Racy, Sweet, or REAL?

Here is the dilemma:

I like to write Romance. But, as I’ve said before, I don’t like to write explicit details. Where exactly does this leave me?

Good question.

When THE AGENT told me my books wouldn’t fit in with the place he was considering sending them, I was devastated. I didn’t want to write about intimacy before marriage, and this seems kind of ridiculous in the Romance world. I thought, ‘maybe I’m trying to break into the wrong business!’

However, THE AGENT said I could try for sweet romance. BUT, I would need to tame my books before he could send them out.

Tame my books? Really? That shocked me. In other words, I didn’t fit into the regular romance niche, but I didn’t fit into sweet romance either. I was too tame for regular romance and too racy for sweet romance. What the heck?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I like sweet romance. I kinda thought I was writing sweet romance. But, I also think there must be a happy medium between the two. Surely, there’s a market for the in between. Not racy, but not so sweet that no one ever kisses with tongue. (that’s NOT intended as an insult on sweet romance) Sweet romance has it’s place, some people don’t want to read ANY details at all. I get that. I applaud that. Good for you.

I’m hoping my books fit into the REAL category. (not that sweet romance isn’t real) In other words, real people, with real standards for themselves, but, they also have very real emotions, passions, and feelings.

There’s just one problem with that REAL concept. I have a flair towards the dramatic. I like drama. I like a book that makes me cry. I LOVE the whole Moulin Rouge plot of “hurt him to save him.” You know what I’m talking about?

Agents say Contemporary is in. They say KEEP IT REAL.

That’s probably my downfall. I like an entertaining book. A book that COULD happen in real life, but it’s highly doubtful. That’s what you’ll get from me. Every time.

REAL? Kind of.

ENTERTAINING? Absolutely.

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