From the pen of Miss Brooke. ‘Just add sex’, everyone told me, ‘and then you’ll get published.’ So, I added sex, explicit sex, erotic sex, and got my book picked up by a publisher of Erotica. What joy! It was an Indie mob to be sure but, hey, so was Fifty’s first producer. I was on my way to fame and fortune. Unfortunately, as my masterpiece was getting analysed, edited and out there, Fifty Shades of Grey became a bestseller and rewrote the rules for erotica.

Erotica as-I-knew-it was racy, exciting, titillating; something that you read alone or with your partner when you wanted an afternoon delight. Call me naive, but sex-as-a-weapon was classified under a different heading.

Erotica as-it-is-now-known seems to require bondage, brutality and even a bit of bestiality. Some of the E blogs I’ve read practically make it a blood sport! Readers want sadism, masochism, domination, submission, slavery and I don’t know what-all. As a result, my equally matched, heterosexual couple was laughed right out of the Erotica category. Apparently, just enjoying a good old rumpy-pumpy in exotic surroundings is bo-o-oring.

But my characters aren’t boring and they do like sex so I will be reclassifying my book and find an audience who enjoys it for what it is – naughty but nice! Til next time, keep on writing, Miss Brooke