Comments on: Sex by the Numbers http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/ What's hip, what's now, what's tomorrow in the romance genre world. Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:26:04 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Sierra Donovan http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-16610 Sierra Donovan Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:26:01 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/#comment-16610 I was just complaining along these lines on another blog -- I'm astonished to find so many like-minded people here! The love scenes in the books I was griping about weren't explicit -- they just didn't ADD anything, and left me really scratching my head as to why they were there. Do readers just expect it by now -- or do publishers only think that they do? I'm not against sex in a book, but it shouldn't be obligatory. I'd be very interested in being included on your new site. I was just complaining along these lines on another blog — I’m astonished to find so many like-minded people here!

The love scenes in the books I was griping about weren’t explicit — they just didn’t ADD anything, and left me really scratching my head as to why they were there. Do readers just expect it by now — or do publishers only think that they do?

I’m not against sex in a book, but it shouldn’t be obligatory. I’d be very interested in being included on your new site.

]]> By: Kimber An http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-16311 Kimber An Wed, 28 Mar 2007 21:47:44 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/#comment-16311 :grin:For anyone who's interested, all of your feedback inspired me to create a website to list authors who consistantly write novels with love scenes which flow naturally with the course of the story, whether sweet (no sex,) sensual, or highly sensual. I think the bottom line here is we all hate to spend hard-earned money thinking we're getting one thing, only to be stuck with something else entirely. This will help us find the books we're looking for while promoting the authors who write them.:wink: kimberan7.tripod.com/enduringromance :grin: For anyone who’s interested, all of your feedback inspired me to create a website to list authors who consistantly write novels with love scenes which flow naturally with the course of the story, whether sweet (no sex,) sensual, or highly sensual. I think the bottom line here is we all hate to spend hard-earned money thinking we’re getting one thing, only to be stuck with something else entirely. This will help us find the books we’re looking for while promoting the authors who write them.:wink:

kimberan7.tripod.com/enduringromance

]]> By: Edie Ramer http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-16308 Edie Ramer Wed, 28 Mar 2007 20:23:04 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/#comment-16308 "The Standard Issue Sex Scene" is the perfect name for it. I love a sensual sex scene, but not scenes I've read a couple hundred times already. And the ones who do it four times a night are actually irritating. After the second time, I'd like to see a heroine tell him to go into the bathroom and take care of it himself. :twisted: “The Standard Issue Sex Scene” is the perfect name for it. I love a sensual sex scene, but not scenes I’ve read a couple hundred times already. And the ones who do it four times a night are actually irritating. After the second time, I’d like to see a heroine tell him to go into the bathroom and take care of it himself. :twisted:

]]> By: Kimber An http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-16249 Kimber An Tue, 27 Mar 2007 23:25:17 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/#comment-16249 :???:There are authors out there who do write well-balanced, well-developed love stories. We need to keep them in business by buying their books. I'm working on an idea to help with that.:wink: :???: There are authors out there who do write well-balanced, well-developed love stories. We need to keep them in business by buying their books. I’m working on an idea to help with that.:wink:

]]> By: Camilla http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-16247 Camilla Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:21:45 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/#comment-16247 I have to say that I've begun to skip over sex scenes in romances--I just don't care enough about the h/h to want to read about them getting it on within the first third of the book or so. I crave the build up, the tension between the h/h when they want to get together but don't, can't and/or won't, and then they finally do. But I notice this is occurring less and less in romances and more in novels with romantic elements(my favorite urban fantasy series', mysteries, YA fiction). As an unpublished author, I've seen first hand that the best way to get an initial look from an agent/editor is to have a Hot Hook--that "Hot" being literal--whether you're writing erotic romance or not(with the exception of inspy's and sweet romances, of course). Not to say sexy hooks are sold over non-sexy hooks, but the importance of hot sex has become more apparent over the years. :neutral: I have to say that I’ve begun to skip over sex scenes in romances–I just don’t care enough about the h/h to want to read about them getting it on within the first third of the book or so.

I crave the build up, the tension between the h/h when they want to get together but don’t, can’t and/or won’t, and then they finally do. But I notice this is occurring less and less in romances and more in novels with romantic elements(my favorite urban fantasy series’, mysteries, YA fiction).

As an unpublished author, I’ve seen first hand that the best way to get an initial look from an agent/editor is to have a Hot Hook–that “Hot” being literal–whether you’re writing erotic romance or not(with the exception of inspy’s and sweet romances, of course). Not to say sexy hooks are sold over non-sexy hooks, but the importance of hot sex has become more apparent over the years. :neutral:

]]> By: Kimber An http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-16229 Kimber An Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:19:21 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/#comment-16229 KeVin, that's what I'm talking about!:lol: Poisen, yawn indeed. On both counts, actually. KeVin, that’s what I’m talking about!:lol:

Poisen, yawn indeed. On both counts, actually.

]]> By: Poison Ivy http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-16225 Poison Ivy Tue, 27 Mar 2007 14:32:31 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/#comment-16225 I agree that if the story doesn't change at all with the removal of a sex scene, the sex scene doesn't belong in it. I would far rather see extraneous charity ball scenes in which the heroine gets all gussied up in fancy finery, and people admire her gown and her jewelry and her hairdo, than extraneous sex scenes. Because the charity ball scenes at least feature different gowns. But the sex scenes, well...it's a penis. It's a vagina. There are nipples. Yawn. I agree that if the story doesn’t change at all with the removal of a sex scene, the sex scene doesn’t belong in it.

I would far rather see extraneous charity ball scenes in which the heroine gets all gussied up in fancy finery, and people admire her gown and her jewelry and her hairdo, than extraneous sex scenes. Because the charity ball scenes at least feature different gowns. But the sex scenes, well…it’s a penis. It’s a vagina. There are nipples. Yawn.

]]> By: KeVin Killiany http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-16208 KeVin Killiany Tue, 27 Mar 2007 11:28:25 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/#comment-16208 Kimber Chin, you reminded me of a scene in a young adult novel I read decades ago. The teen couple overcome several things and about two-thirds of the way through -- just before the big event that's the point of the novel (and, no, <i>of course</i> I can't remember the title now, but they're in a tent in the woods and are going to try something that may kill them the next day). The scene itself is vague -- this is a YA from 20 years ago, after all -- and ends wonderfully. He: How was it? She: Um. I think it's supposed to get better with practice. He: Yeah.... Then they spend the rest of the night cuddled together thinking about the future. Kimber Chin, you reminded me of a scene in a young adult novel I read decades ago. The teen couple overcome several things and about two-thirds of the way through — just before the big event that’s the point of the novel (and, no, of course I can’t remember the title now, but they’re in a tent in the woods and are going to try something that may kill them the next day). The scene itself is vague — this is a YA from 20 years ago, after all — and ends wonderfully.

He: How was it?
She: Um. I think it’s supposed to get better with practice.
He: Yeah….
Then they spend the rest of the night cuddled together thinking about the future.

]]> By: Kimber An http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-16191 Kimber An Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:02:35 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/#comment-16191 :mrgreen: I love love scenes in which the fun of reality is reflected, like a young couple learning together and goofing up and laughing. Susan Grant did a fantastic job in the STAR KING with this. She had a fortysomething heroine who had given birth and, of course, her body showed the changes from that. And the hero loved those changes. It was beautifully done. A good love scene should bring us even more under the spell of the story itself. It shouldn't jerk us out of it.:wink: :mrgreen: I love love scenes in which the fun of reality is reflected, like a young couple learning together and goofing up and laughing. Susan Grant did a fantastic job in the STAR KING with this. She had a fortysomething heroine who had given birth and, of course, her body showed the changes from that. And the hero loved those changes. It was beautifully done. A good love scene should bring us even more under the spell of the story itself. It shouldn’t jerk us out of it.:wink:

]]> By: Kimber Chin http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-16187 Kimber Chin Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:49:47 +0000 http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2007/03/25/sex-by-the-numbers/#comment-16187 I agree. I think that if the author can take out a sex scene and not mess up the story, then the scene (like any other) should be taken out. And the scene should reflect character. If the heroine talks constantly, odds are she'll talk during sex (tmi but I know I do). If the heroine is a get it done type of guy, odds are he's not going for extended foreplay (going straight for the goods). And if the guy really, really likes the heroine, the odds that he can last long (if even long enough to reach slot B) are low. I agree.

I think that if the author can take out a sex scene and not mess up the story, then the scene (like any other) should be taken out.

And the scene should reflect character.

If the heroine talks constantly, odds are she’ll talk during sex (tmi but I know I do).

If the heroine is a get it done type of guy, odds are he’s not going for extended foreplay (going straight for the goods).

And if the guy really, really likes the heroine, the odds that he can last long (if even long enough to reach slot B) are low.

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