Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Romance, Red Bull and Paperclips


The three elements are on my desk right now:

A brand new manuscript that's going to my lovely editor this week; an empty can of the jet-fuel-tasting orange stuff; and all kinds of brightly colored paperclips in a paper origami receptacle that my eight-year old son made.

There's Trent Reznor snarling in the background that we shouldn't bite the "hand that feeds", my 95-pound Lab curled on my feet as he snores and dream-twitches. I've just finished my latest novel, Gladius, another addition to the Hussies series (well, if it's accepted that is...I'll share the news as soon as I have them). The UEFA Euro Cup (soccer) is on...which means my TV screen full of yummy men in shorts.

It's a good life, I tell you.
Which reminds me of the first romance I've read. Remember that one? Aside from the Harlequins that I was unfortunate enough to try back in the 80s (and made me run and never look back), I clearly remember my first ever romance. Actually, it was an erotic romance entitled Ravenous, by Sherri L. King. After I finished, I thought, DAMN, guns AND hot love AND a strong heroine?! Gimme more. I went on to try another, because O Joy, my hopes were up and my woman parts were tingly. I read Madame Charlie by Sahara Kelly. That was in 2006, I think. Supreme Delight, I LOVED it too. Two good books in two tries? I was hooked. So from one of those who'd look at romance books with a bit of distrust and a whole lot of "mehh", I became a fan of what I call "hybrids". I'm not sure if it's a proper term. Don't care. Hey, I even call science fiction "scifi" which I know gets some people's panties all bunched into a knot. You what? I don't care about that either. But back to those books with enough action to satisfy the gamer in me that also happen to pack some hot love and sex that please me as a woman? Well damn, can I ask for more?

I've read more of these hybrids since then, and even caught myself once or twice reading scifi or fantasy stories and *adding* the romance and sex in my head because suddenly, I thought it was lacking, which had never happened before. But I realize I'm a late bloomer.

So Hussies out there, do you remember the first romance or erotic romance book you read? What was it (and don't forget linkage goodness so we can drool at the cover)?

P.S. that photo was taken when we spent a weekend in Paris last year. It always makes me laugh because as my husband took it, I said "Wait! I have something in my eye!" To which he replied "What? An Eiffel tower?"

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