Answering 'The Question'

It never fails. You're out and about, chatting with folks, trying to keep it friendly. When they find out you're a writer, they inevitably ask this question:

"You're an author? That's cool! What do you write?"

When they find out you're a romance writer, that's when things get...interesting.

"Oh, so you write porn?"

Um. No.

"You write the smutty stuff, huh?" (insert semi-creepy wink and grin here)

Really?

"Ooh, like Fifty Shades of Grey? Whew, girl, that Christian Grey is HOT! He can tie me up any time."

*face palm*

(Keep in mind, I work at a public library in a small town. Comments such as that last one can get realllly awkward. lol)

Look, I get it. Erotica and books like Fifty Shades are very popular. And if that's what you like to read or write, more power to you. I have a ton of friends and authors I know who read or write it, and I support them 100%. It's just not my thing.

Let me tell you a little bit about H.C., the writer. :)

I'm into contemporary romance, in both reading and writing preferences. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a huge Nora Roberts fan. And when it comes to my writing I guess I'm an in-betweener, for lack of a better term. I don't write super sweet, no touching beneath the shirt, sex-ain't-happenin' romance. But my characters aren't burning up the sheets and humping like bunnies every other page either. Like I said though, if that's what you like, there's nothing wrong with it. To each their own. :)

But, for me, I love writing about the relationships of my characters, digging into their backgrounds, giving them obstacles to overcome, all to get them to the point of HEA. Yes, there's some language. Yes, my characters have sexy time. Often times, it's fade-to-black but I'm working on it letting get a little hotter. lol

So, the next time you find out someone writes romance, dig a little deeper with your questions. Ask about their preferred sub-genre, their next project or what they enjoy writing about. Engage in conversation, not assumptions. You might just be surprised at what you discover.