Vampires, Sex and Romance

One of the issues I’ve personally wrestled with since I started writing is the question of sex.  Specifically, how much is too much?  While it’s true that it sells, I’m not sure I want to firmly establish myself as a writer of erotic fiction.  It’s not that I see anything inherently wrong with the genre; however, I recognize that being associated with topics that the mainstream considers “dirty” makes it harder to be taken seriously as a professional.  Sometimes, it can even cost one a job.

In my career as a freelance computer programmer, I was once asked to build a pornographic web site.  While the money was attractive, and I was tempted because I needed the work, I turned the job down.  It turned out to be a wise decision, because I later ended up with a long-term gig as a webmaster for a local bank.  The subject of my portfolio came up, and I was told that I wouldn’t have been hired had I accepted clients who served pornographic content.  I worked that job for several years, and it ultimately turned out to be a big win.

Granted, there seems to be something of a professional taint that comes with writing romance books, too.  I’ve heard many readers say that when they’ve been spotted with their favorites on the subway, they are asked why they waste their time reading “trash.”  (In defense of romance novels, you should read this article.)

Now in my case, my books don’t completely fit into the genre.  Are there romantic elements in my stories?  Sure.  Are they the total focus of my plot lines?  No.  When I started working on The Wannabe Vampire, I realized it was somewhat ironic.  There I was, writing a tale that had romantic elements in it, after spending years mocking my mother for reading Harlequin.

It’s funny how the world tends to spin around and bite you on the ass for teasing your mother, isn’t it?

Tima Maria Lacoba, author of The Dantonville Legacy series, recently posted a survey on her blog asking what kind of sex scenes her readers wanted to see in the genre. She offered the following choices:

• No sex
• Foreplay only, then skip the sex
• Non-explicit sex
• Explicit sex
• As hot as you can get

Her survey got me thinking about this subject again, and it’s one for which I don’t have a clear answer.  The truth is, no matter which option you pick, you are going to displease someone.

CaroleDee, who gave me 4 out of 5 stars in her Amazon review was somewhat disappointed because I didn’t have enough sex in TWV:

The Wannabe Vampire is incredibly well written, but I must confess, a bit different than what I usually read…Kari and Michael’s relationship was a joy to watch blossom, but for someone like myself that reads a lot of the ‘heavier’ romance I was a little disappointed that I never saw their relationship take the “final” step.

Vampbard, who gave me an A-, on That’s What I’m Talking About, said exactly the opposite:

Kudos to author Alex [Taylor] for putting together a modern-day tale of a vampire falling in love and NOT ravishing the object of his affections.  Good to know there are still some honorable undead left out there.

As an author, how do you reconcile these two very different viewpoints?  How do you please everyone?  The answer: you can’t.  Tima Maria has the right idea.  She’s trying to use market research, or a scientific approach, to see what people want.  That’s a great idea, and I’m really interested to see the results of her survey when she posts them.

At the end of the day, the only thing you can do as an author is to write a story that pleases you. If you are lucky and talented, it will also please your readers and they’ll decide to buy more of your books.  If not, well at least you can say that you wrote a novel — something a lot of people dream about but never complete.

As for me, I’ve tried to walk a very fine line.  In TWV, Kari and Michael don’t consummate their relationship.  It was done deliberately, because she wrestled with the implications of his vampirism right up until the very end of the book.  They basically didn’t have time for a mattress mambo, though they did get in some heavy petting at one point on Michael’s living room sofa.

Shampires is darker and sexier than TWV, so Kari and Michael finally go all the way.  Still, I tried to write the more provocative parts of the tale with a modicum of good taste in mind.  I don’t hide what is happening because sex is a natural part of human relationships, but I try to maintain at least a little bit of decorum.  The word “cock” for example, only appears twice in the entire manuscript, and isn’t used at all when Michael and Kari are involved in their lovemaking. Likewise, you won’t find the phrase “honeyed juices” anywhere in either book.

The sex in Shampires is important for advancing Kari and Michael’s relationship, but it is not the focus.  At one point it’s even used to bring some hilarity to the tale because Kari’s father Fergus inadvertently walks in on the action. I won’t share what happens (you’ll need to buy my book to find out) but it reveals something about Fergus’ character.  He’s a funny guy, and I still laugh every time I re-read that part of the tale.

One of Tima Maria’s commenters, Leiah, sums this dilemma up perfectly:

Answering this in only one way is not appropriate. It depends on the book, the scenarios, [and] whether sex is appropriate in each instance.

Some books need the ‘no sex’ concept, some need the full on ‘hoochie’.

Leiah is right, there is no single answer to this question.  In TWV, the full-on hoochie wouldn’t have been appropriate for Kari and Michael.  In Shampires, it needed to happen. As for the next book in the series, I’m still deciding.  In my first draft, events separate Kari and Michael; there’s no opportunity for a romp in the hay. I may yet change that, since a first draft is meant for the dumpster, but there’s definitely a lot to consider going forward.