I am not quite sure where to start with an into for Robin Schone, which might have to do with the fact I am currently running on info overload from interviews, essay’s and reviews.
We could start with how her first book was rejected 28 times before an agent loved it and sold it with in five days to Avon (yes Avon).
Or we could talk about the rant she did for AAR: Masturbation, Wanton Women, & Other Romance No-Nos and the reaction to it. Where romance was then and were we are now and if there is really any difference in the readership or if we just found new blood.
We could talk about her message board, her message, how sexually positive she is and we will prolly do all that and more at some point today. But personally I think the best thing about Robin Schone is that she took one agent telling her:
“You simply cannot start a romance book with a masturbation scene.”
then made a career of doing things ‘You simply cannot’ do.
Robin Schone follows no rules other than her characters. And she manages to push boundries, without the book reading like it is JUST about breaking the rules.
She the only author I could think of to use a woman masturbating to cause time travel, in the first pages of the novel. She had anal sex in her books before anal was everywhere and then some. Robin isn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty or letting her characters go where they need to in order to tell their tale.
Robin’s characters range from a male prostitute (trained to please men) to a castrated hero. Some how she seems to always make it work, well for me at least. And now when some writers are getting kinkier and kinkier to try and be different and stand out, she does, simply by writing about real people with real ages facing real fears.
No were’s, no vamps, no virgins or ‘woe is me, my mother left me so all women are whores’ rakes to reform. It really brings home what Robin often says in her interviews: “I don’t write about sex, I write about people who have sex.”
And I think she does it rather well. You may not like her books. You may think what she writes isn’t romance. You may think she is too dark or too different. But I don’t think anyone could argue she doesn’t deserve respect and kudos for helping bring erotic romance out of the closet.
There were erotic romance authors before her and there will be many after her. But I don’t think there will ever be another writer like her. I haven’t read Scandalous Lovers yet. And I wonder how a book written over six years ago will read today.
But I am glad she stuck with it and saw her legal battle through and she did so professionally (although it somewhat sucks we can’t get details… and you know me… I tried)
So stick around, we have some guest posts, a contest, nifty quotes and a random thing or two. And if I can talk her into it… a new excerpt *g*.
Characterization. Emotion. I can’t stress those two qualities enough. Publishers—and readers—want two people making love, not two acrobats testing the limits of human endurance. They want to know those two people, to experience their sexuality with them and through them.
Robin Schone – Burning Desires and The New Erotic Romance Novel
Thank you, Sybil. What a wonderful introduction! I hope I can live up to your glowing praise.
Thank you for having me as your guest blogger. I am ready to answer any and all questions (sorry, no can respond to questions about the legal stuff), and partaaay (Scandalous Lovers officially ships from Amazon.com today, yay!) so please don’t be shy. Let’s play!
I am a reader, as are all of you, and have particular likes and dislikes. I hate historical inaccuracy, but perhaps even more than that, I HATE it when an author cops out. For example, if you’re going to write erotica or erotic romance, then by golly, give me SEX. Likewise, if you’re going to write a murder thriller, then give me blood and gore. I’ve been incredibly lucky in my New Year reads. I thoroughly enjoyed To Die For and Drop Dead Gorgeous by Linda Howard; Master of Wolves by Angela Knight; Got the Look by James Grippando; and two books that I absolutely loved: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning and The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen. Karen Marie Moning was a new author for me; I can’t wait to read the sequel to Darkfever! Any other Darkfever fans?
I hate historical inaccuracy, but perhaps even more than that, I HATE it when an author cops out.
this is why i don’t do historicals. i hate researching but I don’t want to half way do anything either. so i just don’t mess with it. ;o)
Hi Shiloh! I’ve played around with the idea of writing a contemporary, but the thought of researching the FBI, CIA and regular police prodecural things scares me witless. Whereas to me, historical research is a piece of cake. What do you write?
whatever catches my attention. ;o) currently, paranormal, fantasy and romantic suspense.
cool thing with fantasy and paranormal, you can make your own rules so research isn’t as big an issue, although those areas itnerest me so it’s not a big deal researching that.
Ms. Schone – I a big ebook lover and Brava usually releases its books in ebook form. Will Scandalous Lover be available in e format?
Hi Jane! No, SL will not be available in e-format. At least, not just yet. I own the rights, and am hoping my agent will soon be able to sell them. Thanks for asking!
I totally agree with that last para about wanting to care about the characters. I don’t want to read a romance novel just to see two people going at it like bunnies on crack for 200 pages. The whole formula thing (how many times they have sex in X number of positions) doesn’t work for me. I want to love the characters – and you do it smashingly well!
Characterization and emotion are what makes or breaks a romance, whether it’s a kisses only Regency or a BDSM, polyamourous extravanganza. If I don’t care about the characters, and I can’t feel their growing emotional ties, it just doesn’t work, period.
Hi Robyn, so glad to see that you don’t play by the rules. I love to find new authors who do things their own way, I’ll definitely be picking up one of your books!
Thank you, Beth, for such a wonderful compliment! Devon, I hear you. I don’t require sex in order to enjoy a book, but I do have to like the characters. I found myself getting into a teen book about vamps last fall, in which there is no sex at all, yet a compelling attraction. Can’t remember either the title or the author right now, but the heroine’s name was Bella.
Thanks, Maria! I appreciate your support. It’s not that I don’t WANT to play by the rules, it’s just. . . . I’m an only child. Need I say more? *smile*
I really agree with what you said about people wanting to read about two people emotionally involved in making love, not two acrobats. I think too many erotic novels are filled with sex for the sake of sex
Hi Aisling! Last Saturday I was interviewed on a local cable tv network, and we got into the discussion of what is erotica versus erotic romance versus porn. I said it’s such an individual matter; one person’s erotic romance is another person’s porn. But because there really is no definitive definition, then I think many publishers . . . and writers . . . cover their tracks by throwing in lots and lots of sex.
Yet, some people do prefer sex and more sex. I call that masturbatory writing (and I am not judging; I like good masturbatory material!), as the sole purpose really is to excite sexual desire or to facilitate, well, masturbation. I know back in 1996 I’d toyed briefly with writing for Black Lace, and requested guidelines. They required a sex scene every 20 pages. I was like . . . whoa!
I really liked your novella in Captivated. Wish it was longer!
Came across some Black Lace books in the bookstore the other day and browsed through them. 20 pages is about right though I would rather any sex be just between the hero and heroine. Then again, I prefer to read romance (erotic or not) and not erotica.
Hi Jenny! Quite a few readers have wished “A Lady’s Pleasure” were longer, but I don’t think it would have worked if I had made it so.
I have a fun story to share about when I was writing it. At the time, my husband was in a state arbitration, and I was assisting his attorney with research. Anyway, here I was typing away on “A Lady’s Pleasure” when the phone rang. I automatically picked it up, still deeply immersed in the sex scene I was writing. Our lawyer immediately starts rattling off things he needs for the upcoming trial. I’m looking at the phone and thinking, “My hero has three fingers inside my heroine, and you want WHAT?!”
Thank you, Sybil, and all you bloggers at the Good, the Bad and the Unread. I’m pretty much a blog-virgin, so I appreciate your patience. And your many kind comments! I will continue to check in here and there, so if you have any questions . . . on anything at all! . . . please do post them. I’m not shy, as Sybil can attest, and I love readers, being one myself. If you ever have a spare moment, please come visit me at my net home. I don’t have a blog, but I do have a message board, in which I’m visited by some really cool people from all over the world. I thought it appropriate, with the publication of Scandalous Lovers, to rename my main posting area the Men & Women’s Club. Just like the club featured in my novel . . . and the real club founded in 1885 . . . we talk about the myriad facets of sex, and anything else that strikes our fancy! Please do join us, if you are of that mindset. I assure you, you will be warmly welcomed. A word of warning. . . . We like our nekkid men, and our men like their nekkid women, so be prepared for occassional adult pics, as well as spicy humor!
Best wishes for the New Year,
Robin Schone