin, robin, robin
WHY!?!?! Hell I will take a paranormal over that. Throw me a bone here you have been gone for six years? ROMANCE of the human kind. Please?
I picked up the book last night. Holy many pages, batman. will have to carefully parcel out the water in the bathtub to ensure a fully heated reading environment.
Hi Xina! I’m so glad you enjoyed Awaken, My Love. It was, of course, my first, and was a real adventure, trying to balance humor and sex, with a strong dose of historical reality. Which, daaaam, I just can’t help it, if I were suddenly thrown back into time, finding out about the facilities, etc. would be high up on my priority list. So of course, I had to include all that info. Glad you appreciated my research. I went through 20 books before finally finding out that sanitary napkins did indeed exist c1840. I kept thinking . . . pinning napkins onto seamless drawers just wouldn’t quite do it. . . .
I like the new cover to AML, too. It’s the best one I’ve had yet, I think.
[quote]What the hell?
robin, robin, robin
WHY!?!?! Hell I will take a paranormal over that. Throw me a bone here you have been gone for six years? ROMANCE of the human kind. Please?[/quote]
Now, now, Sybil. I did say that it was already written, and has been for some time. I assure you, the book I’m working on now is about two legged creatures. Oh, wait. Chickens are two legged, aren’t they? *wicked smile*
Hi Jane! It sounds like you are enjoying my two scandalous lovers. I hope so! They are very special to me. Thank you for buying it; I appreciate your support. 🙂
okay then so what are you working on NOW 😉
kidding aside… what kind of audience are you going for with your wicked turkeys?
The Watership Down by Richard Adams and Animal Farm by George Orwell audience, and maybe the Charlotte’s Web and the current movie Happy Feet audience, as well. It’s amazing the sex that can be included in a pg-rated book/movie/tv show (Wild Kingdom, anyone?) as long as the participants aren’t human. But really, there’s only one sex scene, and it’s really kind of beautiful. Grouse have a stylized courtship unlike any other bird. They do what is called “drumming” on logs or other natural land marks. By beating their wings rapidly, they create a sound like, well, drumming, in order to attract potential mates. It really is an amazing sight.
Thanks for asking, Sybil. I think I might get you interested in my fowl story, despite your reservations. 🙂