The Results Are In… And Have Probably Been There Since Monday Dammit!
Thursday, November 2, 2006Posted in: Uncategorized
The results for the latest AAR poll are now online. I compared my selection with those that actually finished in the top ten.
I was extremely surprised to see Linda Howard’s name appear twice in the category for top mainstream sexy books. I must be reading too many erotic romance books, cuz I don’t think her books are particularly hot, although I do actually love her like a fat kid loves cake.
Lisa Valdez’s Passion, pissed all over the competition of course, as I suspected it would. When a book starts with the heroine having her boobies felt up by a total stranger, you know it can only get better!
I did think it was odd how Valdez came in at number one in the mainstream sexy category, yet, polled much further down in the erotic romance section. It surprises me that many people still feel that Passion (including me I guess, since that’s where I placed it) is a mainstream sexy book. I actually think Passion is more erotic romance, than mainstream sexy, but what the hell do I know eh? I stuck Nalini Singh’s book, in the best e-book category!
Hey Sarah, did ya notice that three of your books appeared in the Top Ten E-books category, WTG bird! You know how I love to pimp Promises Prevail to anyone who’ll listen. (g)
Read this and pump your fist in jubilation, chuck:
Three of Sarah McCarty’s books ended up in the top ten. All three are from her western historical Promises series, and are now also available in print. In addition to these three books, two of Ms. McCarty’s other titles received votes from AAR readers.
Dontcha just feel proud?
Also, congrats to Lora Leigh for appearing twice in the top ten erotic romance category. Elizabeth’s Wolf was a fab book, even if you are a little hung up on anal sex that whole dog-knotting thing. I still think your Breed books are fab.
I see that a few people got confused and voted for Emma Holly’s Menage as the second best erotic romance book. Come on people, have we not harped on enough about the differences between erotica and erotic romance yet? Holly’s Menage, is erotica, not romance, surely? I see that Personal Assets is also up there. *Sighs, and shakes head in despair*
Anyway, after reading through all the results and the ensuing commentary, AAR asks these questions:
Where do you as the reader, draw the line between a sexy mainstream romance and an erotic romance? Is it as simple as sex or is it the language used? Or do you look to the insignia for a clue as to what you are reading?
Do you agree with the results? Are there titles among the top ten that you don’t feel were sexy enough or were unappealing in some way, or weren’t what you would consider romances?
As far as e-books go, are you surprised that the top ten e-books are all erotic romances? If you read e-books, when did you start? How many of you have not yet tried an e-book?
Now that many of the e-books can be found in print, will you be more likely to give them a try?
The questions are interesting so go join the debate if you can be arsed at the Pot Pourri message board. Make sure you’re armed with live ammunition though, some of those ladies on there can be right twisty fuckers, and no messing.
Incidentally, I finished reading Cold As Ice. I’ll review as soon as I complete some of the other reviews that I owe to various people. You know who you are, and I’m sorry for taking so long in getting them done. What can I say, there’s just not enough hours in the day.
Right, I’m off to read an Alison Kent book now, so night night!
Anonymous
November 3
12:39 am
As someone who is quite manic about HEA in my romances, I realised to my surprise that I would categorise Menage as an erotic romance. I actually did find it romantic (though definitely gratuitous *g*). However, I didn’t find Personal Assets nearly as romantic and would classify it as erotica. Which kind of screws up what I *thought* I consider romance but I’ll chalk it up to the excellent writing in Menage.
Sarah McCarty
November 3
1:23 am
I didn’t see Karen, and now that you’ve pointed it out to me, I’m both flabbergasted and thrilled beyond belief! I know you keep telling me it’s so, but I have an author’s innate insecurity and considering how much angst I had writing Promises Prevail, I get the shakes just seeing it up there in the number two spot, not to mention how it feels to see three of my books up there! I think I need…(kicking diet to the curb) CHOCOLATE! Yes, chcocolate. Chocolate will give me strength. *G*
Really, I’m just overwhelmed and so glad no one got to see my tearful moment. There just aren’t words to describe how this makes me feel. Thanks.
Angela James
November 3
2:11 pm
I left this comment on Laurie’s blog, but I’ll leave it here as well (I’m so not wading into the waters of posting on the AAR board, lolol).
I think the way the poll was set up could have created a confusion and doing it differently may have resulted in different results (I say may have, not would have).
One of the questions asked when they summarized the poll results was “were you surprised all of the books were erotic romance”. Well, considering that the other two categories in the poll were about sensuality level, many people assumed that’s what the ebook poll was for, as well–erotic romance. Combining “all” ebooks poll with two polls on erotic/sensual books created the impression that the entire poll was about erotic books, not that the ebooks part was for all genres. I’m a bit disappointed that the poll was created this way.
Now, with that said, I do think that many of the top results would still have been erotic romance, because that’s where the majority readership is, but I think your poll is inconclusive (not that any poll is ever really conclusive, lolol) because of the impression created by pairing it with the two other categories.
There are some really fabulous non-erotic ebooks that I was thinking of: Lynne Connolly’s Richard and Rose series, Linnea Sinclair’s books (they were ebooks way before NY found her) and so many others. But I truly think the poll gave the impression of wanting erotic romance ebook votes. That said, there were quite a few of those on *my* list as well.
Karen Scott
November 3
2:38 pm
Kat, I loved menage as well, and yes I did find it romantic, but if we’re talking about romance in the truest sense, I don’t think it should be categorised as a romance.
Sarah, you’ll have to share the chocolate, I’m feeling extremely sweet deprived!
Angie, totally agree with you, I knew that a lot of the books that would eventually top the e-books category, would be erotic romance books, but in all honesty, there aren’t that many e-books that I’ve read that weren’t erotic romance, because I tend to buy my e-books mainly from Samhain, and EC.
I bob along to Fictionwise every now and then, but I find them too expensive. Also, until I get an ebook reader, I can’t over-indulge like I used to.
Angela James
November 4
8:33 pm
Hey Karen, looks like my theory isn’t totally off the wall: http://www.hwforums.com/2034/messages/39645.html
Angela James
November 5
10:48 pm
They’re repolling. Any bets on whether the results end up the same? lolol
Because of the confusion surrounding the recent E-Book poll, we have added a repoll for your top ten e-books to the grouping of mini-polls we are beginning tomorrow.
This will be a busy two weeks, but between the 6th and 19th, we will be polling for Hanky Read Authors, Hanky Read Titles, Holiday Reads, and E-Books.
FlannerySC
November 8
9:37 pm
Long time lurker, first time commenter… *g*
Now I personally feel that Personal Assets can be considered romantic, while assuredly EROTIC, still yet just as romantic as Menage. Bisexuality doesn’t ruin a good romance as far as I’M concerned…
And yes, I think that most e-book readers are erotica readers, unless they are techno addicts. Thank goodness more is showing up in print as being tied to the PC is not always convenient.
Karen Scott
November 8
9:50 pm
I saw that Angie, I bet the top ten still stays the same!
Hi Flannerysc, thanks for de-lurking! And I agree, bi-sexuality doesn’t necessarily ruin a romance, but Holly’s books are generally classed as erotica.