Can You Recognise Certain Authors By Their Sex Scenes?
Saturday, February 18, 2006Posted in: Uncategorized
As my regular readers know, I’ve been glomming JD Robb’s In Death books like a demon. At the moment I’m reading Witness In Death, and as I got to a scene where Roarke and Eve were doing the dirty, I had an epiphany.
It occurred to me, that I can probably recognise my favourite authors by their sex scenes alone.
For those of you who read the In Death books, you’ll know that Eve and Roarke’s sex scenes usually begin the same way. Roarke has a thing about her ta-ta’s, and they’re usually what he goes for first, then they eventually end up in his mouth. Tell me I’m wrong.
Erotic romance author, Lora Leigh, has a thing about back and crack sex. I haven’t read a single one of her books that didn’t include anal action. It has to be said though that she does them well, but it sure makes you wonder if she likes a lot of backdoor action herself. What? You know you’ve always wondered the same thing yourself secretly. Don’t deny it.
Shannon McKenna’s heroes have a habit of referring to the heroine’s breasticles, as ‘soft tits’. I don’t mind that she does this in the least, but it does get quite repetitive.
Catherine Anderson and Linda Howard also have trade mark sex scenes. You usually know exactly how their love scene will begin and end. I must admit, I tend to skip Linda Howard’s sex scenes just because they are actually quite predictable. Now that’s not me dissing her, cuz as you know, I think she’s the Vicar’s Knickers, but if you read her books, then I think you’ll know exactly what I mean.
Jaid Black’s male leads have a habit of referring to their man parts as if they were an actual person. It sometimes pulls me out of the story when the hero tells the heroine to touch ‘him’, but shit it’s Jaid, and I love her books, so she can do what the hell she likes.
There’s another EC author who has a habit of including at least one shaving scene during sex, in each of her books. I often wonder if this is because it’s something she’s into herself, or if she’s just using her imagination. Personally, I think she’s into it. It kinda screams fetish to me, but hey, to each her own. What? If you’ve read her, you know what I’m saying is true. End of.
This does however beg the question, do authors who write sexy books, write sex the way they like it personally, or do they rely purely on their imagination?
Eve Vaughn
February 18
6:23 pm
Speaking strictly for myself, I do sometimes incorporate the things that I like in my sex scenes, but I’ve read a lot of books, talked to lots of women, so there are also times when I write stuff I wouldn’t normally do. I’m not crazy about tossing the salad thing, but I’ve written scenes with it. As long as its between two consenting adults, I’ll write just about any kind of kink, except watersports and scat. That’s just gross.
Monica
February 18
6:51 pm
Oh dear. .. .TMI alert, TMI! TMI!
Too Much Info, for real.
Somebody could write a book–a blueprint on how to pleasure your fav female author.
(will need to ask if I ever say the stuff that Luby does in moments of unbridled lust)
Sam
February 18
7:07 pm
LOLOL – funny post – I love it.
Ahem.
I read a lot of murder mysteries, and the authors often have signature murders – but I honestly don’t wonder if Susanna Gregory, for example, has poisoned a lot of people.
But you’re right about some of those authors…I have to wonder.
LOLOL
Anonymous
February 18
8:26 pm
I’ve noticed that most of the authors you mentioned actually write erotica, that could be an explanation as to the predictability of the sex scenes.
Lurker Delurking
February 18
9:29 pm
Karen, are you talking about Mlyn Hurn at Elloras Cave? I really do think she has a shaving fetish, if you check out some of the stories on her website, you’ll see what I mean(gggg)
http://smoothtales.com/
Anne
February 18
9:33 pm
Oh boy.. LOL! I had to laugh at that Karen! Yes, I’ve noticed that about Eve and Roarke myself… and I have another author who includes anal in mind… but I don’t know if it’s what she, personally, likes and I can’t say I truthfully want to know. LOL
I know for myself that in my writing I think some of it is me and more of it is fantasy… what the characters want from the sex.
With trust being a major factor in sex scenes between the H & H I’d have to say that sometimes there is a purpose for a particular position or dominance, etc.
The sex and the way it is done between the H & H is mild for some authors, and in depth for others, but in either case, it’s done (in my case) according to what place the H & H are in the relationship and how they feel about one another at that particular time.
And that has NOTHING to do with the stories being written by ROMANTICA authors (not Erotica, Anonymous, that’s a totally different genre in which there isn’t much romance and not necessarily a HEA, just lots of sex).
Anonymous
February 18
9:59 pm
If you can write you should be able to write it whether or not you’ve experienced it or not. I don’t have to kill somebody to know how to write a nice bloody murder scene Karen.
I mean, sometimes I think of people who’ve torked me off when I write an ugly scene just to um…take me there…
Love scenes can draw from experience, but hopefully the author draws from imagination also. Afterall Romance books are all fantasy anyway. I mean, really,how many men do you know with massive penises that know how to work a woman like she’s a one armed slave everyday all day into the next week, until she’s so sore she can’t walk straight for a week, only to work her all over again the next day..see where I’m going with this? hahaha
Like you, I have some favorite authors that although their scenes are predictable I still love their writing. Those are writers that the story is more important than the sex. I like good sex scenes in a romance, but I like a strong plot even better. But when they can combine the two? Lord have mercy
cool topic
Kim
Angela James
February 18
10:52 pm
This is how well I know the In Death books. When Roarke wants Eve to come, he says “Go over”.
I feel fairly confident I could pick a JD Robb sex scene out of a line-up 😉
Shelby
February 18
10:59 pm
ROFLMAO!! OH MY LORD!!!! I *SO* don’t want to think that my own predilections enter into my love scenes! HIGH ICK FACTOR! LOLOL
Shelby
Megan Frampton
February 19
1:44 am
I think what an author likes enters into the writing, sure, but I also think the author’s probably read enough other authors to figure out what the readers like to read, so they incorporate that, too.
A husband and wife recently read my book and now mention my apparent fascination with licking nipples everytime I see them. Uncomfortable.
Avid Reader
February 19
2:31 am
I am not going to deny it because that’s EXACTLY what I’m thinking when I see the same sex scene over and over again. Linda Howard’s men almost always masterbate. Amanda Quick does quickies which works for this reader. Madeline Hunter loves oral sex, at least the few books I’ve read included it. J.D. Robb, it’s the breasts and oral too, uh, who else? But you have to wonder….I really enjoy reading your blog, Karen. I really do.
Keishon
Kristie (J)
February 19
2:54 am
I was going to say the same thing as Angie 🙂 There is ALWAYS a “go over” scene in the Robb books. I can’t say if I’ve noticed it too much in other authors – but now that you’ve planted that thought in my head *grin* it’s going to stick there every time I read a sex scene.
Lori
February 19
5:41 am
LOLOL Karen!! I’ve often wondered the same thing Karen. I was LMAO at the Lora Leigh comments, because she does always do anal – I must admit I’ve often wondered about some authors’ sex lives as I read their stories.
OK, SO not creepy, I promise, but I swear, I would never think of some of this stuff on my own. So I guess I owe all you authors a big thank you *bg*
Karen Scott
February 19
11:40 am
Eve, what the hell is scat? Is that the same as Shatting.. erm to do with bowel movements etc? I just about know what a golden shower, and I’m still unable to understand the appeal of having somebody piss on you. I’ve heard some folks like drinking it too, how the fuick does that happen in a civilised world?
Monica, I thought Luby was based on you? Did I get that wrong? Tell me it aint so! *g*
Sam, I think crime books are a little different, as committing murder isn’t really a pleasurable repast unless you have psychotic tendencies. #
Actually Anonymous, none of the writers I’ve mentioned write erotica. Try again.
Hey Lurker, that’s exactly who I’m talking about. I went onto her website, and read some of her stories. She actually has short stories on the first time she shaved and what have you, so I’d definitely say that she’s into shaving for other reasons other than feminine hygiene. The mind boggles, but it sure answers some questions for me.
Anne, I truly think that it would be difficult to avoid using some of their own personal sexual preferences when they write love scenes, and I’m not necessarily talking about menage and slightly off the wall stuff either.
Kim wrote:
If you can write you should be able to write it whether or not you’ve experienced it or not. I don’t have to kill somebody to know how to write a nice bloody murder scene Karen.
Yeah, but I think writing about murder is much more clinical than writing about sex. Sex is an emotional thing, that most adults have experienced, whereas murder isn’t something that most romance writers have experienced first hand, so it’s unlikely to emotionally bleed onto the pages of their books. Unlike sex of course.
Heheh Angie, I was gonna add that there are certain words and phrases that are synonymous with certain authors. Go over happens to be one of Robb’s from the In Death books, lol
Shelby, I don’t think you have anything to worry about, your love scenes are pretty ‘normal’by most people’s standards I guess, lol.
Megan, LMAO about the licking nipples thing, although you’re surely not alone with that one. A lot of writers always heavily feature breast action in their books, but I think that this is because as women, it’s probably one of the most common erogenous zones on the body (apart from your foo-foo obviously!)
Keishon, I’ve always thought it was unusual for a writer like Howard to be so one-dimensional in her sex scenes, but I guess, her books are good enough that you don’t mind the sexual repetition. And thanks, I like your blog too, lol!
Kristie, I promise you, you’ll notice it every time now!
Lori, being the virgin that I am, I learn something new everyday whenever I read books by EC authors, lol!
Marianne LaCroix
February 19
1:01 pm
Hey Karen
I will tell you that some of my sex scenes are from experience, and some are imagination. Hey, I get to live fantasies through my characters, which is incredibly fun.
Yeah, I think the shaving thing is a fetish. There are men out there who get excited, prepared in doing that for their woman. I actually know a guy who felt this way, and insisted to shave his girlfriend before sex. No, not me, a friend of mine. It does nothing for me personally, but I guess it is pretty intimate.
Authors have to keep in mind what our readers are wanting. And in erotic romance, we are catering to the readers wanting it “no holds barred”, which would mean fetishes, anal sex, oral sex, and practically everything in between–and out of the box.
Desiree Erotique
February 19
5:04 pm
I agree with Mari in that authors have to bear in mind their reader wants. I do think, too, that certain authors get “followings” because of their style for particular sexual situations. I like diversity in my lovemaking scenes, though there’s no doubt in my mind that there are certain situations that my readers buy for… not anals or golden showers, of course.
About the comments about the differences between Romantica and erotica, I’ve found it is very often not the writer’s choice as to what genre a sexually themed book is touted as, but rather the publisher’s decision. And that can be a fickle or at least unpredictable animal, whether there’s a strict H&H romance in the story or not.
MaryJanice
February 20
2:52 am
Naw, sex scenes don’t mean the author shaves, or likes it through the back door, or (in the case of my books) does it with werewolves or dead guys (vampires). It just means she (or he) has a vivid imagination.
Dawn
February 20
12:28 pm
Kinda agree with you there, K. Re the Jaid Black thing, I confess that I read them with a snigger, as I always expect the guy’s dick to pipe up during a scene and contribute to the dialogue. “Yeah, baby, get on your knees and worship me!” LOL
MJD, I’m chuckling about you writing personal experiences of sex with weres and dead guys (almost wrote deaf guys).
Gail Faulkner
February 20
9:26 pm
I knew it! Dosn’t matter what I actually say, as an author who writes “spicy romantica” you guys all think I am that “cool”. Its a dream and I’m gonna cling to it.
sybil
February 20
11:42 pm
Nope, I don’t think it is a personal reflection at all. Could it be? Sure. Do I want it to be? eh I don’t think about it until I read a post like this ;).
BUT it would be fun to post a few sex scenes to see how many people can guess who they belong too…
hee off to find a few books
Jaci Burton
February 21
3:37 pm
Ah. The fun of being an author, to be able to play the ‘what if’ game.
Like what if an alien had two dicks. What could he do with those to pleasure his woman? Sadly, I haven’t had that experience in real life *g*. But I did write about it. As well as werewolves and vampires and elves and countless sex positions and scenes.
Yeah, some sex scenes are derivitaves of my real life experiences. Most aren’t, but some come from my fantasies. That’s the fun of it. *grin*
Dakota Cassidy
February 21
6:47 pm
Hey, what happened to my post? It was here last night. I saw it.
Did you pull it? Was I too controversial? Yeah, as if…LMAO
Dakota 🙂
Sarah McCarty
February 24
7:30 pm
*laughing* Gee Dakota, how wild do you have to be to get censured at Karen’s blog! *big Grin*
Tashe
February 27
4:28 pm
I’m writing an erotic romance(and I have 2 others sitting in my brain) and I promise you, my scenes are never the same, I will admit that I advocate Self-Love, so you may see that scattered here and there but seriously, my scenes are ripe with creativity and imagination…some of which does come from experience, yes…mostly, though, it’s all in my head…
I imagine my characters and create the scenes based on “their” personalities…I think it makes the characters “Pop!”, gets the reader to know and love them better…I find myself furiously writing a scene and in the process I stop and grin, calling my character by his name (or hers as it were) and shaking my head as if I was surprised by what he/she did, but not surprised at the same time; because it is so in the character’s “character” to do such a thing…wanna read some? Let me know…
I also love J.D. Robb by the way, I think she kicks ass. As Nora Roberts her love scenes rock too. Great stuff.
Hey, ever look into Harlequin’s Blaze Series? Girl, you will NOT be sorry! Most of them are great, some are outstanding and the sex is HOT HOT HOT. Got some fav authors in that line if you’re interested.
Just found you, hope you don’t mind me coming back. Peace and Good Love…