I’m tickled pink to be blogging with the Cigar ladies today. And a big “thank you” to Samantha Hunter for the invite! I started reading Temptations from the very beginning, and when Blaze was born, I was a happy camper. I’ve always adored contemporary, boy-meets-girl romance with hot sex. Who could ask for anything better??!?!?

Sadly, as I’ve written more and more in the past few years, my reading time has waned. And I miss it. One of my goals is to get back to the enormous TBR stack beside my bed, on the bookshelf, and behind the bedroom door…

I love to read and write hot romances, and although I never set out to brand myself as an erotic romance author, that’s where I ended up – first at Kensington Brava (after writing three Precious Gems for them in the late nineties) and most recently at NAL. My first book for NAL was called Suite Fantasy, followed by Play With Me – January 2007, and my current July release – Improper Etiquette.

But I tend to be a bit of a workaholic, so when my editor at NAL asked me if I’d consider writing something “really” hot, I said yes. And thus was born the idea for Naughty Housewives – January 2007. I made the decision to write that book (and two more upcoming titles) under the pseudonym Elizabeth Scott, because I was afraid some of my more traditional romance readers might be offended by the sexual content.

My Janice Maynard books are traditional (albeit sexy) romances with really hot love scenes. The Elizabeth Scott books (including Spin the Bottle – October 2007) still have strong romantic plots… but the characters’ sexual explorations really slide more into the realm of sexual fantasy. The Janice Maynard books are real life – they definitely could happen. The Elizabeth books might happen, but probably exist only in the minds of women everywhere who fantasize about mystery lovers, etc.

I’ve loved writing both kinds of books, and I was surprised to find that the Elizabeth Scott title, Naughty Housewives, found a male readership, as well. I like to think of it as the kind of book a couple might enjoy in the privacy of their bedroom.

Word on the street says that the erotic boom has peaked. But I’ll keep writing my hunky heroes and my sassy heroines and putting them between the sheets until someone begs me to stop!

I’d love to hear from all of you about what makes an erotic romance erotic?? Does that label on a book entice you or put you off? And to thank you all for being bold enough to come clean on that topic, I’ll give away a copy of Improper Etiquette (remember, you must be registered here at Cigars to win!)

Hugs again to the wonderful Blaze authors for inviting me to blog today. Keep those hot romances coming!

Sincerely,
Janice Maynard